exorian: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 GS at Qatar Motor Show

Bugatti’s Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport made an appearance at the most recent Qatar Motor Show, along with a range of other luxury vehicles. The motor show, which ran from January 26-29, pooled together car manufacturers, luxury car brands, car parts and accessories makers, car rentals and leasing, as well as members of the technical press, trade associations, and the media. Bugatti showcased the highly sophisticated Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, set to be assembled at the company’s French headquarters in the next few years.

With its elegant exterior styling, first-rate automotive features, and the unprecedented driving experience it offers, the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport is expected to be the fastest, most luxurious open-top vehicle to hit the market.

Beyond your average open-top vehicle

Bugatti’s Pilote Officiel, Pierre-Henri Raphanel, has already taken the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport for a test drive. He says that he was “excited” to take the car out on the road and when he did, he wasn’t disappointed. And it wasn’t only because the Veyron GS is an open-top luxury vehicle – even with the roof in place, anyone accustomed to driving is bound to feel the intense yet smooth difference, particularly after second gear shifts. Raphanel states that the experience was highly intense; he can literally feel the sensation from his fingertips down to his spine.

The test drive also showed the car’s legendary precision, effortless steering, and performance-driven suspension. Raphanel, a French racing professional who has worked as product specialist and lead test driver for Bugatti since 2006, has taken several Veyrons on test drives. And as the roof is rolled down, the driving experience becomes even more pronounced. The reverberation that the vehicle creates mixed with the resonance of the road, gravity, and wind all contribute to an almost otherworldly driving experience.

The modifications

The modifications done on Veyron 16.4 Grand Sporthave been challenging for the brand, especially since Bugatti has always been associated with cutting edge aesthetics, topnotch automotive breakthroughs, and unparalleled driving dynamics. The real challenge however centered on the development of an open-top driving system which will be effortlessly assimilated into the already intricate structure of the sports car. In order to achieve a lightweight yet durable passenger compartment, Bugatti had to rely on a special kind of engineering so as to carry out the intended design.

Yet with a few tweaks and the integration of a range of performance features and automotive safety solutions, the present Veyron is now a more improved version than its predecessors. A few variations make the Veyron 16.4 GS stand out even more. The raised windscreen, designer daylights, and see-through polycarbonate roof all come together quite nicely to reveal a sports car that’s distinctively and impressively Bugatti. Much of the modifications involved were targeted into the roof system of the vehicle, so that even with its flexible, open-top design, the car’s safety and rigidity are never compromised, especially during crucial on-the-road situations.

Carbon fiber is used for the doors of the Veyron Grand Sport. The air intakes for the engine have undergone significant improvements as these were redesigned to include protective carbon fiber elements. The clear roofing creates a 360 degree view while driver and passenger are inside the vehicle, so that the interiors appear much brighter and roomier than it actually is. Another bonus is the solar radiation protection that the polycarbonate roofing provides, especially during hotter temperatures.

The standard version of the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport 16.4 is set to be assembled in a couple of years and is expected to cost at around 1.4 million euros. -auto-types.com