In 2006 Volkswagen owned Bugatti shocked the motoring world with the Veyron 16.4 supercar and announced that it will produce only 300 units in order to make it ultra exclusive like Pagani and Koenigsegg. The Veyron was at the time the fastest supercar on the market with a top speed of 408 km/h or 253 mph but also one of the most powerful with an 8.0-liter W16 quad-turbocharged engine that generated 1001bhp.
It was also the most expensive with prices starting from USD$1.7 million. Later, Bugatti added two convertible versions of the Veyron, the Grand Sport and the Grand Sport Vitesse which capped the numbers to just 150 units. The coupes were sold out in 2011 however Bugatti still has to date some 40 convertibles that it needs to sell. The Grand Sport costs or around USD$2 million, while the Grand Sport Vitesse is priced at USD$2.31 million. Now, everyone wants to see a new car from Bugatti, but it appears that the Volkswagen Group will not move forward with a new Bugatti model until all the Veyrons are sold.
This year 2014, Bugatti will hold four regional events around the United States and will offer test-drive of the 1200 hp Grand Sport Vitesse on both open roads and a closed airport runway, in an attempt to sell its supercars. Bugatti has a new problem now: other carmakers already launched their brand new supercars, while the Veyron has been on the market for around 8 years. The big amount of power is not something that customers want now.
For example, the recently introduced Porsche 918 Spyder is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine that delivers 608 hp but also has two electric motors. The three power sources deliver 875 hp and can push the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 3 seconds.
Ferrari also introduced the La Ferrari, which is powered by a 6.2-liter V12 engine that generates 800 hp but also by an electric motor that delivers 163 hp. With a total output of 963 hp, the LaFerrari hits 100 km/h in under 3 seconds, 200 km/h in 7 seconds and 300 km/h in 15 seconds. McLaren has also just introduced which costs USD $1.45 million and uses a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 that develops 737 hp and an electric motor with 179 hp.
Just like the other two supercars, the McLaren zooms from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3 seconds, to 200 km/h in 7 seconds and to 300 km/h in 17 seconds. The problem with the Bugatti Veyron is that it has a really big engine, comparing it with these 3 supercars and does not offer real shocking speed like it used to in comparison to the new supercars mentioned above.
