At this weekend’s Concours d’Elegance classic car show in Pebble Beach, California, Bugatti performed the world debut of the all-new Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport. The open-top Veyron comes equipped with a removable lightweight transparent polycarbonate roof as well as with an emergency soft top that can be used to protect driver and passenger from sudden rainfall. According to Bugatti’s own words, the soft can be “stowed in the trunk like an umbrella”.
Powered by the same 1,001 HP quad-turbocharged 16-cylinder engine as the coupe, the world’s fastest convertible can achieve a top speed of 253 mph or 406 km/h with the polycarbonate roof in its place. Take the top off and the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport won’t let you go over 217 mph or 349 km/h. If you decide to use the soft top, the car’s top speed is limited to a mere 80 mph or 130 km/h.
In comparison to the Veyron coupe, the most noticeable differences on the Gran Sport are its higher windshield, newly designed LED headlights and the new horseshoe-style wheels.
The most important changes however are under the skin as the carbon fibre monocoque was substantially reinforced to cope with the structural loss of the open roof. According to Bugatti, the monocoque structure was reinforced around the side skirts and the transmission tunnel while the B-pillars were cross-stiffened using a carbon fibre support. Moreover, the redesigned air inlets now feature 10cm wide carbon fiber elements that provide protection in the event of rollover.
Other features new to the Gran Sport include a reverse camera with 2.7 inch monitor integrated in the rearview mirror and a “Puccini” sound system, specifically design for convertibles.
Bugatti will hand-build a total of 150 Veyron 16.4 Grand Sports with deliveries scheduled to begin from March 2009. The first 40 cars are reserved exclusively for current Bugatti customers with the exception of the first car that was auctioned off at the Gooding Auction on 17 August 2008 with all profits going to a charitable foundation.
