2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse Le Ciel Californien
Inspired by the Bugatti Type 37A.
One of the most recognized mid-engine supercars of all time.
Incredible performance paired with a bespoke 1 of 1 paint scheme.
1 of 92 Grand Sport Vitesse made.
The modern Bugatti Veyron is one of the most popular and beloved supercars of all time, known for its mind-blowing statistics and incredible performance. The Veyron was the first production automobile to produce over 1000 horsepower, to achieve over 250 MPH, and the first new vehicle to cost over $1,000,000.
This Grand Sport Vitesse is even more special, producing 1200 horsepower underneath a bespoke paint job and removable glass top. Shown is three different exhibitions in Audrain’s history first in the Supercar Evolution, then in 2016 Speed Machines: Supercars & Superbikes, and most recently, it was in the 2017 exhibit Drop Dead Drop Tops. This Veyron is arguably the most popular vehicle ever shown at the Audrain, as we are asked about this car more than any other, and we are proud to show the Grand Sport Vitesse once again!
Named for famed Bugatti engineer, test driver, and Grand Prix Racer of the 1930s Pierre Veyron, the 2005 launch of the Veyron was the result of nearly 6 years of development, concept cars, design changes, and component engineering. It was the first Bugatti production vehicle following the acquisition of the badging and naming rights by the Volkswagen group and the first Bugatti available to the public since the EB-110 was built under previous ownership in 1995. Opting to build the Veyron in Bugatti’s ancestral home in Molsheim, France, in the Alsace region, Bugatti tapped Hartmut Warkuß to lead the design team with Slovakian Jozef Kaben penning the body lines. Sumptuous curves with an eye towards peak aerodynamic efficiency, the Veyron differed greatly from wedge-shaped bodies that were synonymous with high-speed supercars of the late 1990s.
Very few items on the Veyron could be found in other vehicles of the day. To accommodate the high-speed capacity of the Veyron, only special Michelin PAX tires are used at a cost of $25,000 per set plus a $70,000 installation fee performed only in France. Its brakes feature 8-piston calipers on the front with 6-piston rears gripping carbon fiber-reinforced silicon carbide discs all around. Bugatti claims the car could be slowed from its top speed of 250mph to a complete stop in less than 10 seconds but uses nearly 1/3 mile to do so.
To achieve such an extreme measure of performance, advanced telemetry, and aerodynamics were needed to keep the Veyron from becoming an airborne projectile at top speeds. Multiple electronic controls aid downforce above 220 kph (140mph) and deploy spoilers and a rear wing to keep the Veyron grounded. But if the driver wishes to explore the top range of speed, a special Top Speed option can be chosen while at rest, at which time the driver and car go through a checklist to make sure every system is ready for maximum performance.
Automatically, the spoiler and front air inlets close thus reducing drag so the car can be pushed to the limit.The rear spoiler can elevate out of the car up to approximately 2.5 feet. It can create up to 770 lbs of downforce on the back of the car while accelerating but can also deploy up to a 70-degree angle while decelerating, to act as an air brake. Because of its constant movement, the spoiler was given its own cooling system. At a full stop, the ground clearance for this car is 4.9 inches. However, when top speed is enabled, the car lowers itself to a ground clearance of 2.6 inches.
While expectations of such a high-performance vehicle would hint at an interior more akin to a race car than a luxury car, Bugatti owners are treated to rich padded leather seats and highly polished stylized driver controls that are esthetically more Rolls Royce than Ferrari. All this luxurious technology combined with limited availability drove initial purchase prices easily into 7 figure territory, but Bugatti would claim that the build cost of each vehicle was easily 5 times its selling price.
Specifications:
Engine: 8.0L W-configured 16-cylinder, quad turbo-charged
Horsepower: 1200 @ 6,400 RPM
Torque: 1106 ft/lbs @ 3,000 RPM
Transmission: 7-Speed dual-clutch semi-automatic
0-60 MPH: 2.6 seconds
Top Speed: 264 mph
Weight: 4200 lbs