Beasts of Bugatti

Experience the power of the legendary W16

At the heart of the exhibition is the 8.0-litre W16 engine, a technical masterpiece with sixteen cylinders and four turbochargers. Surrounding this extraordinary power unit, you’ll see unique models, including a rare Lamborghini Diablo W16, the Bugatti Veyron, Chiron and Mistral, as well as record-breaking versions that have pushed the boundaries of speed and innovation.

‘Beasts of Bugatti’ not only showcases the performance of these cars, but also tells the story behind the development of the modern Bugatti. From experimental prototypes to works of art on wheels: every car has its own unique history.

The fastest cars in the world

Lamborghini Diablo W16

2000
The only one in the world.

At first glance, it looks like a ‘standard’ Lamborghini Diablo, until you examine the car in detail. Many of the parts aren’t quite right. This is the test vehicle used for the development of the W16 engine. The engine is positioned centrally within the chassis. During development, there was an engine block, but no car yet. As Lamborghini and Bugatti are sister brands, the development department opted for the Italian top-of-the-range model. The rear end has been raised and the left-hand rear light is missing to make way for a radiator. Incidentally, the first Veyron design study models were also built on the basis of the Diablo.

Bugatti Veyron Prototype 1

2001
The only one in the world.

The first – and therefore oldest – Bugatti Veyron 16.4. Meet ‘Prototyp 1’, in which the W16 engine was housed in a Veyron body for the first time. The bodywork design was not yet finalised, as it later transpired, because the air outlet behind the front wheel is not present on the production model. Following numerous setbacks, such as cooling problems and disappointing test results, the design department refined the bodywork. Two years later, test sessions began with a modified prototype, after which it took a further two years – in 2005 to be precise – before production commenced.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4

2006
Named after Pierre Veyron, a former test driver and racing driver from the 1930s and 1940s, the Veyron was launched in 2005. Bugatti left everyone in the dust. The sports coupé was the first production car with an output of 1001 pk, a top speed of over 400 km/h and a price tag of over one million euros (excluding taxes). This gave rise to a new term: the hypercar. The entire development process cost the company so much money that they decided to build only a small number of cars to keep additional costs down. Ultimately, Bugatti opted for a limited run of 300 units.

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

2010
1 of 46 in the world.

The aim was to extract 1,000 pk from the 8.0 W16 engine, but during the first test bench sessions, the engine produced more than 1,200 pk. Bugatti scaled back the power output for the Veyron 16.4 to 1,001 pk. In 2010, the Super Sport version was launched, boasting 1,200 pk. Speed tests revealed that the top-of-the-range model recorded 427.933 km/h and – in the opposite direction – 434.211 km/h. The average speed of 431.072 km/h became an official Guinness World Record! The road-going version, which also featured larger turbochargers, was limited to ‘just’ 415 km/h.

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Bernar Venet

2011
The only one in the world.

Originally, the Veyron was planned solely as a coupé, but the design department soon began exploring an open-top variant. The Barchetta – with no roof and a small windscreen – remained a dream on paper, whilst the variant with a removable roof panel did reach the production stage. Originally planned as a limited edition of 50, Bugatti built 150 to recoup the development costs. The central roof panel is left at home. Should it unexpectedly start to rain, there is an umbrella that attaches to the window frame and roll bars. The most expensive version left the Atelier in Molsheim as the ‘Bernar Venet’. The French artist of the same name channelled his passion for mathematical equations and scientific treatises into a three-dimensional form in the shape of the open-top variant, christened the Grand Sport.

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse WRC

2012
One of only eight in the world.

With a top speed limited to 375 km/h, the Veyron Grand Sport was already the fastest open-top car in the world, but the Bugatti engineers took on the challenge of breaking the 400 km/h barrier. The engineers fitted the 1,200 pk variant of the W16 engine at the rear and made further technical adjustments. During official testing, the open-top two-seater reached 408.84 km/h. The more powerful version was launched as the Vitesse, with eight examples produced as the ‘World Record Car’ (WRC) edition, as shown here. The colour scheme was identical to that of the record-breaking car, but the top speed was even higher: 410 km/h!

Bugatti Chiron

2016
The Chiron appeared as the successor to the Veyron. Like its predecessor, it was named after a former Bugatti racing driver. Following the sports cars, the French car manufacturer wanted to launch a luxury sports saloon, but the project was cancelled due to a design misstep. Instead, another hypercar was created. With the all-new Chiron, which took four years to develop, Bugatti once again set new standards. This time, the four-wheel-drive system was powered by 1,500 pk from the 8.0 W16 engine with four turbochargers. Bugatti built the Chiron in a limited run of 500 units, exclusively as a coupé.

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+

2019
One of just 30 in the world.

Thanks to Koenigsegg, Bugatti launched the Super Sport 300+, as the French car manufacturer no longer offered the fastest hypercar on the market. The Swedish sports car manufacturer had snatched the speed record. This prompted Bugatti to attempt a new record. Driver Andy Wallace clocked an impressive 490.4837 km/h in a modified Chiron. The test car formed the basis for the Super Sport 300+, recognisable by its 25 cm longer rear end and the addition of air vents. The name refers to the speed achieved in miles per hour: 300 and a bit. The road-going version of the Chiron Super Sport 300+ – built in a limited run of 30 units – has a limited top speed of 440 km/h.

Bugatti W16 Mistral

2022
1 of 99 in the world.

The official line was that it was technically unfeasible to produce an open-top version of the Chiron. Bugatti did not add that it could, however, be done at any cost. When it became clear that enthusiasts were willing to pay five million (excl. VAT/BPM) without batting an eyelid, the Mistral was born. This open-top sibling of the Chiron has a removable roof panel, which fits only on top of the car, not inside it. It was only produced after production of the final Chiron had ceased. Bugatti built 99 units. It was supposed to mark the end of the W16 engine. It turned out not to be the case. Based on the Mistral, Bugatti developed two one-offs: the Brouillard and the FKP Hommage.