Bugatti Veyron 16.4

With its 16-cylinder four-wheel drive, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 may well be the most sophisticated production vehicle of all times.
Most of the components tucked beneath its hood are ingenious innovations that were formerly only deemed possible by visionaries like Ferdinand Piëch.

Boasting a maximum speed of more than 400 km per hour, the Veyron is unmatched in the super sports category. It offers a total of 736 kW (1,001 HP), and its ample power reserves even at high speeds are the fabric of dreams for luxury-class limousines: for a constant speed of 250 km/h, the Veyron only needs 270-280 HP. This means that the seven-gear clutch transmission works with a torque of up to 1,250 Newton meters. The Electronic Stability Program ensures the necessary flexibility and maneuverability at any speed. The Veyron reaches velocities that would literally lift the car off the ground – if it weren’t for its ingenious aerodynamics, which keeps it firmly on the road even at full speed. Adjusting the back spoiler, reducing ground clearance, opening and closing the lids – it all adds to the perfect balance between propulsion and downforce. Such a super sports car may not seem to be brought to a halt easily, but the Veyron’s ceramic brakes slow it down faster than it can accelerate. While it takes this exceptional car only 2.5 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h, it needs even less time – a mere 2.3 seconds – to come to a standstill from 100 (reference point). To reduce the risk of injuries in accidents, Bugatti had a Formula 1 safety concept adapted for the Veyron. All these technical details combine to make the Veyron a truly exceptional super sports car. 

The Veyron 16.4*) is the fastest production vehicle of all times.
The car documents state a maximum velocity of 407 km/h, but that’s an understatement. On April 19, 2005, inspection officials recorded a top speed average of 408.47 km/h. For years, the Bugatti engineers had worked diligently in order to push the 400 km/h boundary. No wind tunnel can simulate this velocity, which is why after each of a long series of improvements, the different ground clearance levels and the modifications of the rear fenders, spoiler and underbody were tested separately on high-speed test ranges. This ambition and diligence paid off, as the official speed measurement proves.
The Veyron’s high velocity is due to the perfect combination of engine technology, consistent lightweight construction, specially developed tires, and the complex balance of propulsion and downforce. For not only the aerodynamic drag is a crucial factor at very high speeds, but also the precise adjustment of the downforce that holds the car to the road surface. And in addition to all this, the Veyron production vehicle meets the highest safety, reliability and maneuverability standards of even the most discerning drivers.

To create the optimum aerodynamics, the Bugatti engineers developed three configuration modes. In standard mode, used for speeds up to 220 km/h, the rear spoiler system is completely retracted. In handling mode, used at higher velocities, the vehicles nose is pulled down and the monumental rear spoiler deployed. This produces an additional 350 kg of downforce without compromising the Veyron’s exceptional turn dynamics. And then there is the top speed mode for velocities beyond 375 km/h, which is activated before the engine is started. At top speed mode the front diffuser flaps are shut to make the underbody absolutely level, and the spoiler is completely aligned with the chassis, forming a tearing edge – thus, the Veyron is perfectly adapted for top velocities. The downforce is reduced to minimize the strain on the tires, which is already considerable. The car is held down on the road by its own weight and the downforce. The Veyron starts immediately at top speed mode, allowing only for a limited turn of the steering wheel. As soon as the driver brakes, the Veyron automatically switches to handling mode. But those who dare to accelerate consistently on a long, straight road will experience the power of the fastest production vehicle of all times.

Topspeed key
For speeds beyond 375 km/h, drivers need to activate the top speed key
Section from the measurement record of a high-speed drive totalling five minutes

 

 

Bugatti’s Veyron 16.4*) is the first super sports car with guaranteed functionality of the Electronic Stability Program at all speeds including top velocity, tested and approved by exceptional racecar drivers.
The first tests of the Electronic Stability Program at velocities beyond 300 km/h were performed on the dried salt lakes in the American Southwest. The low-friction ground surface is ideal for taking a car’s road grip to the limit. Featuring intelligent four-wheel drive and four electronic controls, the sports car is as safe as it is fast. Two steerage systems, a Haldex clutch, and the rear axle locking diff provide the necessary dynamics, while the brake pressure regulation and active torque control ensure controllability.
In addition to the ingenious electronic controls, the Veyron 16.4 features high-precision engineering and a perfect underbody based on state-of-the-art racing technology. Double traverse control arms in the front and rear guarantee precise wheel control. All elements work smoothly together with minimal friction and a maximum of stability. Suspension, cushioning, and stabilizers react directly and immediately. The steering system is equally well balanced: the high connection stiffness of all elements ensures direct reactivity. The car follows each and every move of the driver, at any speed and with exactly the right dose of servo support. The latter is gradually decreased towards top velocity, making for easy maneuverability in city traffic, smooth directional stability at high speeds, and precise, flawless corner turns on country roads.

The tires are the last, but certainly not the least factor determining driving dynamics and security. The Veyron 16.4 tires feature a specially developed rubber compound, customized tire tread, and an elaborate tire pressure control system.

1. Haldex clutch
2. Front axle gearbox with articulated drive shafts
3. Double wishbones
High-speed tyres with the PAX run-flat system developed by Michelin especially for the Veyron

 

There is one thing the Veyron 16.4*) does even faster than accelerating: braking.
The sports car exploits the full range of available technological potential to allow for ultra-fast deceleration. It takes less than 5 seconds to get from 0 to 100 km and back to a complete standstill. In theory, that is, for such a feat would require the driver to react with nearly superhuman speed. The whole braking process takes no more than 31.4 meters or 2.3 seconds – that is less than the car needs to get from 0 to 100 km. And even the 400-to-0-km/h deceleration is a matter of less than 10 seconds.

Made of high-tech carbon, ceramic, and titanium materials, the brake system guarantees consistently high friction values and optimum cooling. Intelligent carbon-ceramic brake discs with interior ventilation, eight-piston monoblock caliper units in the front, and six-piston caliper units in the rear ensure the necessary driving agility on a par with professional racecars. The rear spoiler serves as an additional air brake at speeds beyond 200 km/h. Activated by the brake pedal, the spoiler shoots up and is deployed at a 55-degree angle in less than 0.4 seconds. Tests including repeated follow-up brake maneuvers have shown this brake system to be not only the most powerful, but also the most reliable and durable ever built into a serial production vehicle. It boasts deceleration values of up to 1.3 g, with an additional 0.6 g support by the rear spoiler. Even during full braking maneuvers at top velocities, these brakes won’t give. Brake fade, the much feared performance reduction after repeated application of the brakes – e.g. during long downhill drives – is virtually impossible.

The Veyron’s carbon ceramics brakes have to withstand surface temperatures of 1,100°C during the overload test
A rear wing as airbrake

A super sports car like the Veyron 16.4*) needs to be light in order to reach top speeds.
From the initial concept to the design and the selection of materials, the Bugatti engineers tapped the full potential of their considerable expertise to ensure that this car is, indeed, a lightweight. Titanium, carbon, magnesium, and aluminum – each part of the Veyron 16.4 is made of the material with the lowest weight and the highest level of functionality. The titanium piston rods save approx. 4 kg of weight, the titanium screws 3.5 kg, and the magnesium valve caps another 2 kg. By reducing the wheelbase, the original weight was reduced by about a third, and the titanium exhaust system – another Veyron 16.4 first – with its wafer-thin layer of titanium aluminite saves yet another 17 kg. These combined efforts capped the Veyron 16.4’s weight at a compact 1,888 kg. Add the car’s high-powered performance and unmatched speed, and you have a uniquely fast and nimble super sports car.

Optimum protection is guaranteed by the car’s carbon monocoque construction: weighing only 110 kg, the survival cell withstands enormous crash impact forces. This principle is comparable to that used in the Formula 1 world, where drivers usually emerge uninjured from their cars even after severe accidents. The maximum impact force reduction is mainly due to the frames integrated in the carbon monocoque. The front part of the monocoque is made of aluminum; the rear consists of a combination of carbon, stainless steel, and aluminum. The car’s safety concept, which includes two frontal airbags for the front-seat occupants, is so sophisticated that additional airbags would be redundant. Crash tests have shown the Veyron 16.4 to conform to all international safety standards – and to exceed them. As painful as it was for the engineers to watch their valuable prototypes hit the test wall, they were always glad to see that the Veyron survived these maneuvers almost unharmed.

Magnesium
Engine covers, intercooler covers (shown)
Aluminium
Wings, doors, engine block, water cooling pipes, crash frames front and rear, interior trim, gearbox housing (shown)

The Veyron’s*) central nervous system consists of three data buses –
one for the driveline, one for the convenience functions, and one for the internal diagnostics system. A total of 26 control devices is connected to these buses. This digital network comprises the car’s complete intelligence system: from engine regulation to electric windows; from rear spoiler control to GPS. In place of a traditional network, Bugatti equipped the Veyron with a lightweight onboard network also used in aviation technology. This saves 5 kg of weight and also offers extreme temperature resistance. The hub of this network is the telemetry computer. It constantly collects all vehicle data, checks them for reliability, and monitors battery voltage. As soon as the values become critical, the computer automatically transmits an error report to Bugatti – from anywhere in the world. Whenever there’s the possibility of a malfunction, there is also perfect service available. Customers may of course deactivate this option, but they can also intensify the service level: the Veyron’s GPS data are always accessible in case the car should go missing. In addition, the Veyron features speech-controlled, hands-free mobile phone operation with integrated Bluetooth technology. The Bluetooth GPS is controlled via an exclusive Bugatti PDA. Both systems use the Burmester sound system for crystal-clear audio output. All visual data are displayed on the rearview mirror – a feat made possible by the extremely bright LED display placed behind the semi-transparent mirror glass. The PDA boasts additional useful features: drivers can use it to access lap times, tire pressure, gas consumption, and key telemetry data.

Data transmission
The lightweight electrical system of the Veyron (below) weighs much less than a conventional on-board system and is also more temperature resistant.

A car with such exceptional potential as the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 *) calls for equally exceptional testing conditions:
repeated switches from the high-speed circuit to city traffic and from the highway to the racetrack, steep uphill climbs and descents, and every possible curve radius. The internal tests required top speeds, full-throttle acceleration to up to 350 km/h, again and again, and repeated full brake maneuvers with a force of 1.3 g. The Bugatti test engineers drove more than 1,000 km per day, only interrupted by the necessary service breaks. And then there were the extensive test drives on the extremely tough Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit, and non-stop autobahn drives.
In addition to these internal tests, the Veyron 16.4 had to pass all official roadworthiness tests just like any other serial production vehicle for road traffic. Approval criteria included reliability, stability, fine-tuning of driveline, chassis, and transmission, as well as the overall condition of the car after 50,000 driven kilometers. This was rounded off by the thousands of hours the Veyron 16.4’s engine, drive train, brakes and chassis were inspected on numerous test benches.

Next, the Veyron was exposed to weeks of heat and cold tests at extreme temperatures ranging from -20°C (-4°F) to 50°C (122°F). The car and its inexhaustible four-wheel drive braved both the ice and snow of Northern Europe and the sizzling South African heat. Even in the snow, the Electronic Stability Program always detects the degree of road grip, adjusting the engine control systems accordingly. The active rear axle lock not only helps the car take fast turns, but also ensures non-slip acceleration even in the snow. One particularly memorable episode occurred when a heavy van with camera equipment got stuck in a Scandinavian snowdrift – to be pulled out by the Veyron, which mastered this task like a professional tow truck.

Traction in winter
Even at low friction coefficients, the Veyron shows high levels of driving dynamics and safety.