Bugatti

June 2, 2005 Ettore Bugatti produced machines that set world speed records for planes, boats, trains and cars, built the most successful racing car in history and the most expensive car in history. The marque has been revived after 50 years and the new car recently exceeded 400km/h in testing. Its engine has 16 cylinders, eight camshafts, four turbochargers, 64 valves and produces 987 horsepower. When the Bugatti Veyron goes on sale later this year it will cost 1,000,000 Euros and only 300 will ever be built. It will also claim the title of the fastest production car in history, exceeding the McLaren F1’s record of 386.4 kmh (240.1mph) which stood for seven years, and the recent record established by the Koennigsegg CCR of 387.87 kmh (241.01 mph). Last month, a prototype Bugatti Veyron was officially measured at over 400 km/h (248.5 mph) at the Volkswagen Ehra–Lessien proving grounds reaching this speed several times and in both directions, as required by official measuring procedures.  Read More

March 12, 2005 One of the most important pre-war racing cars to come to the market in recent years will top this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed sale on June 24. The 1933 Bugatti Type 59 3.3-litre Grand Prix Two Seater, Factory Team Car 'Voiture Moteur No. 3' is surely the quintessential French Grand Prix car of its era. Ettore Bugatti's designs set speed records in trains, boats, planes and the cars which made his name famous. Bugatti also built the most successful racing car of all time and his Royale (1927-31) remains the most expensive automobile in history - the chassis without a body was despatched to the coachbuilder of the buyer's choice, and cost around US$30,000 in 1930.  Read More

Swiss supercar builder Wysstec has already built one of the most remarkable cars in automotive history. Although it only has a four cylinder motor, the turbocharged 512 bhp Leblanc Caroline is one of the quickest road cars ever recorded because it weighs just 785 kg. Now the company has produced what is almost certainly the quickest (fastest accelerating) roadcar ever – the new Leblanc Mirabeau is the closest you’ll ever get to a race car for the street. Constructed of Kevlar, carbon fibre, and assorted unobtanium, it weighs just 812 kg and its powerplant comes from what was until recently the world’s fastest roadcar – the Koenigsegg CCR was recently timed at 387.87 kmh. That might not mean much if you’re not unhealthily familiar with supercar specifications, so we’ll help with some perspective. That’s less than two thirds of the weight of a Porsche Carrera GT or Saleen S7. It’s also a whopping 358 kilograms lighter than the car from which it borrowed its engine, 570kg lighter than a Ferrari Enzo and half the weight of the car that will become the fastest (top speed) roadcar when it is released later this year, the Bugatti Veyron. Read all about it …  Read More

Ferrari's domination of F1 this year is not without its equal in history. After 11 wins from 12 races, Ferrari is on track to equal the 1988 feat of the McLaren F1 team which won 15 of 16 races. McLaren's drivers were the late Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, who between them took 15 of 16 poles and led for 1003 of the 1031 race laps that season. The pair also scored the most one-two finishes in a season with ten from 16 starts. The F2004 Ferrari just may become the most successful F1 car in history.  Read More

The engine has 16 cylinders, eight camshafts, four turbochargers, 64 valves and produces 1001 horsepower. It will power the world's fastest production car to a top speed of 406kmh. When the Bugatti Veyron goes on sale next year it will cost around $2,000,000.  Read More