Returning to its roots in Molsheim, Alsace, France, the Bugatti Veyron is legendary just like its namesakes. Ettore Bugatti, the founder and driving force behind the iconic Bugatti name, and Pierre Veyron, 1939 Le Mans winner and Bugatti race car driver, would both be proud of the car that bears their names. Equally honorable is the fact that the Veyron was chosen to showcase one hundred years of history with the 2009 Bugatti Veyron Bleu Centenaire Edition worth approximately US$2,019,195.00 (just over two million dollars).
Introduced at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show, the first Veyron was the EB 18.4 concept car featuring the W18 engine with three banks of six cylinders. By the 2001 Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen (owner of Bugatti since 1998) announced that the Bugatti EB 16.4 Veyron was coming. Built with the W16 engine comprised of two V-8 cylinder banks, the 8.0 liter, four-wheel drive, carbon-fiber monocoque chassis Veyron would be hand-assembled just like previous race cars. It was estimated that it would be the fastest road-legal car ever, reaching speeds of 250 mph with an incredible start up of 185 mph in 14.0 seconds.
Obviously an exotic vehicle, as production is extremely limited and most people in this world cannot afford such an exuberant purchase, the Veyron has been created in several different models. For 2007, the Special Edition Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Pur Sang was a throwback to the great Bugatti racing era where cars were plain and not painted. Its two-tone color is derived from the outer shell made of aluminum alloy and the body of carbon fiber. Originally, only five cars were to be built but as soon as it launched in Dubai, six were rumored to sell the first day.
The 2008 EB 16.4 Veyron Sang Noir painted in black with hand-stitched leather orange (tangerine) interior is a masterful combination of elegance and functionality. For customers who wish to personalize their cars, according to the official Bugatti website, they may choose other colors from the company’s interior range. The car proudly displays the traditional Bugatti “horseshoe” grill on the front of the car and the EB badge with the backward “E” and forward “B” on the side of the car just to the rear of the door.
