VW Green Lights Bugatti Veyron Supercar – Admittedly, this piece is not very “VW-esque” (inventing words here). However, I cannot help but want to share some of the information on this soon to be super-car for the super rich. First debuted in ’99 at the Tokyo show, we did not really think we would ever see this beast make it to production. But parent company VW has given the go ahead and it will go on sale in early 2004.

What do you get for the whapping price tag of $1,200,000? This French built baby will have a quad-turbocharged & intercooled, midship 8.0-liter, 987 HP, 922-ft.-lb. W16 engine, all wheel drive and a 7-speed manual transmission; all feeding power through 20 inch wheels and tires. It should hit 0-62 (100k) in 2.9 seconds and has a forecasted top speed of 252 MPH! Stop the insanity! (Smile!) That’s faster than anything else, including the McLaren F1, Ferrari Enzo, Porsche Carrera GT, and Lamborghini Murcielago. All that torque, by the way, is good in a broadband range from 2200 to 5500 RPM. All of this bragging called for a name that came from Bugatti’s hay days. Veyron was the name of a Le Mans racer that won in a Bugatti in 1939.

Only 50 hand built Veyrons are planned for production each year. Using technologies like aluminum plated carbon fiber makes this a lightweight at only 3.6 pounds per horsepower.

Of course, there is a rear spoiler that automatically ascends 8 inches above the body in an attempt to keep this land-based rocket glued to the road. Not much luggage space either. Just like that TV commercial of a few years ago; you will have to stuff your “stuff” in a small front compartment or behind the seats. Hey, look at it this way. All that luggage would just kill your power to weight ratio! PLEASE... no driving around in your underwear!

The price really scared me for a while. But when I read that these will be manufactured at Chateau St. Jean, I just HAVE to have one! Okay, your turn to tell a lie. The weird thing; they COULD shorten “Bugatti” and call this thing a .... “BUG.”

Keep your fan belt tight.

Msr. Billair’