All good things must come to an end, and the Grand Sport Vitesse was the swan song for the Bugatti Veyron. A decade of dominance began in 2004 with the original version of the Veyron. As a statement to the world, Volkswagen built a new factory in Molsheim, France. Each Veyron was assembled by hand in a facility that is cleaner than an ICU. The official name is Veyron EB 16.4 in honor of Pierre Veyron, an engineer and racing driver who worked for Ettore Bugatti, the founder of the company. It has sixteen cylinders and four turbos, which initially allowed for 987 horsepower.
Power of that level sent to all wheels is enough to satisfy any owner, but automotive engineers are never content to rest on their accomplishments. Most people were quick to deride the notion that Bugatti could break the speed record for a production car, so something more was needed. By dissecting their engine and turbochargers, refinements and more boost yielded 200 hidden horsepower. This allowed the Veyron Super Sport to reach 258 mph. Customers who didn’t need the ultimate speed machine could also have the Veyron with a targa roof. The Grand Sport was built with a removable carbon fiber roof to leave at home. Being caught in the rain offered two choices: drive fast enough to stay dry, or break out the stylish carbon fiber umbrella. It opens to attach to the roof pillars to keep you and the interior dry. Both versions were sold alongside each other until we were shocked by the Grand Sport Vitesse Being the best of both worlds, it combines the big engine of the Super Sport with the open top model. The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse
The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse arrived in 2012 with so many improvements, it was essentially a new model. To cope with higher speeds, larger intakes on the roof and high flow brake ducts were added. Other changes added up to a retail price that was usually above $2 Million. Production of the normal Veyron ended in 2011, leaving the Grand Sport Vitesse to be built in small batches until 2015. Only 150 examples were assembled during that run, making it one of the rarest supercars ever built. What you see here is the end of the line. This 2015 car is finished in black and orange, with exposed carbon fiber in all the right places. This Veyron is up-to-date on all services and it will be a primetime lot at Mecum’s Monterey auction. Expected to hammer between 2.7 and 3 Million, be sure to watch the live stream on YouTube or NBCSN. Stay with us for more Mecum coverage here on Autofluence.
