Original Bugatti Veyron concept to be displayed for first time since 1999

Tue, 04 Feb 2014

With all of the special editions and differing variants of the Bugatti Veyron being produced year after year, perhaps now is a good time to reflect back on the machine that started it all. Bugatti has announced that it will put the original EB 18/4 Veyron design study on display at the Salon Rétromobile in Paris. This is the first time the concept car will be publicly shown since it debuted at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show.

Taking a new look at the images of Bugatti's seminal Veyron in concept form reminds us how closely the boutique automaker followed its initial design when crafting the 1,001-horsepower production model in 2005. Have a look for yourself in the high-res image gallery above, and feel free to compare that car's sensuous curves with the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, an updated topless model with 1,200 horsepower and a 255-mile-per-hour top speed.

Bugatti at Rétromobile 2014: paying tribute to the Veyron

Paris / Molsheim, 3 February 2014 – Bugatti is celebrating the Veyron. This year's Salon Rétromobile in Paris sees the French super sports car brand present the EB 18/4 "Veyron" design study. This is the first time that the study has been displayed at a trade fair since its unveiling at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1999.

The unveiling of the Bugatti EB 18/4 "Veyron" design study not only created a stir in Tokyo, but also signalled the start of a true success story; that of the fastest, most exclusive series production super sportscar in the world, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. The inspiration for the study was Bugatti's outstanding history of success in motorsport racing, a fact which is reflected not only in the design and form of the vehicle's interior, but also in the car's name. Pierre Veyron was a works driver for Bugatti and, during the 1930s, amassed numerous racing victories for the brand, celebrating his greatest triumph with Bugatti at the 24 Heures du Mans in 1939.

The successful market launch of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 in 2005 marked the beginning of a new era for the marque. Fast on the heels of this 1,001 PS rocket, the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport was released five years later and, with a top speed of 431.072 km/h, still holds the world speed record today. Production of both coupés was limited to a mere 300 units, with the vehicles crafted at Bugatti's historical headquarters in the Alsatian town of Molsheim. These have been sold out since 2011. The stand in Paris is to include another highlight, in the form of a display wall exhibiting the original configurations of these 300 vehicles.

The brand's current portfolio includes the open-top Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport1, which boasts an astonishing 1,001 PS, and the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, which delivers 1,200 PS and holds the title of world's fastest series production roadster. These roadsters are limited to a series run of 150 vehicles. Two thirds of these have already been sold, meaning that only around 40 vehicles are still available.

The Rétromobile takes place from 5 to 9 February 2014 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition site. Bugatti can be found in Hall 1, at stand P43.

By Jeremy Korzeniewski