VIDEO: Buggatti Galibier 16C Concept Car




I know we have had quite a bit coverage for a car Bugatti has yet to decide if they will build, but this video was so impressive we couldn’t ressist passing it along. With this type of marketing, I can’t imagine that Bugatti hasn’t created enough buzz to get the Galiber into production.

Thanks to our partners at www.automotiveaddicts.com for the heads up.

2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Coupe

This 2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Coupe is offered by EuroMotorsport.

Description

• Stock Number: M795115
• VIN Number: VF9SA25C58M795115
• Model Year: 2008
• Make: Bugatti
• Model: Veyron
• Style Name: Coupe 16.4
• Vehicle Trim: 16.4
• Body Type: Coupe
• Vehicle Type: Exotic
• Interior Color: Anthracite
• Exterior Color: Bright Silver Metallic

Suspension

• Independent Suspension: Independent
• Stabilizer Bar: Front And Rear

In Car Entertainment

• Audio System: AM/FM Stereo
• Premium Brand: Burmester
• Speakers: 8
• Multimedia CD Location: Single In-Dash Mounted
• Antenna Type: Window Grid

Comfort

• Air Conditioning: Automatic
• Center Console Trim: Leather/Aluminum
• Dash Trim: Aluminum
• Door Trim: Aluminum
• Mats: Carpet Front
• Reading Lights: Front
• Rearview Mirror: Day-Night
• Shift Knob: Leather/Aluminum
• Steering Wheel Trim: Leather/Aluminum

Dimensions

• Front Head Room: 36.00 Inches
• Front Leg Room: 44.00 Inches
• Luggage Capacity: 1.30 Cubic Feet
• Maximum Seating: 2
• Length: 175.70 Inches
• Width: 78.70 Inches
• Height: 45.60 Inches
• Weight: Pounds
• Wheelbase: 106.70 Inches
• Ground Clearance: 2.60 Inches
• Curb Weight: 4162.00 Pounds

• Engine Description: 8.0L W16
• Fuel Type: Gas
• Cam Type: Dual Overhead Cam
• Fuel Induction: Direct Gasoline Injection
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Aspiration: Twin Turbocharged
• Compressor: Quad Turbo
• MPG Manual City: 8
• MPG Manual Highway: 14

Instrumentation

• Clock
• Compass
• External Temp
• Low Fuel Level
• Tachometer
• Trip Computer

Seats

• Drivers: Heated Cushion And Seatback
• Drivers Height: Manual
• Passenger: Heated Cushion And Seatback
• Passenger Height: Manual
• Seating Capacity: 2
• Front Seat Type: Sport
• Upholstery: Leather

Features

• Aux Engine Cooler: Regular
• Aux Transmission Cooler: Regular
• Vinyl Floor Covering: Carpet
• Bumpers: Body-Colored
• Door Reinforcement

• Transmission: 7-Speed Automatic
• Drive Train Type: AWD
• 4WD Type : Full-Time
• Driven Wheels: All-Wheel Drive
• Locking Hubs: Permanent
• Wheels Rims: Forged Alloy

Roof and Glass

• Front Wipers: Variable Intermittent
• Privacy Glass: Light

Convenience

• Windows: Power
• Steering Power: Hydraulic Power-Assist
• Steering Adjustment: Manual Tilting
• Mirrors: Power Remote
• Auto Dimming Mirrors
• Remote Mirrors: Power Remote
• Power Door Locks: Power With 2 Stage Unlock
• Door Pockets
• Overhead Console: Mini
• Remote Trunk Release: Power
• Navigation System
• Phone: Portable Hands Free

Safety

• Front Passenger Airbag: Deactivated
• Driver and Passenger Airbag
• ABS: 4-Wheel
• Mirrors
• Brakes: 4 Wheel Disc
• Anti Theft System
• Brake Assist
• Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Headlights: High Intensity Low/High Beam
• Headlights Dusksensor: Auto Off
• Headlight Cleaners: Washer
• Daytime Running Light
• Front Headrests: Fixed
• Trunk Release: Power
• Engine Immobilizer
• Turning Circle: 50.00
• Door Reinforcement
• Traction Control: ABS And Driveline
• Stability Control

Click here for more information and photos

 

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LuxuryAutoDirect.com gets Exclusive Look at the Bugatti Galiber 16C Concept Car

Story & Photos by Mike Daly

Bugatti is currently attempting to elicit feedback on the recently unveiled 16C Galibier sedan concept by inviting customers and members of the media to participate in interviews that will help the company gauge the strengths of the car and its potential market viability.  Two exclusive invite-only events, a November 5 presentation in Beverly Hills and a similar effort to follow in Dubai, mark only the second and third exhibitions of the concept car.  Bugatti designer Achim Anscheidt and worldwide head of marketing and sales Alasdair Stewart were part of a contingent of Bugatti personnel that presented the Galibier at Beverly Hills’ Ace Gallery and explained how the car’s visual cues had evolved from seminal prewar models such as the Type 35 and Type 57 Atlantic, as well as the 16.4 Veyron. 

 The 16C Galibier takes its name from the 8.0 liter W16 engine also used in the Veyron, as well as the 2,645-meter southern Alpine pass whose name graced the Type 57 Galibier saloons of the 1930s.  As in the 30s cars, the C refers to compression, in this case provided by two superchargers (as opposed to the Veyron’s four turbochargers).  Anscheidt described the prodigious W16 as “our most unique selling point for this car.”

 Like the one-off Sang Bleu version of the Veyron GrandSport that was exhibited at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the 16C Galibier concept is finished in a two-tone color scheme of blue-tinted carbon fiber and polished aluminum.  Though the garish use of materials is appropriate for an exotic sports car such as the Veyron, or even a concept car such as this Galibier, those in attendance seemed to concur that the color scheme would not translate well to a production version.  Flashy materials aside, though, the Galibier concept is a stately and impressive car, true to Bugatti’s reputation for cutting edge technology and artistic craftsmanship.  From a raised center spine that traces from the front fascia through the rear hatchback (even visually continued through the windshield by an elongated mirror support), to the company monogram outlined by the headlamp filaments, this Galibier is replete with aesthetic details.  The car is larger than photos would suggest, and particularly from the front, strikes a pose of stately elegance.  In a visual cue that is probably more presentational than functional, two separate panels on the hood automatically rise from a central hinge in what the company describes as a butterfly bonnet, clearly a modern translation of the hand-lifted hood covers that granted engine access to the mechanics of yesteryear.

 Bugatti opulence is even more pronounced in the car’s interior.  A large knurled wood console that stretches from door to door is minimally accented with instruments, including two large central gauges that measure power use and speed.  Between them lies a chronograph by Parmigiani that can be removed and worn as a wristwatch.  Artfully constructed leather seats are accented with classic wicker, a suggestion of a material more common to coachbuilt cars of the 30s.  The wicker is also employed in door trim that doubles as speaker covers.  Anscheidt explained that innovation is required in using such classic cues and materials to avoid the dreaded “retro” label.  “We’re always striving for a new interpretation,” he said.  “Sometimes this new interpretation comes in technical terms, sometimes in stylistic terms, but never just the same” as the original.  Bugatti tradition is even evident in the trunk, where a handmade luggage set contains a vintage leather racing helmet and goggles. 

 As this Galibier is still a concept, Bugatti offered no hard numbers in terms of anticipated performance.   The car does not share a platform with any other, and has been engineered from the ground up as an individual model.  Bearing in mind that the car’s W16 was originally devised for mid-rear placement in the Veyron, we asked Anscheidt if challenges were posed in fitting the powerplant into a frontal location, and what impact the new placement had in the remainder of the concept’s layout and overall design.  He conceded that at first he was concerned, but soon realized that the W16’s remarkably compact construction would not affect the rest of the Galibier’s creation.  “If we had to deal with a monstrous engine in the front it would have translated on to the rear of the car which would not have been beneficial for the overall sporty character that was important for us.”

 Bugatti has also declared that the W16 will be flex fuel capable, able to run on either traditional gasoline or E85.  It is surely no coincidence that Bentley, another marque owned by the VW Group, has already begun to integrate similar flex fuel technology into their model line.  When pressed to explain the connection, Anscheidt readily admitted that Bugatti would be foolish not to capitalize on its parent’s research and development gains.  “As much as we’re looking for individual customer solutions, we’re not closing the door on the benefits that we can have from the overall Volkswagen Group in terms of the latest technology.”

 Focus group questions sought reaction to the Galibier, including opinions and criticisms.  They also asked how much such a car should cost and if a market for the car truly exists.  Though there is clearly a limit to the number of auto enthusiasts in the world that are capable of dropping $2 million on another car, it seems that Bugatti would ignore a glaring market gap by not producing a sedan.  Furthermore, Bugatti has a renowned history of producing elegant touring cars and saloons, including the original Galibiers.  A new Bugatti sedan of some kind would seem to be the long-awaited legacy to those prewar classics.

 Depending on customer feedback, Bugatti will either continue with this Galibier concept, or change course by developing one of a number of alternative sedan ideas that Anscheidt stated were in “healthy competition.”  Anscheidt would not commit to clarifying the chances that this car will reach production, but did suggest that Bugatti will likely soon field a sedan that is based on significant input from the company’s customer base.  “We very much need to and want to involve [our customers] in our processes.  Our customer base is not that vast – between 200 and 400 people.  We need them; we want to tailor our products with and for them.”

See our previous post on the Bugatti Galiber 16C Concept Car 

 

200 mph Supercars: Caruso Concours d’Elegance at Americana on Brand

“If you’ve never been at 200 mph, it’s a sensation beyond belief.”  The words of Dick Messer, the longtime Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, could hardly have better summarized the reasoning behind the museum’s sponsorship of an October 11 car show that focused on automobiles capable of 200 mph.  Reaching out to local collectors and loyal members, the museum was able to assemble 23 such supercars for a fun and free event set against the backdrop of one of the area’s most popular open air luxury retail centers, the Americana on Brand Boulevard. 

 Located in the Los Angeles-adjacent city of Glendale, nicknamed the Jewel City, Americana on Brand is the latest project of Caruso Affiliated, a regional real estate development company that has garnered a reputation for the outdoor retail malls that are becoming increasingly commonplace in Southern California.  There is a small degree of irony in the fact that a Caruso property would host an exhibition of expensive supercars, given that company founder Henry Caruso made the majority of his fortune as the founder of Dollar Rent-A-Car.  

 “To my knowledge, and I read practically every [automotive] publication, at least here in the United States, and some in Europe, this has never been done before – that this many supercars ended up in one place at one time,” explained Messer.  The Petersen, of course contributed some of the most stellar offerings on display, including a Ferrari F40, F50 and 575 Superamerica, a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, a Bugatti EB110 and Veyron, a Ford GT and a Jaguar XJ220.  Another area institution, the Riverside International Automotive Museum, supplied a freshly acquired Maserati MC12, which in concert with a handful of locally owned Lamborghinis and Ferraris, rounded out the representation of the major Italian supercar rivals. 

 Rarer contributions came in the form of a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG, one of about 100 carbon fiber-bodied CLK models homologated for racing and one of only 40 that the manufacturer allowed to circulate into public ownership.  A Cizeta V16T, one of roughly 10 of the Marcelo Gandini-penned supercars that employ a transversely mounted V-16 engine, provided a rare glimpse of another little-known exotic.  The most unusual car on hand though was an AREX, whose acronym stands for American Roadster Experimental.  Fully looking like an experiment, the scissor-doored twin-turbo V-8 oddity was produced in the early 90s by former GM and Toyota designer David Stollery and Gale Banks Engineering.

 Though the show wore the banner of a Concours d’Elegance, there was no judging other than one People’s Choice award, which went to a Ferrari Enzo owned by Armen Aslanian of Glendale.   The show was the third such event that Americana on Brand has hosted in the last year, the previous two focusing on classic cars and the cars of celebrities.  Caruso Public Relations Coordinator Jenny Bronstein clarified that the event would probably be held on an annual basis from this point forward. 

 “This is all excess beyond excess,” concluded Messer.  “Nobody needs to have one of these cars.  You don’t need to have a car that goes 200 mph plus to drive around Los Angeles,” he said, referring to the city’s notoriously congested traffic.  “But on an open road, there’s nothing like it!”

Story and pictures by Mike Daly

 

Bugatti Debuts its Version of the 4 Door Sedan…2009 Bugatti 16 C Galibier Concept

 

As the climax of its centenary celebration ceremonies, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. presented customers and opinion-makers with the Bugatti 16 C Galibier concept, intended to be the most exclusive, elegant, and powerful four door automobile in the world last weekend in Molsheim. At the historic site where Ettore Bugatti once laid the cornerstone of his company, Bugatti’s current president, Dr. Ing. Franz-Josef Paefgen emphasized that the Galibier is one of several concept studies with which the company is considering for the future of the Bugatti marque.

Art – Form – Technique: those are the brand values to which Ettore Bugatti and his son Jean oriented themselves in order to develop even more powerful engines and even more noble body designs for each new model, which were without equal in quality, handling, speed and elegance. In the process, they experimented again and again without compromise with new materials; thus was Bugatti one of the first manufacturers to use aluminum parts for bodies, engine blocks and wheels.

Art – Form – Technique are also the brand values to which the design and engineering team of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. oriented themselves in the development of the Galibier. With this new four-door concept car, Bugatti assumes anew a leading role in the use of new material combinations. Thus the body is constructed of handmade carbon fiber parts colored dark blue so that, when illuminated, the woven structure shimmers through strikingly. Carbon fiber not only possesses unusually great rigidity but is also especially light. The wings and doors are out of polished aluminum.

“Galibier” is not just the name of one of the most difficult alpine passes along the Tour de France but, in its time, was a version of the four door Type 57 unequalled in sportiness and elegance.

Rare Bugatti’s to Appear at Festivals of Speed

 

 

The FESTIVALS OF SPEED sponsored by Luxury Auto Direct Magazine is proud to continue the 100th Anniversary celebration of Bugatti. On October 25th at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Florida some of the most rare Bugatti’s will be on display. This will be the first time ever the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport, Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir, Bugatti Veyron Sang Bleu, Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang & the Bugatti Veyron will all be displayed simultaniously at one location.

Along with over 100 other rare and exotic automobiles, this truly will be a FESTIVALS OF SPEED. For more information visit www.festivalsofspeed.com

Below are more photos and information on some of these rare Bugatti’s.

The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Sang Bleu has ventured into new areas. Instead of applying two paint colors or paint and material to highlight the two tone design, the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Sang Bleu exclusively concentrates on materials – carbon fiber and aluminum – an innovative combination never realized before. This unique approach opens a new dimension of « Art – Form – Technique », the company’s core values.

The color combination is blue carbon fiber with polished aluminum. The visual carbon fiber is tinted in royal blue to emphasize the refined volumes and surfaces of the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport. The rear air scoops are tinted in the same night-blue – offering a dramatic view from above – and thus fluidly integrate into the overall design philosophy of this unique model.

The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Sang Bleu is the latest in a line of centenary Bugatti models which have won worldwide acclaim in 2009. This unique car stands – like the others – for the commitment of the Bugatti of today to carry the values and the philosophy of Ettore Bugatti, the founder of this unique marque, into a successful future.

The Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir is a special edition, created for the true automotive connoisseur. While its entirely black exterior may initially appear subdued, upon closer inspection it becomes clear that a select number of visual accents make this special Bugatti Veyron just as vividly colored as its brighter counterparts.

Similar to its thoroughbred predecessor, the Type 57S Atlantic, the Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir exposes a raptor-like DNA that is reflected throughout the entire model history of the marque.

Even the hand-stitched, all-leather interior of the Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir plays on the theme of a ‘harmony of extremes’. The light and confident Tangerine is offset by a black-piano lacquer finished center console; both available exclusively to this edition. This striking and unparalleled harmony between luxury and sportiness is complemented by alloy-colored details in the form of the chromed Bugatti grill and door-mirrors, as well as polished wheel surfaces and roof-rails. All-black front lights, air intakes, filler caps and door-handles naturally heighten the stunning effect of the racing-blue brake calipers.

The B-pillars have been cross-stiffened using a carbon fibre support, and a central carbon plate has been positioned beneath the transmission tunnel to ensure the vehicle suffers from less torsional flexing than any other roadster.The doors of the new Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport are made of carbon fiber, and house an integrated longitudinal beam.In the event of an accident, this transfers the load from the A to the B-pillar, thereby dissipating impact energy. Furthermore, the two redesigned air intakes for the 16-cylinder mid-engine now feature 10-centimeter wide carbon-fiber elements to offer protection should the car roll.

Along with moisture-resistant, back-stitched leather, a range of new equipment features has been added to the interior, including a reversing camera with 2.7-inch monitor in the rear-view-mirror, and the “Puccini” sound system with digital signal processor.

When the roof is closed, the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport can reach 252.91 mph, while speeds of up to 223.70 mph are possible with roof off. Should it rain, an innovative folding roof stored in the luggage compartment can be opened up like an umbrella at any time. When this folding roof is in place, the car can travel at up to 80.78 mph.

Aston Martin One-77, One for the Ages in Carmel Valley

Aston Martin – Customer Courtship in Carmel Valley

 

 Aston Martin could hardly have selected a more picturesque setting for its Pebble Beach weekend customer event than the Bernardus Lodge, an aesthetically rustic yet ultra-luxury resort nestled in the hills of Carmel Valley next to a vineyard.  The manicured grounds of the Bernardus proved to be a perfect backdrop for the 5-star catered brunch that surrounded an unassuming grass-square placement of the superlative One-77, Aston’s new 700 bhp supercar.  Guests dined on smoked salmon and other culinary delights while taking turns carving up the Carmel Valley hills with a stunning assortment of Vantages, DB9s and DBS models.  Aston was particularly keen on getting customers into the new DBS Volante, the convertible version of the $270,000 DBS that invokes the traditional marque open top nomenclature, and will come to market this fall.

 Notwithstanding the enviable opportunity to drive the powerful sportscars on the challenging curvy hill climbs that surround the estate, the star of the event was clearly the One-77, the uber-Aston that has been appropriately greeted with awe since its unveiling at the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza at Lake Como, Italy last April.  Though pictures merely suggest a more emphatic interpretation of Aston’s signature design language, in person the One-77 takes on new life, a sensuous and fluid combination of sinewy bulges and well-placed vents that cannot be described as anything less than awesome.  Only 77 examples of the $1.97 million supercar will be produced, ensuring a level of rarity unclaimed by even the most select of exotics.

 Aston’s commitment to customer satisfaction was cemented by the presence of now legendary CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez, who casually roamed the event greeting customers and fielding questions.  In a brief interview, Dr. Bez described the One-77’s handmade engineering with words like “beauty, refinement and substance,” and asserted that the car would forever assume a position in the pantheon of Aston’s most collectible models, alongside the DBR1 and the Zagato-bodied cars.  Gently dismissing possible comparisons to competitors such as the Bugatti Veyron, Dr. Bez clarified that while VW’s car was engineered with a performance goal of 1,000 bhp, the One-77 was rather designed and built to be “a piece of art.”  Clarifying that the One-77 would sit atop the model range for decades to come, Dr. Bez commented, “We can’t make something more beautiful.”

 By Michael Daly

Preview The Official Auction of Pebble Beach

 

If you’re in the market for a collector car, there will be no lack of options this weekend at the Monterey Peninsula as proceedings get under way for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Concorso Italiano, and a host of related events.  What began 59 years ago as one relatively modest exhibition of fine collector cars has burgeoned into an entire week of related events, races and auctions that has come to be a mainstay for every major collector car auction house.  While Bonhams proudly accompanies the ever-more-exclusive Quail Motorsports Gathering, RM Auctions maintains its reputation for volume and quality, and Russo and Steele continue to lead the muscle car bracket, one auctioneer has distinguished itself from the crowd with a growing reputation for the finest overall selection and its enviable affiliation with the Pebble Beach Concours as the official auction of Pebble Beach:  Gooding & Company.

 David Gooding’s event, a two night affair which is held a mere 200 yards from the 18^th hole fairway that hosts the Concours, will feature a stunning array of rare and desirable collector cars that range from prewar brass and classics to postwar vintage sports cars.  Particular attention has been paid to two cars that are expected to easily surpass the million dollar mark: a 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Special Coupe with one-off coachwork that was purportedly used as a personal car by Ettore Bugatti, and a 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Roadster with a body that is regarded by many to be the finest coachbuilt Duesenberg ever produced by Pasadena-based Bohman & Schwartz.

 Sports car aficionados will be much more taken with the great selection of 1950s and 60s coupes and convertibles, including a 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Competition Spider, a 1954 Cunningham C-3 Coupe, a 1956 Talbot-Lago T14 LS, and a 1958 BMW 507 Series II.  Italian sports car lovers should enjoy the offering of a 1966 Lamborghini 400GT 2+2 that was featured in the model’s original sales brochure as well as two Ferrari California Spiders and four different Maseratis.  Two legendary Italian-bodied Corvettes will also cross the block, the one-off 1963 Pininfarina Rondine, and a 1959 Corvette Coupe with coachwork by Scaglietti, the first of three ever produced.

 For more info see www.goodingco.com

Photos courtesy of Gooding & Company

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