Skip advert
Advertisement

McLaren F1 v Ferrari F40 v Pagani Zonda C12S v Lancia Delta Integrale v Bugatti Veyron v Honda NSX-R v Porsche 997 GT3 v Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R - Bugatti Veyron

Not really a car in the sense of anything else here. Better described as a brief taste of omnipotence

To understand the Veyron you have to experience it. Like some frighteningly abstract cosmological concept, you struggle to get a handle on its capabilities, trying to imagine what accelerating to 100mph in 5.5 seconds or travelling at 250mph might actually feel like.

But here’s a clue for anyone who’s ever felt the sledgehammer thump of Mercedes’ 500bhp SL55 AMG. The Veyron weighs about the same but is twice as powerful. It has almost twice the torque, too. And it feels roughly twice as fast. That’s twice as fast as the fastest car you’d ever need. A Veyron will dust an Enzo without trying.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Then again, there is a whiff of the absurd about the Veyron. It has as many turbochargers as it has driven wheels (four apiece), two clutches, a seven-speed gearbox and 1000bhp. It gets to 60mph in the time it takes its driver to gulp. It’s about as sensible as a body-builder’s 21-inch neck. Veyron drivers who flex their right ankles too enthusiastically may well end up with the same.

But my guess is no Veyron will ever be driven at 250mph by its owner. What matters is the psychology of wielding such colossal potential. The Veyron’s top speed is so high, no one needs to go there. The advantage is all in the mind. And that’s probably the greatest power of all.

Specifications

EngineW16, 7993cc, quad-turbo
Max power1000bhp @ 6000rpm
Max torque922lb ft @ 2200rpm
Power to weight521bhp/ton
Top speed253mph
0-62mph2.5sec
Pricec£872,000
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

TVR: Why we think it’s all over
TVR Griffith
Opinion

TVR: Why we think it’s all over

There’s barely a flicker of life when it comes to TVR and the ‘new’ Griffith. We can only fear the worst
17 Jul 2025
Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!
Range Rover
News

Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!

Discounts on new Range Rovers are so big you could buy a new Renault 5 with the money you save…
15 Jul 2025
​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
14 Jul 2025