A lightweight, 280mph-plus Bugatti Veyron hypercar with more than 1500bhp is tipped for a 2014 launch
Reports that a final, ultra-extreme version of the Bugatti Veyron will be launched early next year have gathered pace, with an insider admitting to Autocar that the company is eager to produce a version of the car that is “a fantasy in terms of its performance”.
Our source said: “We are looking at several options. The reality is that we are not under time pressure because we are confident of selling out the full Veyron production run regardless.
“Only after that can we see if there is time and appetite for such a programme. It would be expensive and time-consuming, so we must be sure it is worth it.”
Likely modifications over the Veyron Super Sport on which it would be based include dramatic weight-saving technologies, focusing on more extensive use of carbonfibre to cut about 200kg from the Super Sport’s 1888kg kerb weight, and a dramatic increase in power from the Super Sport’s standard 1184bhp.
It has been claimed that the potential power output from the quad-turbo W16 engine is more than 1500bhp, which would be achieved by increasing its capacity. The possibility of combining it with an electric boost system has been played down, though.
The top speed is likely to be dictated by the limits of tyre technology, but with the Super Sport coupé having already achieved a street-legal record of 267.82mph, it is likely that the most extreme version of the car would need to be capable of achieving at least 280mph to satisfy the demands of potential customers willing to pay the mooted £5 million price.