Bugatti All, page #13

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Just 50 to go as Bugatti sells its 400th Veyron

When Bugatti first introduced the Veyron, production was limited to just 300 coupes (including the original 16.4 and the Super Sport). Those were followed by an additional 150 roadsters (both Grand Sport and Vitesse), of which 100 have now been sold, leaving just 50 examples left before the Veyron finally roars off into the sunset.
The 400th Veyron built was the third and final example of the Jean-Pierre Wimille edition pictured here. Based on the Vitesse roadster, the Wimille edition is the first in a series of six Legend specials that pay homage to the Alsatian marque's history. The second is dedicated to Jean Bugatti, and the third to racer and factory team manager Meo Costantini, with three more of these three-unit special editions to follow out of the remaining 50 cars to be built at Molsheim. We're expecting one of the remaining three to be named after Rembrandt Bugatti, designer of the company's elephant hood ornament.
Given that it has taken the company over eight years to build those 400 cars, it figures to take Bugatti another year or so to complete the final 50, by which point it'll hopefully have a successor in place. For more news on the landmark, see the official press release below.

Bugatti enters the car-branded hookah market

Ever look at the price of a new Veyron and wonder what they're smoking over in Molsheim? Heck, that latest special edition Vitesse costs nearly $3 million, and that's before taxes and delivery. Well, we've got the answer right here. It's a shisha pipe - the kind smoked in bedouin tents and cafés frequented by Middle Eastern gentlemen the world over - and it's branded by Bugatti.
The pipe is hand-crafted from titanium and carbon fiber (instead of the usual glass and steel) and stands about two and a half feet tall. It's made by a company called Desvall, which contrary to what you might think, is located not on the eastern or southern shores of the Mediterranean or along the Persian Gulf, but in Stockholm, Sweden.
And the price? A suitably Bugatti-like $100,000. That's a heck of a lot more than the already-outrageous $1,950 that Porsche Design gets for its shisha, which, let's face it, is basically a beautifully-crafted but overpriced water bong, to say nothing of what an average shisha would cost you in the bazaar. But we're sure there are some customers somewhere in the world who'd gladly pony up that amount to smoke a Bugatti pipe next to their Veyron in their lavishly appointed garage at the end of a sand-swept driveway. And Desvall only needs 150 of them, because that's all they're making.

Bugatti's third Legend edition Veyron pays tribute to Meo Costantini

Bugatti is in the midst of a six-part special series of Veyrons that pay tribute to legendary figures from its history. The first, unveiled at Pebble Beach, paid tribute to Jean-Pierre Wimille. The second arrived in Frankfurt to recall Jean Bugatti. Given the patent application we came across, we expected the next would honor Ettore's brother Rembrandt Bugatti, who designed the prancing elephant hood ornament. But that one will apparently have to wait, because Molsheim has just revealed the third edition in its Les Légendes de Bugatti series in tribute to one Meo Costantini.
A close personal friend of Ettore himself, Meo Costantini raced Bugattis in the 1920s and went on to manage the factory racing team. He won the Targa Florio twice in a Bugatti Type 35, a model that went down in history as one of the most successful racing cars ever made, and won several grands prix.
Like the other Legend specials, the Costantini edition is based on the Vitesse roadster with its 1,200-horsepower, 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W16 engine; 2.6-second 0-62 time; and 253-mile-per-hour top speed. What sets this one apart is its trim. The carbon-fiber parts of the bodywork are painted in signature French Racing Blue, and the aluminum is left exposed, polished and clear-coated. The map of the Targa Florio route is painted on the underside of the rear wing and imprinted in between the seats, and Costantini's signature is etched into the fuel cap and embroidered into the headrests.

Bugatti files for Rembrandt patent

Though increasingly uncommon today, back in the day every automaker had a hood ornament. Bugatti's was an elephant standing up on its hind legs with its trunk extended into the sky. It capped the nose on the famous Bugatti Type 41 Royale, and it was designed by Rembrandt.
No, not the famous Dutch artist, but Rembrandt Bugatti - the younger brother of carmaker Ettore Bugatti who was named after the painter.
So why do we mention this, you ask? Because one of our readers just alerted us to a patent application with the European Union's Office for Hamonization in the Internal Market. It was filed by Audi's intellectual property office on behalf of its sister company and encompasses the name Rembrandt Bugatti.

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Venet on display in Beverly Hills

Even if you don't consider yourself an art connoisseur, Bugatti just gave car lovers a great reason to visit the Ace Gallery in Beverly Hills, CA. As a part of an exhibit for French artist Bernar Venet, the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Venet, which was unveiled last year, is also on display.
Although not quite as exciting as a date in the desert with the Lamborghini Veneno, we still hopped at the chance to get an up-close look at this custom Veyron. Venet, who had said that the Veyron is a work of art on its own, decided to put his touch on the car by using Bugatti's engineering equations - all of the mathematical equations and notations make the car look like it was left on the set of A Beautiful Mind.
If you're going to be in Beverly Hills over the next week, perhaps you'd be interested in checking out the Ace Gallery yourself - admission is free. If not, well, we hope the high-res image gallery above proves to be a reasonable alternative. Enjoy.

Bugatti does up a special Vitesse for Lang Lang

It may be a bit of a stretch to find similarities between pianos and sportscars, but bear with us. Both are made to perform, both have pedals and wheels (albeit of radically different size), and both tend to cost around the same. Unless you're talking about a Bugatti, which would set you back more than any piano this side of a Bösendorfer with serious pedigree.
Well, Bugatti has just drawn an even closer parallel with this latest edition of the Veyron Vitesse roadster. And not by applying some black lacquered trim pieces, either. When celebrated concert pianist Lang Lang visited the factory at Château St. Jean in Molsheim, Bugatti took the wraps off this unique Vitesse with a high-contrast black and white finish inspired by a piano keyboard.
The treatment, which also echoes a specific Type 57 Atalante, continues inside with white leather embroidered with black stitching to mimic sheet music, with gold plating on the steering wheel, wheel hubs and fuel cap. Lang Lang even signed the center console with a gold marker. Best of all, spool up that sixteen-cylinder engine and it'll make sweeter music to our ears than any piano ever could.

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse 'Jean Bugatti' recalls La Voiture Noire

Last month in Monterey, Bugatti pulled the wraps off the first vehicle in its series of Legends cars, honoring Jean-Pierre Wimille, one of the automaker's longest-serving test drivers who also happened to win the 24 Hours of LeMans... twice. Now, the next special edition Veyron has made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show: the Legend Jean Bugatti.
But this isn't just some special edition named for any old family member. Jean was the oldest son of founder Ettore Bugatti, and is credited with designing the Type 57SC Atlantic - perhaps one of the rarest, most expensive vehicles ever made. This new Legends Veyron draws upon Jean's personal 57SC, known as La Voiture Noire, or The Black Car.
This Grand Sport Vitesse is finished entirely in black carbon fiber, and Bugatti points out that for the first time ever, the grille surround and badges are made of platinum. New twin five-spoke wheels have been fitted, and the legendary designer's signature is found on the fuel and oil caps in gray.

Bugatti favoring Veyron replacement over Galibier sedan

Following up on the Bugatti Veyron must be no easy feat. After all, how is anything supposed to go on stage after a groundbreaking supercar with sixteen cylinders, four turbochargers and as much as 1,200 horsepower?
Evidently, settling on a successor to the Veyron has been a daunting endeavor even for Bugatti, which has, over the past few years, been reported to be considering either a new hypercar to fill the Veyron's shoes, a super-sedan to chart a different course, or possibly both. But now the storied Alsatian marque is said to have finally taken the Galibier off the table.
This according to our old friend Jonny Lieberman over at Motor Trend, who spoke with Wolfgang Schreiber - the engineer behind the Veyron and Bugatti's current chief executive. Apparently, MT reports, there just isn't a market for a super-luxe performance sedan above the Rolls-Royce Phantom or the Mulsanne offered by Bugatti's sister brand Bentley. Which is a bit of a shame, but where does that leave Bugatti as production winds down on the Veyron in all its many iterations?

Bugatti Veyron Legend 'Jean Bugatti' bows ahead of Frankfurt reveal

Bugatti has just unveiled its second Bugatti Legends car ahead of the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Like the car it displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the Frankfurt car is based on the 1200-horsepower Grand Sport Vitesse, and honors one of the great figures from Bugatti's history - Jean Bugatti.
Yes, that's a famous last name. Jean was the oldest son of founder Ettore Bugatti, but his claim to fame goes far beyond his lineage. Jean designed the Type 57SC Atlantic, one of the rarest, most expensive and sought after vehicles ever made. In honor of his work, the latest Bugatti Legends car is based on Jean's personal Type 57SC, known as La Voiture Noire, or The Black Car.
Finished entirely in black carbon fiber, the grille surround and EB badges are made of platinum, a first for Bugatti. The black exterior, even with the use of a precious metal, is much more subdued than what we've grown used to with special edition Bugattis. Sporting a set of diamond cut, twin five-spoke wheels, the Legend Jean Bugatti features the designers signature in Arctic Gray on the gas and oil caps.

2013 Monterey Motorsports Reunion

The entry list for all of the events in this year's Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion totaled 15 single-spaced pages long. That's explains how the field for this past weekend's Trans-Am race contained 41 cars, which is a larger field than ever competed in a real Trans-Am race.
The hero car in the photo above is a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport driven by Bruce Canepa, who won the Group 5A event for 1963-1966 GT Cars over 2500cc. Also on track throughout the day were pre-war racers like a 1932 MG NE and other two-up English entries, the original Morgan 3 Wheeler, sky blue single-seat French competitors like a 1934 Bugatti Type 59, and the high-driving red devils from Alfa Romeo and Maserati. Post-war treats include a BMW M1, Ferrari 250 GTO SWB, and bulbous, Speed Racer-looking Can-Am monsters.
Click on our huge high-res gallery above and enjoy a leisurely stroll back through time.