Ce que vous devez retenir
- the EB 218 at Geneva in 1999, the EB 18/3 Chiron at Frankfurt, and finally the EB 18/4 Veyron in Tokyo.
- The tires were specially developed by Michelin to withstand the extreme forces at top speed, and they would cost around $42,000 for a complete set – with a recommended replacement every 2,500 miles.
- And to think it all started with an envelope, a train ride, and a man who dared to imagine something revolutionary.
The automotive world is full of fascinating stories that capture our imagination. One such legendary chapter began, surprisingly, on a train. The mastermind? Ferdinand Karl Piëch, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche.
A vision born at high speed
It was 1997. The Vienna-born engineer was traveling on a Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Nagoya. Sitting beside him was Heinz Neumann, who was heading engine development at Volkswagen at that time. As the Japanese countryside blurred past at 200 mph, these two men exchanged ideas that would ultimately reshape automotive history.
During this journey, Piëch had a flash of inspiration. He grabbed an envelope and sketched something remarkable on its back – an 18-cylinder engine configured as three inline six-cylinder engines combined. This rough drawing would eventually evolve into the legendary W16 Bugatti engine.
From sketch to supercar
At the time, Volkswagen had nothing remotely like this in their lineup or even on their radar. But when the German automaker acquired the French brand Bugatti, everything changed. The path was cleared for Piëch’s vision to become reality.
The first glimpse came with the EB118 prototype, a two-door coupe with an 18-cylinder engine designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. This concept car turned heads at the Paris Auto Show in September 1998. A series of prototypes followed: the EB 218 at Geneva in 1999, the EB 18/3 Chiron at Frankfurt, and finally the EB 18/4 Veyron in Tokyo.
The time had come to transform Piëch’s envelope sketch into production reality. Though the final version would have two fewer cylinders than the original concept, it remained true to his dream: over 1,000 horsepower and a top speed exceeding 250 mph.
Breaking boundaries
When finally launched, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 delivered an astonishing 987 horsepower (slightly modified from the European 1,001 PS specification). It could accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 2.5 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 253 mph, making it the fastest production car in the world at its launch.
Ever wondered what it feels like to drive a car that can go faster than a small airplane? (I certainly have, though my bank account strongly disagrees with this curiosity.)
The engineering marvel
The W16 engine that powered the Veyron is a genuine technological masterpiece. Imagine fitting 16 cylinders in a W configuration into a road-legal car! This quad-turbo monster required extensive testing and development to function reliably with such extreme performance targets.
Each Veyron engine was hand-assembled by dedicated technicians who spent weeks ensuring absolute perfection. The cooling system alone was a feat of engineering, with 10 radiators needed to keep everything at optimal temperatures.
The tires were specially developed by Michelin to withstand the extreme forces at top speed, and they would cost around $42,000 for a complete set – with a recommended replacement every 2,500 miles. At full throttle, the Veyron would empty its 26.4-gallon fuel tank in just 12 minutes. These aren’t just cars; they’re rolling laboratories.
A lasting legacy
On what would have been his 88th birthday, Bugatti released that original envelope sketch to the public, honoring the man whose vision created an automotive icon.
What makes this story so remarkable is how a simple idea, hastily drawn while speeding through Japan, transformed into one of the most extraordinary vehicles ever built. From a rough sketch to a 16-cylinder, quad-turbocharged engineering marvel – this is the magic of automotive passion.
The Veyron redefined what was possible in a production car and set the stage for future hypercars like the Chiron. And to think it all started with an envelope, a train ride, and a man who dared to imagine something revolutionary.
Have you ever wondered what other automotive breakthroughs might be taking shape right now on the back of napkins and envelopes around the world?
