Saturday, 2 PM at Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien test track. The air crackles with anticipation as Bugatti’s Pilote Officiel, Pierre Henri Raphanel, prepares to etch his name, and that of the Bugatti Super Veyron, into the annals of automotive history. Helmet secured, gloves tightened, and safety belts cinched, Raphanel awaits the final checks. Engineers swarm the orange and black Super Sport, their meticulous eyes verifying tyre pressure, temperature, and system readiness. With a final nod, the Super Sport breaches the timing light barrier. The clock starts. Within the next hour, this engineering marvel must complete two runs – north to south, and then south to north. During this crucial time, only the driver is permitted to touch the car. Tension mounts, the silence punctuated only by the hum of anticipation. Then, a distant roar breaks the quiet – a sound akin to a jumbo jet taking flight. Approaching rapidly from the horizon, the Veyron’s headlights pierce the air, followed by the unmistakable silhouette of the car. A deafening whoosh engulfs the track as Raphanel streaks past at mind-bending velocity. The GPS-tachometer peaks at an astounding 427.933 km/h (approximately 265.9 mph). The team holds its breath for the return run. In the opposite direction, pushing the limits once more, the Super Veyron achieves an even higher speed of 434.211 km/h (approximately 269.8 mph). Averaging these two runs, representatives from “TÜV” and Guinness World Records confirm an official top speed of 431.072 km/h (268 mph). This figure even exceeded Bugatti’s own ambitious projections.
“We anticipated an average speed of around 425 km/h,” explains Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, Bugatti’s chief engineer, “but the conditions today were exceptional and allowed us to achieve even more.” The Bugatti Super Veyron had not just broken a record; it had shattered expectations, cementing its place as the ultimate iteration of the Veyron lineage.
The Bugatti Super Veyron 16.4 Super Sport: Reaching the Pinnacle of Performance
Drawing inspiration from Ettore Bugatti’s legacy, where discerning clientele often urged for enhanced performance in their bespoke automobiles, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. faced a similar demand for their second groundbreaking model. Customers weren’t merely seeking aesthetic evolution; they craved a Bugatti Veyron that delivered a more visceral and extreme driving experience. The answer was the Bugatti Super Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. This wasn’t just an incremental upgrade; it was a monumental leap in automotive engineering, unleashing an astonishing 1,200-horsepower (882 kW) upon the world. This hypercar was engineered to offer seasoned drivers an unparalleled dimension of exhilaration, boasting a colossal 1,500 Newton-meters of torque. While its top speed was electronically limited to 415 km/h (approximately 258 mph) for tyre preservation during regular driving, the underlying technology of the Super Sport was identical to the record-breaking machine. In a nod to exclusivity and history, the first five Bugatti Super Veyron models off the production line were designated as a special series, mirroring the exact specifications of the land speed record car, a testament to Bugatti’s commitment to pushing boundaries.
The Bugatti Super Veyron Super Sport is the direct descendant of the iconic 1,001-horsepower Bugatti Veyron 16.4, which debuted in 2005 and redefined automotive benchmarks. The original Veyron was already a marvel, boasting features like a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and exceptional handling and stability during both cornering and high-speed braking and acceleration. However, Bugatti’s relentless pursuit of extreme performance propelled the Veyron platform further, leading to the creation of the Super Sport. This evolution was driven by continuous research and development in the most demanding performance envelopes, allowing Bugatti engineers to sculpt the Veyron into a machine that could reach previously unimaginable dimensions of speed and power. Every refinement implemented in the Super Sport was meticulously engineered to amplify performance and agility. To achieve the monumental power increase, Bugatti’s engineers incorporated four enlarged turbochargers and enhanced intercoolers to boost the output of the formidable 16-cylinder engine. Recognizing that raw power alone is insufficient without control, the chassis underwent extensive redesign to ensure unwavering stability and safety at extreme velocities. This involved subtle yet crucial modifications like slightly increased main-spring travel, more robust stabilizers, and the integration of cutting-edge shock absorbers – technology originally pioneered in racing cars. These advancements translated to noticeably more precise wheel control and overall vehicle composure. With the capability to generate lateral acceleration forces of up to 1.4 Gs and a refined interaction between the tyres and the intelligent all-wheel-drive system, the Bugatti Super Veyron Super Sport delivered not only breathtaking straight-line speed but also impeccable handling and even more potent acceleration out of corners, thanks to its immense 1,500 Newton-meters of torque.
The Super Sport’s exterior was meticulously sculpted to optimize aerodynamic efficiency and maintain perfect equilibrium across all dynamic scenarios. The innovative fibre structure of the all-carbon monocoque chassis ensured maximum torsional rigidity and unparalleled passive safety while simultaneously reducing weight. The entire outer skin of the Bugatti Super Veyron Super Sport is crafted from carbon-fibre composites, and for those seeking the ultimate expression of this advanced material, the car was offered with an optional 100 percent clear-lacquered exposed carbon finish, showcasing the raw beauty of its construction.
Dynamic Design Language of the Bugatti Super Veyron
Beyond its utilization of Formula 1-derived technology, every facet of the Bugatti Super Veyron echoes the pioneering spirit of Ettore Bugatti. Hailing from a lineage of artists, Ettore Bugatti’s design philosophy was deeply rooted in the seamless fusion of mechanical perfection and aesthetic elegance. This enduring ethos remains the lifeblood of the Bugatti marque, and the Bugatti Super Veyron 16.4 Super Sport stands as a definitive embodiment of this principle. Its design is instantly recognizable, with every external modification serving a functional purpose – to extract even greater performance from the vehicle.
The Bugatti Super Veyron Super Sport’s low-slung, elongated silhouette immediately distinguishes it from its predecessors. Instead of relying on scoops atop the engine bay, the colossal 16-cylinder engine draws its air supply from two NACA ducts seamlessly integrated into the roofline, a testament to aerodynamic refinement. The front air intakes have been enlarged and reshaped, with the lower intake gracefully extending around the flanks to merge with the wheel arches, creating a more aggressive and cohesive front fascia. The rear of the Super Sport received a similarly sporty revision, characterized by a double diffuser and a centrally mounted exhaust system, further emphasizing its performance-oriented nature.
Bugatti has a rich heritage of producing “Super Sport” variants of its most celebrated models, typically featuring racing-derived chassis and supercharged engines. These exclusive machines were revered as genuine racing cars adapted for the road, catering to the most devoted Bugatti enthusiasts. Notable examples include the Type 55 and Type 57S, both legendary in their own right, with limited production runs of approximately forty units each, underscoring their rarity and desirability.
By the time the Bugatti Super Veyron Super Sport was unveiled, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. had already achieved remarkable sales figures, with 260 Veyrons and 35 Grand Sports sold, and 249 Veyrons and 22 Grand Sports delivered to discerning customers worldwide. Production of the Super Sport commenced in autumn at Bugatti’s Molsheim Atelier, alongside the Veyron and Grand Sport, further solidifying Molsheim’s role as the epicenter of hypercar craftsmanship. The initial five Bugatti Super Veyron Super Sport examples, designated as the “World Record Edition,” were instantly sold, presented in a distinctive black exposed carbon finish with vibrant orange accents, commemorating their record-breaking achievement. The Bugatti Super Veyron 16.4 Super Sport made its highly anticipated public debut in California during the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours weekend in mid-August, captivating audiences at The Quail, the Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca, and prominently displayed on the concept lawn of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, marking the arrival of a true automotive icon.
