Edmunds Inside Line: Road Tests2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport First Drive

Bugatti's Olivier Thevenin gestures at us from the passenger seat and we come to a stop on a deserted, arrow-straight road somewhere in Sardinia. His serious look suggests he has something big to say.

"Now," he says. "Use all of the power — really. Then feel the brakes." As his was meant to be the voice of corporate reason during our drive of the 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, we could have kissed him.

We floor the throttle and the car simply takes off. Since we've got a quadruple-turbo 8.0-liter W16 behind us that pumps out 986 horsepower and 922 pound-feet of torque, we expect a battle of physics with the Haldex all-wheel-drive system and limited-slip rear differential that should leave the tarmac with emotional scars and end with the car off the road. But instead the Veyron simply leaves the vicinity like a bullet from a sniper's rifle.

The power meter on the instrument panel swings round and just for a second we are godlike, using the full force of the ultimate car.

And now it's got a removable targa-style top.


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Runamukk - 6/27/2009 9:54:22 PM

+3 Boost

Legendary...unlike any other!!! Mercedes should just give this phrase to this car.

t_bone - 6/28/2009 2:30:31 PM

+4 Boost

Looks incredible in that non-metallic blue too.

Runamukk - 6/29/2009 12:34:53 AM

+3 Boost

what does this car have to do with VW?

kablaam - 6/29/2009 1:07:42 AM

+3 Boost

VW owns bugatti but Porsche has the majority share of VW(unless the merger goes through).

What a love triangle....

Runamukk - 6/29/2009 1:29:53 AM

+4 Boost

I understand that but this car is its own entity. Completely in a league of its own. Nothing ever made can touch this car performance wise. Btw fiat owns ferrari. That doesn't make me think any less of Ferrari.

pennfootball - 6/29/2009 11:49:17 AM

0 Boost

I wish the front hood flowed into the body better without that large triangualr gap.

Ferrari makes great cars, but they are much more attainable and easy to service. The F-430 is only about 2000 dollars a year to do a service and a clutch with a throwout barring is only 5,000. This is much easier to live with as the poor rich man's supercar.

Obliv - 6/29/2009 6:47:06 PM

+1 Boost

For a million bucks, this car looks terrible.

And theres a handful of cars that can match this car in performance. only reason to buy this is exclusivity.