It appears a supercar horsepower race is brewing. Rumours from within management at Molsheim suggest that Bugatti are preparing a Super Veyron for debut at the 2013 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show. We like it when this sort of battle of one-upmanship happens. If this is indeed the case, there is no definitive name for the car yet, but we like the sound of ‘Super Veyron’.
With a rumoured acceleration of 0 – 100 km/h in 1.8 seconds, and again, a rumoured top speed of 460 km/h (288 mph), the 1 177 kW (1 600 HP) Super Veyron is all about ensuring the Veyron’s betterment over upcoming supercars like the Ferrari Enzo replacement and the McLaren P1.
The secret to this ballistic performance is a weight saving of almost 250 kg over the already carbon fibre-covered Veyron Super Sport. At a rumoured 1 600 kg, the Super Veyron should achieve a power-to-weight ratio of one kg per HP.
Rumours suggest the Super Sport on steroids will benefit from even more carbon fibre use in the body and an upgraded 8.0-litre, or even a 9.6-litre engine, that will develop the requisite 1 177 kW. As you might imagine, a car of this magnitude is not going to be sold for cheap and the Super Veyron Super could cost in excess of US$2.5 million (R22.2 million).
It sounds like a lot, granted, but then again, it is claimed that Bugatti lose money on every single Veyron and Super Sport they sell. If they lose money on every R22.2 million Super Veyron, that gives you some indication of the R&D cost required for such an ambitious project.
