Bugatti Veyron prototype, that set speed record, has been restored
What's the story
Bugatti has restored a pre-production prototype of the iconic Veyron Super Sport. The car, which racked up over 70,800km in its lifetime, is now in private hands after a six-month restoration process. This isn't just any model; it's a special sixth vehicle with an interesting history. It was used as a development and marketing tool for the record-breaking W16 supercar back in the day.
Record-breaking journey
Prototype helped achieve record-breaking speed of 431km/h
Though not the exact prototype that set the production-car speed record in 2010, this Veyron was instrumental in paving the way for it. The car helped Pierre-Henri Raphanel achieve an incredible speed of 431km/h. However, it's worth noting that the five production cars that celebrated this record were electronically limited to a top speed of 415km/h for tire safety reasons.
Restoration
Restored Veyron flaunts black-and-orange color scheme
The restored Veyron features a black-and-orange color scheme with exposed carbon fiber, giving it a modern look. Some pre-series parts have been replaced with production-spec components, but the quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission remain original. The powertrain delivers an impressive 1,183hp and 1,500Nm of torque to all four wheels.
Market impact
Prototype is not part of the production run
This restored prototype is not part of the 450-unit production run of customer cars, making it a little less exclusive than Bugatti's original supercar from the Volkswagen Group era. However, owning a prototype that helped set a speed record is an incredibly rare opportunity. While its price tag remains undisclosed, we can only imagine it was astronomical due to its unique status in the Veyron lineage.