he Veyron features a
W16 engine — 16 cylinders in two banks of eight cylinders, or the equivalent of two narrow-angle
V8 engines mated in a "W" configuration. Each cylinder has
4 valves for a total of 64, but the narrow staggered 8 configuration allows two
camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only 4 camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four
turbochargers and
displaces 8.0 L (7,993 cc/488 cu in) with a square 86 mm by 86 mm (3.4 in × 3.4 in) bore and stroke.
Bugatti Veyron's 16.4 engine
The transmission consists of a dual-clutch
Direct-Shift Gearbox computer-controlled
manual gearbox with seven
gear ratios, with red paddles behind the steering wheel boasting an <150 ms
shift time. This is designed and manufactured by
Ricardo of England (and not
Borg-Warner who designed the 6-speed DSG used in the mainstream marques of the Volkswagen Group). The Veyron can be driven as a full automatic transmission. It also features full-time
four-wheel drive, utilising the
Haldex Traction system. It uses special
Michelin run-flat tyres, designed specifically for the Veyron to accommodate its top speed, which reportedly cost $25,000 US per set.
[13] Curb weight is 2,034.8 kg (4,486 lb).
[13] This gives the car a power to weight ratio of 4.5 lb (2.0 kg)/1 bhp (0.7 kW).
The car's wheelbase is 2710 mm (106.7 in). Overall length is 4462 mm (175.7 in), width 1998 mm (78.7 in) and height 1204 mm (47.4 in).
The Veyron's hydraulic rear spoiler in the extended position
The Bugatti Veyron has a total of 10
radiators.
[14]
- 3 radiators for the engine cooling system.
- 1 heat exchanger for the air-to-liquid intercoolers.
- 2 for the air conditioning system.
- 1 transmission oil radiator.
- 1 differential oil radiator.
- 1 engine oil radiator.
- 1 hydraulic oil radiator for the spoiler
It has a drag coefficient of 0.36,
[15] and a frontal area of 2.07 square metres (22.3 sq ft).
[16] This gives it a
CdA ft² value of 8.02.
[edit] Power
According to Volkswagen (and approved by
TÜV Süddeutschland), the final production Veyron engine produces 1,001
PS (736
kW; 987
hp) and 1,250 N·m (920 ft·lbf) of torque.
[2] The horsepower figure is believed by some to actually be conservative, with the real total being 1001 or more.
[17]
[edit] Top speed
Top speed was initially promised to be 420 km/h (260 mph), but test versions were unstable at that speed, forcing a redesign of the aerodynamics. In May 2005, a prototype Veyron tested at a Volkswagen track near
Wolfsburg, Germany recorded an electronically limited top speed of 400 km/h (249 mph). In October 2005,
Car and Driver magazine's editor
Csaba Csere test drove the final production version of the Veyron for the November 2005 issue. This test, at Volkswagen's
Ehra-Lessien test track, reached a top speed of 407.5 km/h (253.2 mph). The top speed was verified once again by
James May on
Top Gear, again at Volkswagen's private test track, when the car hit 407.9 km/h (253.5 mph), which equated to precisely one-third of the speed of sound at sea level. When getting close to the top speed during the test, May said that "the tyres will only last for about fifteen minutes, but it's okay because the fuel runs out in twelve minutes." He also gave an indication of the power requirements, at constant 250 km/h (155 mph) the Veyron is using approximately 270 to 280 horsepower (200 to 210 kW)
[18], but to get to its rated 407 km/h (253 mph) top speed required far more from the engine. Once back in the Top Gear studio James was asked by co - presenter Jeremy Clarkson what the Veyron felt like to drive at 407 km/h (253 mph), James replied that it was "completely undramatic", and very stable at speed.
Aerodynamic friction or
drag is proportional to the square of the speed; for example doubling speed quadruples drag. Work is a product of force applied over a distance travelled. Comparing a vehicle travelling at 160 km/h (99 mph) with one travelling at 320 km/h (200 mph), over a given time (e.g. 1 second), the faster vehicle must overcome 4 times the aerodynamic drag, and travel twice the distance of the slower one. Thus it does 8 times the work of the slower vehicle in that time. As power is work done in time taken it follows that the swifter vehicle, travelling at twice the speed requires 8 times the power of the slower one. German inspection officials recorded an average top speed of 408.47 km/h (253.8 mph)
[3] during test sessions on the Ehra Lessien test track on 2005-04-19.
The car's everyday top speed is listed at 375 km/h (233 mph). When the car reaches 220 km/h (137 mph), hydraulics lower the car until it has a ground clearance of about 8.9 cm (3½ inches). At the same time, the wing and spoiler deploy. This is the "handling mode", in which the wing helps provide 3425
newtons (770
pounds) of downheft, holding the car to the road.
[14] The driver must, using a special key (the "Top Speed Key"), toggle the lock to the left of his seat in order to attain the maximum (average) speed of 407 km/h (253 mph). The key functions only when the vehicle is at a stop, when a checklist then establishes whether the car—and its driver—are ready to enable 'top speed' mode. If all systems are go, the rear spoiler retracts, the front air diffusers shut and the ground clearance, normally 12.5 cm (4.9 in), drops to 6.5 cm (2.6 in).
[edit] Acceleration
The Bugatti Veyron has the greatest acceleration of any production car to date, reaching 100 km/h (62 mph) in approximately 2.46 seconds.
[19], which equates to an average acceleration of around 1.18
g. It is the first production car with an average acceleration greater than 1 g when going from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) flat out. The car is greatly aided in achieving such times by a
four-wheel drive system that enables the transmission of such great amounts of power in the initial stages of acceleration.
The Veyron reaches 200 km/h (124.3 mph) and 300 km/h (186.4 mph) in 7.0 and 16.2 seconds respectively. According to the February 2007 issue of
Road & Track magazine, the Veyron accomplished the quarter mile (~400 m) in 10.2 seconds at an exit speed of 143.6 mph (231.1 km/h).
[edit] Fuel consumption
The Veyron consumes more fuel than any other production car, using 40.4 L/100 km (6.99 mpg-imp; 5.82 mpg-US) in city driving and 24.1 L/100 km (11.7 mpg-imp; 9.76 mpg-US) in combined cycle.[
citation needed] At full throttle, it uses more than 115 L/100 km (2.46 mpg-imp; 2.05 mpg-US), which would empty its 100 L (22 imp gal; 26 US gal) fuel tank in just 12 minutes.
[20][21]
[edit] Braking
The Veyron's
brakes use cross-drilled, radially-vented
Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) composite
discs, manufactured by
SGL Carbon, which have a much greater resistance to
brake fade when compared with conventional
cast iron discs. The aluminium alloy monobloc brake calipers are made by
AP Racing; the fronts have eight
[14] titanium pistons and the rear calipers have six pistons. Bugatti claims maximum deceleration of 1.3
Gs on road tyres.
Prototypes have been subjected to repeated 1.0G braking from 194 to 50 MPH (312 to 80 km/h) without fade. With the car's acceleration from 50 to 194 mph (80 to 312 km/h), that test can be performed every 22 seconds. At speeds above 124 mph (200 km/h), the rear wing also acts as an
airbrake, snapping to a 55-degree angle in 0.4 seconds once brakes are applied, providing 0.68 Gs (4.9 m/s²) of deceleration (equivalent to the stopping power of an ordinary hatchback).
[14] Bugatti claims the Veyron will brake from 400 km/h (249 mph) to a standstill in less than 10 seconds.
[14]
[edit] Final numbers
Statistics and specifications
[22] Basic stats Vehicle Mid-engine,
4-wheel drive 2-door coupe Base price €1,100,000 (£899,000/$1,500,000) Engine Quad-turbocharged DOHC 64-valve W16 Engine displacement 7993
cc (488
cu in) Performance Top speed 408.47 km/h (253.81 mph) (average) 0–100 km/h (62 mph) 2.46 seconds
[19] 0–160 km/h (99 mph) 5.2 seconds 0–240 km/h (149 mph) 8.6 seconds 0–320 km/h (199 mph)
[23] 24.0 seconds 0–400 km/h (249 mph)
[24][25] 50 seconds Standing quarter-mile (402 m)
[25] 10.0 seconds at 232 km/h (144 mph) Fuel economy
[26] EPA city driving 10 miles per US gallon (24 L/100 km; 12 mpg-imp) EPA highway driving 12 miles per US gallon (20 L/100 km; 14 mpg-imp) Top speed fuel economy 3 miles per US gallon (78 L/100 km; 3.6 mpg-imp) 1.8 gallons[
clarification needed] per minute