Bugatti Veyron 16.4 2008 on 2040-cars

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Who was Elisabeth Junek, and why is Bugatti giving her a special Veyron?

Bugatti is in the habit of recalling names from its storied history on the nameplates of its new models. The Veyron, after all, was named after Pierre, one of its most accomplished racing and test drivers. So, too, was the concept that preceded it named after Louis Chiron, another Bugatti racing driver of yore. And lately, the Alsatian marque has been reviving other names from its history with a series of special editions.
The "Légendes de Bugatti" series kicked off with the Jean-Pierre Wimille edition last year, which was followed by the Jean Bugatti edition and the Meo Costatini edition (pictured above) just a few months ago. We would have expected that the next one would honor Jean's brother Rembrandt Bugatti - the artist behind the rearing elephant hood ornament that adorned the legendary Bugatti Royale - but the word on the street is that the next special-edition Vitesse will pay tribute to one Elisabeth Junek.
Also known as Eliška Junková, she was one of the earliest and most renowned of female racing drivers at the dawn of motorsport. She would often accompany her banker/gentleman-racer husband Cenek Junek on his motoring exploits in their Bugatti Type 35B and would sometimes take the wheel herself. Her most famous race was the 1928 Targa Florio, which she led until the final lap before mechanical troubles dropped her down to fifth place - but still ahead of Tazio Nuvolari.

Bugatti Veyron La Finale gets a video farewell

It's still amazing to think that the Bugatti Veyron project is finally over. Even today, 10 years after the start of production, the car is an engineering marvel. And while Bugatti waved farewell to the supercar at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show with the Grand Sport Vitesse La Finale, it promised a successor was on the way. Before we get to the next Bugatti, though, the brand will milk La Finale for as much news as it can get. The upshot is a peek into Bugatti's sci-fi workshop with a video that chronicles the final build of La Finale. Obviously a performance powerhouse, even the way the Veyron comes together looks unlike any other automobile. The shop has a massive wall of windows, and the metal columns to hold the assemblies can disappear into the floor when not in use. The clip also shows the supercar's rear structure unadorned with the carbon fiber body. The mass of tubes and wires demonstrates just how complicated the W-16 engine really is. This is a wonderful way to bid adieu to the last of a legend.

Bugatti brings 5 of its most storied classic models back home

The average Bugatti buyer already has dozens of cars and likely owns one of the brand’s eye-popping cars before adding another to the stable. The automaker met with one of its most storied collectors in recent years, but it wasnÂ’t hoping to sell him another car. Bugatti wanted to keep and preserve his vehicles, several of which were deeply involved in its growth as a motorsport and luxury icon. The automaker succeeded and now has brought a sizable chunk of its history home.  Hans Matti is the Registrar of the Bugatti Club Suisse and has amassed one of the world's most impressive collections of classic Bugatti cars. His stable held a Bugatti Type 51, a Type 37A, a Type 49 Faux cabriolet, a Type 35B, and a Type 35A. The cars each feature incredible stories, including the Type 51 with its Grand Prix racing history and a Type 49 that was Jean BugattiÂ’s personal car. The vehicle is thought to be the only one in the world with the Faux Cabriolet bodywork done at the Bugatti factory. The Type 51 was a factory race car driven by Louis Chiron. Bugatti says the Type 35A carries the engine, gearbox, and rear axle from one of its Type 36 race cars, both of which were destroyed. The Type 37A dates back to 1929 and still races today. It features a supercharger on its four-cylinder engine, which gave it a 120-mph top speed. Bugatti notes that only 76 cars were supercharged. The five cars have now made their way to Bugatti, where they rest in the Chateau Saint Jean, which Ettore Bugatti purchased to entertain customers. TheyÂ’ll be kept exactly as they are, with original paint, rivets, and other components.