Typically, it is only those exceptionally rare and desirable classic cars that can boast a value upwards of a million dollars. And it takes many decades for the value to grow that much, so only a truly special car can leave the dealership costing $1.7 million with its odometer reading zero. The 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is such a car: an engineering masterpiece that easily belongs in the car collection of any extremely wealthy automotive connoisseur.
Normal car terms barely apply to the Veyron. No fewer than 1,001 horses stampede forth from a one-of-a-kind 8.0-liter W16 engine with four turbochargers. Mid-mounted and feeding all four wheels, the Veyron's engine uses its amazing thrust to exceed the theoretical maximum speed of F1 cars. It's not quite as quick as Louis Hamilton's ride, mind you, but its 2.5-second 0-60 time beats anything else you could buy and drive legally on public roadways. And should you dare to venture out on a closed course for a maximum-speed jaunt of 253 mph, the Veyron has been meticulously engineered to aerodynamically glue itself to the ground. An automatically raising rear wing not only aids in that endeavor, but also cants upward when the brakes are applied to provide additional stopping power.
As if this monumental performance and sky-high-price aren't enough to assure exclusivity, the Bugatti Veyron can be customized to each customer's desire. Each body shell can be painted in two tones, with the front fenders and doors differing from the rest of the car. The interior can similarly be fashioned in two colors. Taste is no object, either, so feel free to bedeck your Veyron with the "Oakland A" (green and yellow), the "Joker" (purple and green) or the "Ronald McDonald" (red and yellow).
For 2009, that choice increases thanks to the new Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport. After customers lamented the lack of a convertible version, Bugatti obliged, returning to the drawing board to structurally reinforce the windshield header and the roof air intakes to allow for an open top without sacrificing the Veyron's capabilities. Though it's really a targa-style body rather than a full roadster or convertible, the Grand Sport allows for a greater interaction between the driver and nature…as well as 1,001 angry horses.
There are also several special-edition Veyrons available for 2009, though they're probably already spoken for. The most notable are two different special edition models to celebrate Bugatti's 100th anniversary. The Veyron Bleu Centennaire is painted in two shades of Bugatti Blue, with a special Snow Beige interior featuring quilted seats and a leather-covered center console. The Veyron L'Edition Centennaire is available in four different colors with exposed polished aluminum bodywork that serves as an homage to one of the four great European racing nations of the 1920s (France is blue, Britain green, Germany gold, Italy red).
Obviously, with a car like the 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4, it's hard to dispense useful buying advice since no other production car is close in terms of price or performance. However, compared to similarly desirable conveyances, we'll point out that the Veyron has noticeably less interior space than an Azimut yacht and is much slower than a Gulfstream G650. On the flip side, it is almost as affordable as some California beachfront property and it's easier to rid yourself of irksome neighbors, too. So should you have the financial wherewithal to purchase a Veyron and especially if you own a road long enough to really enjoy it, why not take the $1.7 million plunge?
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