‘Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport debuts at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance’
Few cars carry as much interest as the Bugatti Veyron, famous for its ultra-high price tag, striking looks and other-worldly speeds. Now, an even more exclusive ‘roofless’ version dubbed the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport has been revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where the first model will also be put up for auction. In line with previous speculation, the roof must be removed and stowed away manually. Should the weather turn foul, a folding roof stored in the luggage compartment can be opened up like an umbrella and fixed as a temporary measure. Distinguishing the Grand Sport from its coupe sibling is its slightly taller windscreen, new daytime running lights, and of course the lightweight and transparent polycarbonate roof. According to Bugatti’s communication chief, Georges Keller, the roofless ‘targa’ option was the only one available to Bugatti because there was no other solution which could fit with the car’s safety cage. While the roof will be removable, there will be no storage space for it within the car, so the cover will have to be taken off at home. Most low-volume supercars use targa panels because of the low cost of development and to retain the structural integrity of the chassis. With the roof in place, the Grand Sport will reach speeds of up to 252mph (407km/h) just like the coupe. Speeds of up to 224mph (360km/h) are possible with the roof stowed away. The umbrella-like cloth roof limits the Veyron’s top speed to a rather low 81mph (130km/h), however. The Buggatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport will be available from March next year, at a cost of ?1.4 million (USD$2.05 million). Only 150 examples will be produced, with the first 50 going exclusively to registered Bugatti customers. The highly coveted first vehicle to roll off the line will be auctioned for charity at the Pebble Beach Auction.
