Himafagy

1927 Bugatti Type 37A Grand Prix Car – Lot 271 Sold at $445,000


As if being a Bugatti weren't cool enough, this is one of their legendary GP cars from the heyday of Bugatti track domination. It also happens to hold the distinction of once being a UK Speed Record-Setter. This ex-Chris Staniland car has an apparently-more-than-adequate 80hp, supercharged 1498cc single overhead camshaft inline four-cylinder engine. The Type 37 emulated the GP-winning Type 35, but was designed to be a more attainable and manageable car that could serve as a successor to Bugatti's early "Brescia" that had made their reputation with some 2,000 units sold over its 16-year lifespan.


Although successful, the Type 37 was a bit short on performance. So in 1927 Bugatti added a version of the Roots supercharger from the Type 35. The resulting car was dubbed the Type 37A. The Type 37A was first and foremost a competition car with its magneto ignition and Bugatti's signature aluminum wheels replacing the standard 37 wire wheels. Bugatti ended up cranking out 77 Type 37As between 1927 and 1930.


One of those is the car featured here. Bought and raced by Fairey Aviation test pilot, Chris Staniland, chassis number 37290 saw duty over four seasons, recording four outright wins and two seconds along the way. At the end of 1928, Staniland also used it to set the British Class-F 1-1/2-liter speed record for distances and times up to one hour. He managed to eclipse all but one of the records that were on the books, and which had ironically been set by a supercharged, two-liter, eight-cylinder Type 39A Grand Prix Bugatti in 1927. It even lapped Brooklands at 122.07 mph in 1929. Not bad for an 80hp four. It ended up selling at "only" $445,000 at RM.


[Source: RM Auctions]

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Our Deutsch-obsessive friends over at the German Car Blog tipped us off to an article at kalaydo.de that, while discussing the attempt to slow down motorists on the autobahn, revealed that Bugatti was in the process of developing a "Sport" version of the all-conquering Veyron.


The quote was light on details, only mentioning that Bugatti would up the power output of the uber-Veyron to 1,200 HP. The article also mentioned plans for an E-Class Merc that would crest the 700 HP mark.


For the time being, we're chalking this up to rampant speculation since sources weren't cited and there's been no hard evidence about such a project coming across our screens. We like more power, but as far as engineering exercises are concerned, the Veyron is close enough to the limits, as is.


[Source: German Car Blog]

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OK, the official Autoblog wish list already includes a Petersen / White Lightning Porsche and the JMH Ferrari 360 GTC. Now it's time for ride number 3. If Santa deposited the1994 Bugatti EB110 SS "Le Mans" currently available through Canepa Design into our garage, we'd be completely okay with it. Seriously.


This "Le Mans" version of the EB110 Supersport is one of only three ever built. According to its product description, two were made for a Japanese car collector, and the third went to none other than Michael Schumacher. This is one of the Japanese cars. The body is all carbon-fiber and the car is powered by a quad-turbocharged 3.5L V12. 0-60 arrives in 3.14 seconds and the it tops out at a measly 232 miles per hour. Best of all, the EB110 , especially in this sexy SS guise, is racier-looking than the all-conquering Veyron. Sure, it's not as refined inside, but it's every bit the supercar the current machine is.


We'll clean out the garage Christmas Eve. You know, just in case...


(Full item description after the jump)


[Source: Canepa Design]

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That
Porsche owns a significant stake in the Volkswagen group (and all its subsidiaries) is no secret. In fact, Porsche is even in the process of increasing its stake. Oddly, though, little seemed to be done to minimize the competition presented to Porsche products by those of VW divisions: Lamborghini Gallardo vs. Porsche 911 Turbo, Audi TT vs. Porsche Boxster and Cayman, Audi Q7 vs. Porsche Cayenne, etc. But now Porsche is reportedly taking aim at an easy target: Bugatti.

Truth be told, it's really Bugatti's lack of profitability that Porsche is targeting. Porsche remains one of the only sportscar manufacturers that generates profit (copious amounts of it, actually), while Bugatti loses VW money continuously. The development costs of the super-expensive Veyron were to be offset by the application of technology towards future Bugatti vehicles (like a new saloon or four-door coupe), but if Porsche gets its way, a new Bugatti will never see the light of day, with Stuttgart evidently preferring to cut their loses (and a competing supercar maker).

Volkswagen would be unlikely to find a buyer for Bugatti even if Porsche applied enough pressure for them to sell. Stuttgart's proposal, then, would be to turn the exclusive marque even more exclusive, as a coachbuilder, creating unique one-off vehicles (like Jim Glickenhaus' Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina) for over $4 million a piece. And here we thought the existing Veyron was expensive....

[Source: Car magazine via Motor Authority]

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It's with a heavy heart that we report to you the passing of an automotive icon. Grover Berryman's Van Vooren-bodied 1935 T57 Bugatti convertible coupe (S/N 57287), is no longer with us. In a black comedy-of-errors that might have been considered hilarious if it had happened to something like theVettamino, the classic Bug burned to the ground, taking most of the garage with it. You really need to click through the read link and discover the whole story, but we'll try to sum it up for you here.


Air Force officer Grover Berryman buys the Bug from the original owner while stationed in France in the early 1950s. He drives the T57 whenever he can around Europe. When he leaves Europe for Saudi Arabia, he decides to ship the car home to the States. His friend Ken Purdy takes care of the car until Grover returns home in 1954. Purdy had even had the engine and transmission rebuilt. The car was repainted with some fairly effective lacquer that lasts for 40 years. He drives it everywhere, but his Air Force duties lead him to park it in a Pennsylvania barn in 1960. It sits there until 1996. Berryman and the car move to San Juan Island, Washington when he retires. The Bugatti gets redone and shows up at the odd family wedding and concours. Berryman's Van Vooren T57 is believed to be the only two-owner full-size Bugatti in the United States.


And then tragedy strikes. While preparing the car for a local show, starter fluid ignites the engine, but also causes a backfire that sets the gasoline-saturated carpets ablaze. The car is pinned in and by the time it can be moved, the damage is done and only gets worse as the roof of the garage caves in on it as well. Poor Grover only had it insured for a fraction of its half-million dollar value too. The cost of rebuilding it would have to come out of his own pocket, so it is unlikely it will be resurrected any time soon. What a shame. Along with the Figoni & Falaschi Delahayes and Delages, these Bugattis were among the most beautiful cars from that golden age of coachbuilding. Our deepest condolences.


[Source: Sports Car Market]

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Michelin is our favorite tire company from now on. Without resorting to the cheap, albeit highly effective and entertaining, trick of hiring booth babes to draw attention to themselves, this French tiremaker still had one of the largest crowds of any vendor at the show. Accomplished with an elegant simplicity that had us drooling from the moment we saw the space. The plan was so breathtakingly simple that we hope others will follow their lead in the future. OK, we wouldn't complain too much if there were still some lovely ladies around as well, but this being an automotive show, putting cars above all else seems to be a pretty good idea.


What they pulled off went a little beyond the ordinary and deserves some kind of award. After working your way past dozens of individual wheel and tire booths with everything from clear rims to those 34-inch monster truck-worthy numbers, you round a corner in the tires and wheels hall and see one of the cleanest, most spectacular sights. Especially if you are a fan of exotics and supercars, but even if you're not, it's quite striking. More story and pics after the jump.


A Fisker and a Ruf sit at the top of an arcing ramp, high above the rear of the display. In front of them are a Saleen S7 tt and a Pagani Zonda, respectively. In front of THEM are a Koenigsegg CCX and McLaren F1, almost touching the ground And sitting in the center of the almost completed circle is a turntable. A turntable with a Bugatti Veyron slowly rotating on it. And if that isn't enough, a glance to the side will reveal a Caparo T1.


Now think about that for another few minutes while you look through the incredible high-res gallery provided to us by Drew Phillips of Fast-Autos.net. If these were heavyweight boxers you'd be looking at the likes of Ali, Holmes, Frazier, Tyson, Marciano, Louis, and Dempsey. All in one place at one time. True champions that still command respect.


The Fisker is a bit more of a looker than an outright supercar like the others, but can still manage some respectable speeds. The RUF and Zonda can crack 210. The F1 has done 241. The CCX and Veyron a little better still. The Saleen hasn't proven its top speed claims but should be able to manage something very close to the others, and the Caparo, being little more than a Formula 1 car with better aerodynamics might not set the top speed bar any higher, should provide thrills in every direction. Some of the worlds fastest cars, all on display together, latent energy almost palpable. Despite our pleas, our offer to run them out to Nellis for some quick testing, was politely refused. Thanks anyhow, Michelin. All the pics are clickable wallpaper.

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Did you think the Porsche Turbo with the camouflage paint job was strange? Then try this on for size. Japanese streetwear brand Bathing Ape (think Fubu or Marc Ecko from the land of the rising sun) seems to have a knack for taking the most expensive, exclusive high-end automobiles on the market and giving them a "different" paint job.

This repainted Veyron at least remains faithful to Bugatti's two-tone rule: the side panels get a rather unique pink and purple camo job, while the hood and rear panels are in solid Pepto pink. Just as well, 'cause you'll probably need a bottle of Pepto after seeing this, anyway.

Glutton for punishment? There's an almost as revolting image of a camouflaged Rolls Royce Phantom after the jump. Don't think the camouflage will keep it hidden with all that blingin' chrome, though.

[Source: Ed Spivak viaGerman Car Blog]

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While there probably is one or two of you reading this who do actually own a Bugatti Veyron, the other 99.9999999999 percent of us don't and never will. Lots of new car buyers, however, turn to leasing when they want to drive what they can't afford to own. This month's issue ofAutomobile mag reveals what costs are associated with leasing the most powerful andunofficially fastest production car in the world fromPutnam Leasing.


First, if you want to lease a Veyron you'll need to take the college fund you set up for your kids, empty out your 401-K and get an advance on your parents' will to afford the car's $400,000 down payment. Then you'll have to figure out how to scrape together $23,595 for your first month's payment. And then you'll have to repeat that feat another 60 times, as the Veyron is only offered with a five-year lease. You are afforded 2,500 miles a year, which means if you're planning on using the Bugatti as a daily driver you'll be taking the bus a lot. There's no word on what the penalty is for going over that limit, but expect to forego a 50-inch plasma TV for every mile over.


When all is said and done you will have shelled out $1,815,700 for the privilege of driving a Bugatti Veyron without the hassles of ownership, which happens to be over $400,000 more than the car's $1.4 million Buy-it-Now price. D'oh!


[Source: Automobile]

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This came as a bit of a shock to us, but the Bugatti Veyron is not actually the fastest production car in the world according to that authoritative tome of useless and wonderful knowledge, the Guinness Book of World of Records. It seem Bugatti just never got around to scheduling an official high-speed run that could be officially considered by Guinness. In late October, Bugatti plans to rectify that and make an official top speed run at the Ehra Lessien test track near VW's headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany. The track has an unbroken straight of 9 km (5.6 miles), which should offer ample room to reach the Veyron's "unofficial" top speed of at least 253 mph. Currently the Veyron only holds the record for the Most Powerful Production Car.


If the official fastest production vehicle isn't the Veyron, then what is? The answer is the Koenigsegg CCR, the 806-hp super Swede that has been officially clocked at 245 mph. The Veyron may not be king of the hill for long, however, as the CCX that Autoblogger Frank Filipponio got to pilot can theoretically reach 258 mph.


[Source: Motor Authority]

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New U.S. airbag rules going into effect in September could be a disaster in the making for supercar maker Bugatti. Apparently complying with the new rules will require a redesign of the Veyron, increasing the price of the car more than $125,000.


In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency, Bugatti president Thomas Bscher said the requirement for "smart" airbags "could well put Bugatti out of business," citing the domino effects of costly redesign of the current car, cuts in production and delay in the introduction of its next model.


A number of low volume automakers have applied for an exemption to the rule, including Lamborghini, Maserati, Ferrari, Spyker, Lotus and Morgan.


If the NHTSA grants Bugatti's requested two-year exemption, it will only affect the 150 cars it hopes to build for the U.S. market before introducing its next version, which presumably will include smart air bags. Lamborghini is similarly affected only for its current models - the next-gen Murcielago, due out in 2009, will comply with the new rules.


[Source Financial Times via MSNBC]

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Perhaps Bugatti got a little open-air envy after seeing the

t-tops on Richard Losee's Ferrari Enzo, as we've just learned the Veyron will be shedding its roof in 2008 when the company introduces a targa version of its superlative exotic with a laminated glass roof panel developed by the same firm responsible for the Volkswagen Eos's folding hardtop. Since the Veyron's packaging is so tight, Inside Line reports that the roof panel cannot be stored on board. To compensate, Bugatti will develop a fabric panel that can be pulled in place to protect the car's interior from the elements if need arises.



Developing the Veyron Targa will involve strengthening the windshield and other structural modifications, so Bugatti will use carbon fiber for the car's doors and hood. The grille and the headlights, which will now turn with the wheels, will also be restyled. These changes should also be ported over to the coupe eventually.



The Veyron Targa's top speed of 217 mph will be lower than the coupe's upper bound of 253 mph, but that should be enough to keep it ahead of Losee's T-Top Enzo.



[Source: Inside Line]

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Autocar has cobbled together what we know about the GT1 so far to create this rendering of what the Bugatti Veyron-beater might look like when it surfaces sometime in 2009. The info we already know hasn't changed much. The car will be a 950-bhp, street-legal version of Porsche's future Le Mans racer and use the Carrera GT's carbon fiber frame with a new nose and tail. The GT1's top speed will be 254 mph, 2 mph more than the Veyron.


Autocar's drawing is said to be inspired from leaked technical drawings, so this is more than an artist's best guess. The magazine also claims that Porsche has already begun testing 950-bhp engines, despite not knowing whether the GT1's powerplant will be a turbocharged version of the Carrera GT's V10 or a bored-out, twin-turbo version of the Cayenne S's V8. Regardless of which engine is chosen, the GT1 holds the promise of stealing the top podium spot away from the Bugatti Veyron.



[Source: Speed TV via GermanCarBlog]

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The Bugatti Veyron is the gold standard for supercars. There are but a few cars as fast and none as opulent or expensive as the seven-figure exotic. According to Autocar magazine, Porsche may be getting ready to go head to head with Bugatti using a roadgoing version of the Le Mans racer it is currently developing. Dubbed the GT1, the uber exotic will produce 950 bhp and hit a top speed of 254 mph, a couple clicks over the Veyron's best effort of 252 mph.


The GT1 could be view as a replacement to the recently cancelled Carrera GT, as it will use a modified version of that car's carbon fiber chassis but be skinned with a different body and feature a closed cockpit. The GT1's prodigious amount of power could be produced by either a modified version of the Carrera GT's V10 or a turbocharged version of the Cayenne's V8 with a larger displacement.


PistonHeads reports that Bugatti is already working on a faster Veyron, so Porsche better step on it before Bugatti moves the target.


[Source: Autocar via PistonHeads]

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Britain's Autocar magazine recently gathered a formidable roster of supercars (and one of the greatest sportbikes ever produced) for its annual 0-100-0 showdown.


The winner of the gathering was theBugatti Veyron, which continues to walk the walk like no supercar before it. Consider the breakdown of the Veyron's performance:

• 0-60: 2.8 seconds (!)


• 0-100: 5.5 seconds (double-!)

By the time the car came to a stop, 9.9 seconds had elapsed.

That is insane.


The Veyron weighs 4,100 pounds. This kind of performance should not be remotely possible. But it is -- and the Veyron carries its passengers in unapologetically luxurious surroundings to boot. This isn't a stripped out Ariel Atom (3rd place) or a Lotus 340R. This is a luxury machine that happens to be able to make the jump to hyperspace regardless of whether or not Chewbacca is riding shotgun. For heaven's sake, it beat a Suzuki GSXR-1000 (2nd place) . A Gixxer 1000! Good grief.


It is astonishing in every respect. Some are going to come out and say that other cars on the list after the jump are almost as fast for a tiny fraction of the Veyron's cost.

True.


But none of those cars have the presence of the Veyron. It is the ultimate showstopper. It breaks all ties. It is worth every single penny.


(Pics, press release, competition results all after the jump)



[Source: Autocar]
Photos:



Press Release:


Triumph for Bugatti Veyron


The Bugatti Veyron has wiped the floor with the opposition in Autocar's annual 0-100-0mph contest, featured in the current issue of the world's oldest car magazine, even managing to beat a Suzuki GSX-R1000 superbike.


Featuring 25 of the world's fastest cars, from the 14th placed £79,995 Aston Martin V8 Vantage to the second-placed £34,995 Ariel Atom, the shoot-out pitches the cars against each other in a straight fight to see which is the fastest to 100mph. There's more to it than just outright speed though – slowing from 100mph to a dead halt is just as important.


The Veyron, with its 987bhp 16-cylinder engine, wasn't necessarily the favourite to win. "A low weight tends to be the key to a good 0-100-0mph car," said Autocar's road test editor Adam Towler. "Cars like the Ariel Atom and Caterham Superlight historically dominate this contest."


But the 1890kg £880,000 Bugatti ripped through the gears to hit 60mph in 2.8sec and 100mph in an astonishing 5.5sec. It then stopped in just 3.4sec, giving a 0-100-0mph time of 9.9sec.


Not only is the Bugatti faster than the Suzuki, it creates more g-force at maximum acceleration than you'd experience in an F-16 jet fighter at take off or when skydiving.


But the lightweights still turned in an impressive performance, from the relatively unknown £32k Brooke Double R in fourth place to the £35k Ariel Atom 300 in second.


"Although the Veyron is undoubtedly the quickest road car ever, you can still have nearly as much fun for much less money," said Adam Towler. "It's good to see British sports cars doing so well against such an impressive machine as the Bugatti."


Autocar also brought along an A1 GP car, driven by Brit Robbie Kerr, to see how a purpose-built race car would compare with road-going machinery. The 550bhp single seater weighs just 695kg, and proved to be the fastest vehicle on the day with a 0-100-0mph time of 8.4sec.

Competing Cars 0-100-0 Time (seconds)

A1 GP 8.40

Bugatti Veyron 9.90

Suzuki GSX-R1000 10.70

Ariel Atom S'Charged 11.00

Ariel Atom 450 11.05

Atom Private Owned 11.05

Caterham CSR260 11.95

Brooke Double R 12.50

Porsche 911 Turbo 12.50

Ford Focus WRC 13.57

Lambo Gallardo 13.65

Ascari KZ1 13.80

Corvette Z06 13.80

Alpina B6 14.80

BMW M6 14.95

TVR Tuscan 2 15.00

BMW M5 15.20

Audi RS4 15.80

Aston V8 Vantage 15.81

BMW Z4M Roadster 15.95

Porsche Cayman S 16.46

Lotus Exige S 16.60

Nissan 350Z 18.80

Vauxhall Astra Sprint 18.85

Vauxhall Astra VXR 19.05

Renault Megane F1 20.55

Mazda 6MPS 21.00

Ford Focus ST 21.35

Vauxhall Vectra VXR 22.35

Vauxhall Astra Thurlby 22.65

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Last week, Greenwich, CT motorists were joined on the roads by a particularly special guest: the mind-blowing Bugatti Veyron. Now, exotics in Greenwich are actually quite commonplace -- the area is very affluent and is home to several successful high-end dealerships.



Miller Motorcars sells Ferrari, Maserati, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Aston Martin in three showrooms all within a stone's throw of each other. For car lovers, the trip up West Putnam Avenue and past the Miller dealerships is similar to attending a car show -- a really, really good one, at that.


Two Veyrons had arrived at Miller Motorcars' Bentley / Rolls-Royce facility at the beginning of last week so that prospective customers could have an opportunity to inspect the cars up close. I grabbed my camera and drove out to Miller one afternoon instead of having lunch, figuring that this is one of the few opportunities I'd have to get a really good look at the car. I saw the prototype in 2004, but it was behind a glass wall at a show.


This was altogether different...


(Click to continue reading. More photos follow after the jump.)


Inside the Rolls showroom was a Black/Titanium Grey Veyron with a Grenadine (dark red) interior. I don't think its possible to overstate how impressive the car is in person. It's big, but it's so well-proportioned, it looks more compact than it actually is. Sharing the floor with the Veyron was a Wempe display showcasing the Bugatti-branded jewelery line being released in conjunction with the car. I introduced myself to Michael Parchment, the dealership's Rolls-Royce general manager, and he graciously allowed me to climb into the Veyron to see how it felt. Build quality is absolutely rock-solid. There was nothing fragile about the car at all. The turned aluminum centerstack was beautiful to behold, and all the switchgear worked with authoritative, heavy clicks. The carbon fiber seats were wrapped in leather and incredibly supportive, and the interior surfaces were all of the most premium quality you could imagine.


I moved outside next, where the second Veyron was parked. Finished in White/Soft Silver with a light interior color called "Silk," this car was wearing California manufacturer tags. It was being used to take clients out for test rides, and the driver handling those duties was none other than Dyson Racing's Butch Leitzinger.


While I was there, Butch came out and started the car, revving the engine a bit for the small group that had gathered around. The sound was one of the most authoritative, goosebump-inducing things I'd ever heard. At idle, a pronounced burble emanates from the center-mounted exhaust, but overall, the car is very quiet. At higher revs, however, it breaks into song -- loud, deep, and mixed with an almost supercharger-like whine that lends an added sense of urgency as the gigantic 16-cylinder quad-turbo spools to life. It's a sound you remember, from a car that is utterly unforgettable.


Leitzinger told us that the car is quite easy to drive, actually. This sentiment was reinforced by Michael Parchment, who told me that some customers who own other supercars commented that while they'd never consider driving one of them to dinner, for example, that the Bugatti is so easy to pilot, they'd happily use it for a night out on the town.


The gathering broke up as Butch jumped in the driver's seat to take someone out in the car. It growled at us as it pulled onto the street. Perma-grins were affixed to most of the faces left behind.


It's pretty incredible when you think about it: a $1.4 million (depending on the exchange rates -- officially, the car's cost is 1.1 million Euros), 987-horsepower street missile that's gentle enough to take to the grocery store, yet capable of 248 mph under the proper conditions.


Some would look at it and dismissively label it as being absurd. To me, a different word comes to mind:

Sublime.


Many thanks to Miller Motorcars and Michael Parchment for their time and the access to their automobiles. You can visit Miller Motorcars on the web at www.MillerMotorcars.com.


Photos: Alex Nunez.







Just for fun, here are a few of the other denizens of Miller's Bentley/Rolls-Royce/Aston martin complex:

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