Bugatti Veyron Review
17 Mar, 2008
54 Comments 
Here we go again, but this time I think we’re going even quicker and I’m trying to remember “The Lord’s Prayer”. Too late, we have already completed the run and pulled over. Julius hands me the keys to this alien spacecraft.
Don’t get me wrong, I like fast. But this car can distort time, as we know it. There might just be such a thing as too quick! But this is my Veyron driving test and I’m not about to fail.
I move the Joystick-like shifter to the right and engage D for drive mode. If I’m going to give this thing full throttle, I won’t have to time to think about using paddles. No joke.
No traffic in either direction. That’s a relief. I plant the throttle and we are accelerating faster than BMW’s 2008 Sauber F1.08 car. That’s 0-100km/h in less than 2.5 seconds. The feeling is surreal. “Can I go again” I ask Julius. He’s on the phone – still, and I’m feeling more confident so I push it slightly quicker through the bends. Apart from travelling disturbingly fast, the level of grip at 250km/h plus seems contrary to the laws of nature. Who said the Veyron didn’t handle?
I must be doing OK as Julius hops out and allows Alborz to get in and set up the high def video camera. Time for some flat to the firewall acceleration runs on a straight but narrow road. He’s still on the phone, so Alborz stays in. He won’t know what hit him when I engage all 1001 horsepower and 1250 Nm and attempt to hold the pedal down fractionally longer than on those trial runs.
While Alborz is fiddling with the camera angle, I move the shifter to the right, two times to engage the “S” drive mode, which will hold the revs at 3000 between shifts. This will be ferocious.
Boom. Within milliseconds we are doing 240km/h but there’s a sharpish bend on the horizon. No Problem. The Veyron’s ability to stop is just as prodigious as its speed. Enormous carbon-ceramic brakes using eight piston calipers up front and six down the back work in concert with an aircraft-like air brake, which has deployed.
Alborz is not smiling and says he has motion sickness. Welcome to the Veyron experience!
We find a place to turn the Bugatti around safely and do it again for the video camera. There’s a guy in an AMG SL 55 on our tail -he must not have read about the Veyron. One quick stab of the throttle and we’ve dusted him. You can’t get used to the power. You just can’t. That’s what Bugatti test driver Pierre-Henri Raphanel says too. Never heard of him? He was leading Nelson Piquet at the Monaco F1 Grand Prix in 1989 and before that was French Formula Three Champion so yes, he knows what he’s on about and he’s Bugatti’s test driver.
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March 17th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Excellent review, thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
So are all you guys going to retire now? It’s not like there is anywhere to go from here?
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March 17th, 2008 at 3:44 am
I think you guys just lost your underdog status…and I am green with envy.
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March 17th, 2008 at 6:09 am
Great review can’t wait for the video
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March 17th, 2008 at 6:13 am
Nice write up..thanks
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March 17th, 2008 at 7:18 am
If I sold my farm and all my investments, I’d be right until the first service.Great write up looking forward to the video.
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March 17th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Excellent review. I was riveted!
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March 17th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Great read - I’m lost for words! Awesome stuff guys.
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March 17th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Brilliant! You lucky fella’s. Is Bugatti open to the public for viewing the factory? Does anyonre know? Look forward to the full video.
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March 17th, 2008 at 9:34 am
awesome work guys.
too bad Drive.com.au didn’t actually _drive_ the car in their little video!!
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March 17th, 2008 at 9:44 am
I’m seriously envious. Good write up. Thanks
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March 17th, 2008 at 11:24 am
one word- awsome
i hope one day i will be lucky enough…since this has just given me supreme motivation to do well in my exams and become a doctor
cant wait for the vid guys
keep up the good work
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March 17th, 2008 at 11:32 am
that is the JESUS car… so so so glad you guys got to drive it and not the Ass from drive.. or glen roberts from carpoint. jealous… oh yeah… yes.. VERY.. at least i got to see it at the motorshow…. just LOOKING at it .. its a better thrill than driving an FPV or HSV… hats of lads.. thats a propper car
cookie
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March 17th, 2008 at 11:57 am
I’m extremelly jealous …
Excellent write up guys and Excellent photos, looking forward to the video.
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March 17th, 2008 at 11:59 am
$2.7 million
$20 per 5-minute drive.
I think i could make serious coin with this vehicle
Still, its far to expensive,i recon i could easily make a car that could spank it for $250k if not less [Ultima 720 GTR anybody!]
Cheers
F-0
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March 17th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Frugal One, I will have to strongly disagree, this car is the ultimate in luxury and performance, sure there are many cars that might be able to go quicker around a track, but they are purpose built for that reason.
I felt the same before driving the thing, but after I did a few 0-300km/h runs, I graciously ate my own hat.
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March 17th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Really enjoyed reading that article, man you guys had the time of your lives!
Ahaha…maybe one day I’ll drive one
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March 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
ALB -
I take your word for it & stand corrected!
Love that “few 0-300kmh runs!!” nice
Cheers
F-0
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March 17th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
So, what was the fuel economy like? ;-P
Seriously though. A very thorough and personable write-up in keeping with CarAdvice’s casual style. A very enjoyable and enviable read.
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March 17th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
we already know cars are quicker.. and faster.. ultima GTR…..the the SSC aero…… but what ever.. they are simpletons compared to this technoligcal jugernaught that is this car.
and if i had the coin. withouth a 2nd thought id buy one “now that australia has a dealer. we can!! :)”….. iTS NEVER GONA GO DOWN IN VALUE! imagin how much one of the pur-sangs or hermies editions will be worth in 50 years.. just an absolute crazy amount of cash…. and besides all that. its just beautiful
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March 17th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
nothing else on earth compares. you guys have experienced what for many of us is the ultimate fantasy.
question (at the mundane level) does it have a spare wheel?
just curious.
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March 17th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Hate to brag but I own one of these. It is the most astonishing car I have ever driven. I bought this car after hearing someone say something that really put things into perspective - There won’t be other cars like this again because everybodies thinking fuel economy and low co2 these days so there won’t be too many more things like this. I didn’t want to risk never owning a car like this so I had to buy one and I would recommend anyone else who could afford one to buy one aswell. It was either a Bentley Azure, a Boxter S and a Golf R32 or this and a mini Cooper S and I had to go for the Latter.
PS - The Mini Cooper S isn’t bad either!
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March 17th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
i was also thinking about buying one and charging $50 for 0-300km/h “hot straights” instead of hot laps… i’d only have to do it 54,000 times before i pay off the initial cost, plus services, plus interest … and then somewhere in there i’ll fit in some profit!
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March 17th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
HA AW. you are a tosser.
I live around an area were people have the bentlys, Ferrari’s ect…
And no one I have ever meet has that mentality. And if you do have the cars. Post a picture with you and the Bugatti with one hand in the air, the other with a thumbs down.
Seriously why come one and make up shit like that?
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March 17th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I got more out of that than anything top gear have said. Absolutely Awsome..
Dream on AW - sorry but I can’t take you seriously.
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March 17th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Excellent review!!!
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March 17th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
haha hard to believe its faster than a BMW Sauber F1 car in a straight line!!! but im sure it would be faster than Nelson Piquet’s Renault
But seriously though if it does 0-100 in 2.5 seconds, what could it possibly run down the quarter mile? 10’s 11’s??
btw does anyone even own one in Australia yet?
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March 17th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Lol AW, seriously, you lost the plot when you put Golf R32 and Cooper into the list of choices lol. Was it a hard choice when you bought your multimil catamaran over the 2 stroker dingy?
Vyron is an absolute weapon in class and performance. As it stands for a 2.7mil dollar car… youd Expect the BEST!
Envy u guys!!!, closest ive been to one would be in the recent Melb motorshow…
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March 17th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
He was only joking, there is no way anybody would think about taking that comment seriously? AW was obviously being sarcastic… get real guys
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March 17th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Great review guys. Good to see you lot enjoyed yourselves. There is nothing like hitting 300km/h. I can only imagine the acceleration would have been brutal but smooth. I know 300 on a bike is something similar if not for the acceleration, for the fact that you have nothing around you but a couple of mills of leather.
Cheers
SteveC
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March 17th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
With the abolition of Traction control and Launch Control F1 cars are a tad slower to 100 this year, so yes i do believe the Veyron could do it quicker.
Although if designers were let loose on an F1 car imagine the possibilities…
Anyway back to the topic, there isn’t anything that compares to this car, except maybe 1001 of the worlds most beautiful women, but even that would be a hard decision.
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March 18th, 2008 at 12:31 am
Doh, no it doesn’t have a spare wheel. It’s sitting on bespoke Michelin run-flat tyres, hence, no need for a spare.
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March 18th, 2008 at 12:41 am
You sick bastards!!!! I hope you guys realise just how lucky you are….great review!! Alborz you had me in stitches at the round about.
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March 18th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Bloody hell - run flats a 400kmh. noooo way.
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March 18th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Nathaniel - Id post a picture if I knew how. And I know I am a tosser - If I wasn’t I wouldn’t have posted a message like that or bought a veyron. And also the R32 and Cooper S are because I live the city and don’t want the veyron there. And the bentley was only on the list because Ive always wanted one but it was too subdued compared to the veyron. An lastly - If Nathaniel and No Name owned one - would people believe them? Think what you want but youll never really know.
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March 18th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
i would’nt have annything else but run flats if it can do 400 imagine a blowout with conventional tyres @ that speed????? hold this is gonna hurt !!! Ive had it happen to me @ 280 k’s main straight Eastern Ck on my R1 scary stuff
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March 18th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
AW, email the guys at CA so they can post a picture of you with the veyron.
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March 19th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Why does anybody care if AW owns a veyron? If he does then good for him but hes still a self righteous little pri*k.
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March 20th, 2008 at 2:56 am
[pedant]Being France the jets were probably Rafales not Eurofighters[/pedant]
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March 21st, 2008 at 6:55 pm
If AW does happen to own one that is OK.
Good luck to anyone who has the finances to maintain & look after such a machine.It takes deep pockets,forget the millionaires BMW MB OR RR market this is a different level.
Choices are made that may not be a priority to others.
The point is made so called lesser more practical cars such as the Mini,within reach of many is not such a bad place to be.
How this equates to being a tosser or self righteous is beyond me.
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March 22nd, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Lucky buggers!!!! You get to drive the best and fastest car ever built in the world! I wish i was there!
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March 22nd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
And i bet you had great fun! too! The best time in your life, was it?
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March 22nd, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Ross, you are so right. Those two jets were in fact dassault Rafales. I’ll amend ASAP.
Thanks
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March 27th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I heard that if you actually have the money and wanted to buy one of these, then Bugatti will fly you to their assembly plant, give you an expensive set course lunch and let you enjoy the environment while choosing the colour and interior material of the car.
True luxury experience, even before you drive it. I’d buy one just for that…when I hit the 30million lotto jackpot.
Too bad the guys reviewing this car didn’t mention about this…perhaps too excited about the 0-300km/h runs…I don’t blaim you…hahah
Great Review!!
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March 27th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Cracking yarn lads.
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April 1st, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Karl …Dave here from Wheels ……
A true friend would have invited me along. Oh well, think of me when I’m champagning it up at Raffles in Singers next year in the paddock with Bernie and Ron and Webbo..and….oh who the hell am I kidding …. Bloody Good stuff mate ….. You and the lads? Legends. Well done.
Honestly, I am rapt to see you over there doing something a guy like yourself should be doing.
Oh, it’s Ok to gloat …. send an email to all your old mates in Sydney and gloat gloat and gloat somemore …
Karl? I loved it.
Kindest Regards
Dave Jones.
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April 1st, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Karl …Dave here from Wheels ……
A true friend would have invited me along. Oh well, think of me when I\’m champagning it up at Raffles in Singers next year in the paddock with Bernie and Ron and Webbo..and….oh who the hell am I kidding …. Bloody Good stuff mate ….. You and the lads? Legends. Well done.
Honestly, I am rapt to see you over there doing something a guy like yourself should be doing.
Oh, it’s Ok to gloat …. send an email to all your old mates in Sydney and gloat gloat and gloat somemore …
Karl? I loved it.
Kindest Regards
Dave Jones.
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April 6th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Yep great review. Fantastic to get a real feel for what it looks like and does.
A note to AW. Someone in Aus owns one! What city? I would consider getting there just to see/sit/and be taken for a ride in it just once!
After that I will post the pictures!
Hmmm… Maybe this will just remain as dreaming… Oh well.
As we have continued to say around our office, the staggering thing about this car is it just that, still a regular car that has A/C CD player etc and packs a huge punch!
Happy dreaming as I will.
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April 12th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I don’t live in Australia Bazza. Did I write something that said that? I used to live there though.
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April 14th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Frugal One, It’s more like $350 per 5mins. Profit man!
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April 21st, 2008 at 3:24 am
wonderful review. I can understand after the drive, you would feel bad about the rest of us missing out.
stunning pictures too.
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April 22nd, 2008 at 2:52 am
I believe that it’s luxurious like a Maybach and the automated seven-speed makes possible everyone to drive it. In a world full of expensive caprices you may have a wild dream with Bugatti Veyron 16.4.
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June 29th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Those photos are amazing. thank you for them. I had never seen the veyron so close in some places, like the back of the bucket or the pedals, and i had searched a lot. thank you
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September 28th, 2008 at 5:04 am
Good onya boys!
Nice website you’ve got here…so how do you think the Merc SL 55 driver (that wanted to take on the Veyron) must’av felt when VW spooled up and boosted into the next country?
Now, any chance of a ‘Veyron Title Battle’
vs
CaparoT1
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September 28th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Quote=”You can sit in peak hour traffic or travel between countries faster than France’s TGV (very fast train) listening to…”
Regarding the TGV it set the train speed record at 515km/h some years ago. It has since broken it’s own record, but regularly travels between 300 and 400km/h. The Veyron drinks the whole tank in less than 20mins on speed runs, but I take your point.
It’s damn fast and is just as happy dawdling down to the corner shop.
I’d be over the moon for a “ride” in a Lambo let alone driving a Veyron. Lucky buggers and thanks for the great review.
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