Bugatti Veyron: soon to be the world's fastest production car

from Automotive (1608 articles)

A-

A+

Page: 1 2 3 4

Bugatti Veyron: soon to be the world's fastest production car

Click image to enlarge

Image Gallery ( 23 images )

From 310 km/h to 80 km/h and back repeatedly without fading! In addition, the front disc brakes, which are have higher demands placed on them, are maintained at a constant ideal temperature even under maximum loading by a completely new type of dynamic pressure cooling. An example from the prototype trials: during a brake fade test with 1.0 g* repeated braking from 310 km/h to 80 km/h (acceleration from 80 km/h to 310 km/h + subsequent braking in only 22 seconds per cycle in total!), a thermal equilibrium was achieved after braking for the twentieth time – even then, the brake fluid temperature stayed below the defined 220°C level and the top surface of the discs below a 1 000°C limit. The technical structure of the air supply is unique in this context:

Unique dynamic pressure cooling

To achieve the greatest possible dynamic pressure and therefore make use of high volumes of air, the cooling air stream enters a duct located in the best possible position in the front of the car. On the way to the brakes, the air also cools the front differential of the four-wheel drive and the battery as it flows past. The air stream then flows from the centre of the vehicle towards the carbon discs and pads. Just before the air flows around both of these it meets a unique component which guarantees the stability never before achieved in this type of brake system: a FroSt swivel bearing (Flow Rotating System) with a special air duct with a tapering spiral and allows for a large amount of air flow in a narrow space.

The air flows into the swivel bearing and into the increasingly small space, accelerates with a swirl towards the rotating brake discs and is then released back into the open air through the turbine-shaped vanes inside the discs as a turbulent current. A side stream is also directed through small ducts in the stainless steel crowns of the disc on the surface of the disc and through an air outlet in the swivel bearing directly onto the caliper and the pads.

Rear-wing becomes airbrake in 0.4 seconds

As previously mentioned, the rear wing functions as an airbrake, optimising braking performance at speeds above 200 km/h. The wing is then angled at 70 degrees in less than 0.4 seconds, which has several consequences. Firstly: the rear axle downforce is increased, therefore improving the distribution of the brake force between the front and rear axles. Secondly: air resistance is increased, as in an aeroplane when landing. The airbrake alone produces a maximum deceleration of 0.6 g* at high speeds. It is activated via the brake pedal. The wheel brakes themselves achieve – with standard tyres on appropriate road surfaces – deceleration values of around 1.3 g*. With full brake application at 400 km/h, the Bugatti Veyron would come to a standstill in considerably less than 10 seconds!

Handbrake with ceramic brake pads.

Another innovative detail is the handbrake. Bugatti has installed a separate brake caliper here, as is customary in sports cars. However, the fact that this component is operated electronically and has full ABS function together with a parking brake auto release system makes it unique. In the highly unlikely event of a fault with the main brakes, the driver would be able to bring the Bugatti Veyron to a safe and stable stop below a certain speed limit, even on a surface with varied friction values (for example, ice on the right, dry as a bone on the left). What is more, this caliper is fitted with wear-resistant ceramic brake pads designed to last for the complete life-time of the vehicle.

...continued

Page: 1 2 3 4