In 2005, the release of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 once again ignited the race to build the world's fastest production car. Bugatti's W16 engine ran a record 408.47 km/h on the Ehra-Lessien test track, two decades before McLaren F1 domination. This new record sparked competition from brands such as Koenigsegg, Hennessy and SSC.
Ferdinand Piëch, former chairman of the Volkswagen Group, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, was the head of Porsche's racing division, and the Porsche 917 set a record of 362 km/h at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The record stood for about 17 years, until a specially modified Peugeot drove up to the Mulsanne Straight with a goal of hitting top speed. The P88 prototype reached a top speed of 407 km/h, setting Piëch the target for surpassing.
After Veyron's 300 coupes sold out, Bugatti unveiled the Grand Sport at the 2008 Pebble Beach Motor Show. The new model, known for its removable polycarbonate roof, is also powered by a four-turbocharger W16 engine that produces 1,001 horsepower, making it the fastest roadster in the world.
The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is particularly popular in the Middle East. In 2009, Bugatti celebrated its 100th anniversary with a series of special editions, the one-of-a-kind "Soleil de Nuit" model, designed specifically for the Middle East.
At that year's Dubai International Motor Show, the car was finished in polished aluminium on the lower part and black and blue metallic paint on the upper part. The color of the bottom of the rear is Italian red. In addition, it is equipped with unique diamond-cut wheels, which are also used in the limited edition of 12 units of the "Sang Noir" model, which is inspired by the Type 57S Atlantic. Meanwhile, the interior is upholstered in burnt orange leather, with the "Soleil de Nuit" logo engraved on the headrests, centre console and door sills.
This unique Bugatti Veyron 16.4 was originally owned by the Kuwaiti royal family and was delivered to them in February 2010. For the record, the Veyron was under annual maintenance until 2014. It was then returned to Bugatti's headquarters in Molsheim, where it was serviced and replaced with new tires in May 2016. Subsequently, after a brief period of ownership by a second owner, the Veyron, called "Soleil de Nuit", was purchased from Dubai by the current German owner in 2016.
The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 was the best supercar in its entire production cycle (2005 to 2015). Of course, it is not easy to own this one-of-a-kind Veyron, which is now estimated at 11.68 million to 15.57 million yuan.