Though it would have made a great story if someone had actually given his own personal Bugatti Veyron 16.4 a mirror-finish, this particular vehicle is the work of artist Olaf Nicolai and it is on display at Volkswagen Group’s redesigned Autostadt pavilion in Wolfsburg, Germany, that reopened on the 31st of October 2008. VW Group’s most prized automobile is positioned in a special exhibition area that’s covered in mirrors in which the observer sees himself reflected back and infinitum from the mirrors, thus (supposedly) becoming part of the exhibit.

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he announcement actually came from Monterey but was quickly overshadowed, somewhat ironically, by the unveiling of the open-top Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport and the subsequent auction of its first example for $3.2 million. The unveiling of the new-tint Hermes Veyrons took place at the Quail motorsport gathering on Monterey Peninsula, where Bugatti revealed the four new color schemes available: “indigo blue and vermilion”, “indigo blue and lime green”, ” black and garance red” and “Prussian blue and blue jean”. We’re not entirely sure what all these colors are, exactly, and given that Bugatti put them in quotation marks, we’re not sure they’re sure, either. They undoubtedly would have shown us pictures of all four, but given that these 1.5 million euro hyper-exotics are made to order and available only from the end of the year, we doubt examples of each color option have been made yet. Of course they all come decked out with the H-pattern grille, eight-spoke wheels, lavish calfskin interior and exclusive package of specially-made Hermes luggage.

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You’d think that the VW Group would think twice before developing a worthy successor to the outrageous Bugatti Veyron 16.4 after all the delays and problems that where associated with the development of the current model but as Bugatti’s Bugatti boss Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen pointed out to British car magazine Autocar, the company has already made plans to replace the 1,001 HP supercar around 2012 with another ultra high-end model.

“We will be staying on top of everybody else and we will not be producing a smaller, or cheaper car and we will not be moving volumes up. Bugatti customers are very extreme people,” he told Autocar.

Talking about Bugatti’s future plans, another high-level source said that the company is also considering adding a second model line, quite possibly a high-end luxury sedan based on the next Bentley Arnage that will rival the Rolls Royce Phantom. The supercar maker is also said to develop an even more powerful GT version of the current Veyron that could top 1,200 HP at the end of the current model’s production cycle.

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At this weekend’s Concours d’Elegance classic car show in Pebble Beach, California, Bugatti performed the world debut of the all-new Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport. The open-top Veyron comes equipped with a removable lightweight transparent polycarbonate roof as well as with an emergency soft top that can be used to protect driver and passenger from sudden rainfall. According to Bugatti’s own words, the soft can be “stowed in the trunk like an umbrella”.

Powered by the same 1,001 HP quad-turbocharged 16-cylinder engine as the coupe, the world’s fastest convertible can achieve a top speed of 253 mph or 406 km/h with the polycarbonate roof in its place. Take the top off and the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport won’t let you go over 217 mph or 349 km/h. If you decide to use the soft top, the car’s top speed is limited to a mere 80 mph or 130 km/h.

In comparison to the Veyron coupe, the most noticeable differences on the Gran Sport are its higher windshield, newly designed LED headlights and the new horseshoe-style wheels.

The most important changes however are under the skin as the carbon fibre monocoque was substantially reinforced to cope with the structural loss of the open roof. According to Bugatti, the monocoque structure was reinforced around the side skirts and the transmission tunnel while the B-pillars were cross-stiffened using a carbon fibre support. Moreover, the redesigned air inlets now feature 10cm wide carbon fiber elements that provide protection in the event of rollover.

Other features new to the Gran Sport include a reverse camera with 2.7 inch monitor integrated in the rearview mirror and a “Puccini” sound system, specifically design for convertibles.

Bugatti will hand-build a total of 150 Veyron 16.4 Grand Sports with deliveries scheduled to begin from March 2009. The first 40 cars are reserved exclusively for current Bugatti customers with the exception of the first car that was auctioned off at the Gooding Auction on 17 August 2008 with all profits going to a charitable foundation. See photos after the jump Continued

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Supercar collectors rejoice; the most powerful production car in the world, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is now available with a removable roof top. Set to make its first public appearance at the Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance on August 16 in Pebble Beach, California, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport gets the same 1.001 HP 16-cylinder turbocharged engine as its coupe sibling. For the handful of folks interested, the first example of the open-top Grand Sport will be auctioned by “Gooding and Company” at the Equestrian Center in Pebble Beach.

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According to InsideLine, Bugatti plans to unveil its Targa variant of the Veyron next month at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Monterey, California. The open-air hyper-car will use a removable hardtop, while a fabric cover can be used in its place if the heavens decide to open up mid-jaunt. IL is reporting that the chassis will be heavily reinforced to cope with the loss of the crucial structural component. Production will begin next year along side the Targa’s fixed-roof predecessor, and with the current Veyron going for around $2 million, don’t expect to get your 217-mph (limited) top speed kicks without paying another $250,000 on top of the Veyron’s base-price.

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Despite the rising cost of fuel, road trips are one of the defining elements of summer, and as the Northern Hemisphere heads into the hottest months, Kelley Blue Book has named its top 10 road trip vehicles. Although many are solid choices, one stands out from the crowd, and not just because it’s a looker - the Bugatti Veyron.

You might be wondering how an ultra-limited production (fewer than 300 examples will ever exist) incredibly expensive, 1,001hp, sixteen-cylinder quad-turbo-powered 250mph beast is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Chevy’s Malibu and Toyota’s Prius. Well, so is everyone else. But logic aside, if you have the resources, the Veyron is an excellent way to travel in style. With proper route selection - at least in parts of Germany - you can make time that would impress even those traveling by air. After all, you can just buy whatever you need - clothes, toiletries, small nations - once you arrive at your destination. Who needs luggage space? Fuel bills are likewise a concern irrelevant to those lucky enough to travel via Bugatti’s flagship, so if either of these thoughts popped into your mind as you read this, the other vehicles on the list might be more your style.

The Infiniti EX35, Ford Flex, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid should all provide ample luggage space for a traveling family of four, while not hitting the wallet too hard at the fuel pump. The Tahoe Hybrid may only get about 40% of the highway fuel mileage of the Toyota Prius, but it’s the best in the full-size SUV class.

MINI’s Cooper Clubman is a great compromise car, offering excellent efficiency and more space than the standard MINI Cooper. Chevrolet’s Malibu and Toyota’s Prius are the only two sedans to make the list, though both are good choices for both moderate size and good fuel economy. The Volkswagen Eos and Audi S5 add some style to the journey, with the Eos’s retractable hardtop really getting to the essence of summer on the open road: top-down cruising. For those that prefer the back-country canyons, the S5 will deliver elegant precision and a properly quick arrival, thanks to its 354hp V8 and AWD.

But really, given the choice - and a healthy expense account - who wouldn’t choose to arrive at their destination cocooned in carbon fiber, aluminum, hand-stitched leather and pure speed? For a real touch of style, make the trip in one of the handful of super-limited edition Veyrons like the Hermès, Pur Sang or Sang Noir.

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