Bugatti Veyron: the special editions
13 January 2010
When the Bugatti Veyron was first announced, it was to be one of the world’s most exclusive cars. Bugatti said only 300 would be built but a wealth of special edition versions have followed and tuning companies have been quick to customise the supercar for ultra rich owners.
The latest is a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Blanc Noir. Reportedly created for a high-end clothier, the Blanc Noir is not a limited-production run and is based on the targa-roofed Grand Sport and sports a matte white body with glossy black hood, wheels, spoiler and fuel filler cap. Subtle it ain’t.
View our slideshow of the Bugatti Veyron special editions
In September 2007, a special version of the Bugatti Veyron called the Pur Sang – French for "thoroughbred" – was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. A limited-production run of five cars, its aluminium and carbon-fibre bodyshell – complete with a diamond-cut finish and high-gloss aluminium wheels – was entirely paintless. It is also 100kg lighter than the original model.
Unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, the Veyron Fbg par Hermès is the latest collaboration from a partnership stretching back to the 1920s and is named after Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré - the street which houses Hermès' Parisian headquarters. Changes include a slightly modified front end, 22-inch "H"-logoed wheels and a fuel filler door engraved with “Bugatti Veyron Fbg Par Hermès".
The maroon coloured exterior with beige bonnet is complemented by a Hermès leather interior, featuring door handles reminiscent of those used on Hermès suitcases, a Hermès wallet designed to fit inside the centre console, and a Hermès suitcase designed to fit inside the boot. A Hermès edition could be yours for just north of $2 million.
The Veyron Sang Noir – meaning “black blood” – was created in honour of the Bugatti Atlantique 57S of the 1930s. It gets a slightly different front grille with matching side mirrors, black headlight surrounds, exclusive wheels, and an interior dressed in what looks like highlighter orange.
The Veyron Bleu Centenaire is a one-off special edition and was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show to celebrate the marque's 100th anniversary. Sporting a special shade of blue from Bugatti's historical racing livery, it features a stunning mix of matte and gloss paint.
View 60 stunning pictures of the Bugatti Veyron from the 2009 Geneva Motor Show
L’Edition Centenaire refers to four different-coloured special edition Veyrons, each dedicated to Bugatti's pre World War 2 racing legends: Sir Malcolm Campbell, Hermann zu Leiningen, Jean-Pierre Wimille and Achille Varzi.
Each car gets a two-tone exterior Bugatti-style treatment – polished aluminium on the front bumpers and doors, with the rear section, roof and hood in contrasting colours to match the each drivers' racing colours: Italian racing red, French racing blue, British racing green and an off-white to represent Germany’s racing silver.
The quartet was first seen at the exclusive Italian Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este show in April last year.
In the summer of 2008, a topless Veyron Grand Sport was unveiled. With the roof up, the 1,001bhp 8-litre engine has a top speed of more than 250mph and is capable of hitting 0-62mph in 2.7 seconds. Remove the lightweight transparent roof and it will still hit an incredible 225mph.
The Grand Sport features LED headlights, new wheels and re-designed carbon-fibre air intakes and roll-over hoops. To counteract removing the roof, the body has been reinforced and cross-stiffened to cope with the topless design.
Inside, modifications include moisture-resistant leather, whilst a reversing camera with a 2.7-inch screen is mounted in the rear-view-mirror and a ‘Puccini’ sound system complete the look. Sporting a price tag of £1.2m before tax, only 150 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport will be built – with the first 50 going to registered Bugatti customers.
So as not make the Grand Sport feel left out, it got its own special edition in the summer of 2009 – the Grand Sport Sang Bleu. Sporting a unique combination of materials and paint, the shiny bits are made out of aluminium, whilst the royal blue sections are made from a specially tinted carbon fibre.
Design changes include Midnight Blue and Diamond Cut finish wheels and rear airscoops finished in body colour.
Video: Watch the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport in action
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