Autocar crowns the fastest car in the world

The Bugatti Veyron has been threatening to rewrite the record books since its launch last year; this week, Autocar has become the first magazine in the world to measure exactly how quick this UKP880,000 (US$1,657,000), 987bhp hypercar really is. In Autocar's latest issue, road test editor Adam Towler tells how he travelled to Volkswagen's Ehra-Lessien test facility in Germany, how he attached Autocar's timing gear to the Veyron, and most importantly, how it felt to drive faster than he ever had before. "I have never, ever felt acceleration like this," writes Towler - "the Bugatti catapults from 30 to 50mph in less than a second. A Lamborghini Gallardo requires two seconds, if you need a point of reference."

"After 2.8sec we're past 60mph," he goes on. "Then it dawns on me: the rate of acceleration, even at 70mph, is actually increasing. Even now, as I type, that realisation makes the hairs on the back of my neck go stiff."

To find out just how quickly this incredible car went from a standstill to 100mph, and just how much quicker it is than every other important supercar, get this week's issue of Autocar.

Bugatti claim that the Veyron has a top speed of 252 mph and has a seven speed paddleshift gearbox made by British engineering firm Ricardo. There will be only 300 built in total and so far 100 have already been sold. Fuel consumption is recorded as averaging 11.7 mpg when driven under normal conditions.

Autocar was launched in 1895 and is the world’s oldest motoring title. Published in the United Kingdom, Italy, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Greece, Denmark, Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, South Africa, Middle East, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.