Drop The Flag, Raise The Bar
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday February 29, 2008
With the $2 million Bugatti Veyron, the maker of the people's car sets the controls to 'ultimate'.
I AM lined up on the starting grid of a grand prix track in the world's most powerful and fastest production car. No cars ahead. The bloke with the radio headset and technicolour shirt lifts the Australian flag, pauses and drops it.One deep breath. Foot off brake and squeeze the throttle pedal down to the floor. Much is about to happen; we're in the Bugatti Veyron, a statement car designed to stamp a new level of prestige and technical excellence on the automotive world.With a price slightly north of $2 million and a production run of 300, the Veyron is the brainchild of Volkswagen chief executive Ferdinand Piech whose desire was to create the ultimate road car, with more than 750 kilowatts and a top speed of 400kmh. His goals were eventually realised.Inside the cockpit it is both snug and roomy. There is much satin-finish metal, on the steering wheel, the levers and paddles behind it, door handles and minor knobs. There's lavish suede. Reminiscent of classic Bugatti design is the horseshoe-shaped grille, machined metal on the centre console and the alloy wheels. In front of the driver is a high binnacle with a big rev counter redlined at 6500rpm. To its right is a little speedometer that reads to 290. "290?" I query. "Miles an hour," says Pierre-Henri Raphanel, former grand prix driver, twice second at Le Mans and with a string of racing titles. He's Bugatti's "pilote officiel" and my co-driver, coach and mentor for this joyous ride. On the Adelaide street circuit, the venue for the Clipsal 500 touring car race, the Veyron is part of last weekend's V8 Supercar demonstration event. Ahead and out of sight have gone a Ford GT, Ferrari's 599 and 430, Pagani Zonda, Lamborghini's Murcielago and Gallardo, Porsche 959 and Audi R8.The Veyron had been idling with the smoothness of a turbine. All 8.0 litres, 16 cylinders, four turbochargers, eight camshafts and 64 valves of it. And 1001 horsepower in the old money ...The engine doesn't quite roar but it can't be ignored and the car accelerates like nothing I've driven before. The factory says 0-100kmh in 2.5 seconds and 0-200kmh in 7.3. This is formula one territory. I start in automatic mode and the twin-clutch, seven-speed gearbox (it works in the same way as the laudable box in the Golf turbo diesel) shifts up smoothly, at lightning speed.The track seems to have shrunk and the packed grandstands close in. The pit straight ends at the Senna Chicane and the Veyron needs a firm push on the brakes before its almost 1.9 tonnes whips left and right. My brain warning light is on; "keep it off the kerbs!" Raphanel suggests using manual mode and after the first lap there's a bit more confidence. The acceleration on the 500 circuit (shorter than the old GP track) is shattering and the corners arrive in a rush. There's no wheelspin or fuss with the four-wheel-drive and stability controls all working unobtrusively. Ceramic brake discs, with eight pistons a side at the front and six at the back, haul the speed down; tapping the gearshift paddles blips the gearbox back through the seven gears.We have to be nudging 200kmh on the straights but are still accelerating hard. The maximum torque comes in a flat delivery between 2500rpm and 5500rpm and I'm short-shifting at 5500.We're closing on the Porsche and Audi when the chequered flag comes out. The Porsche spins towards the wall and taps it at the chicane. Raphanel raises an eyebrow and shrugs.We park. Someone asks what would it be like on the road. Well, on light throttle it's quiet and docile. But who gives a rat's bottom? I've just buried my foot and unleashed 1000hp. And loved it.The Bugatti Veyron will be at the Melbourne Motor Show this weekend.
© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald