In the summer of 2010, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport left its mark on the asphalt at the VW proving ground in Ehra-Lessien. The GPS meter showed an official speed of 431,072 km/h. This value placed the 1.200-horsepower hyper sports car from Molsheim among the fastest production cars in the world for many years.
To commemorate this milestone, Bugatti introduced the “World Record Edition”. Recognizable at first glance by its deep black visible carbon bodywork and bright orange accents, the very car that had paved the way for the record-breaking car as a pre-production and development model was now the focus of an extensive restoration.
The Veyron has taken on an in-house heritage preservation and restoration program called “La Maison Pur Sang.” What is most striking about this project is its mileage: since it was completed around 15 years ago, this development prototype has covered a whopping 70.800 kilometers.
For a vehicle of this performance and price class, this is a considerable distance, which is more familiar to well-maintained mid-range cars. As part of the international presentation tour, the car served, among other things, for customer presentations, media appearances and, last but not least, for final technical adjustments before the actual start of production of this special edition.
After this long period of use, the experts at the Molsheim headquarters have spent the last six months giving the Super Sport a visual and technical refresh. Inside, the leather parts and the heavily worn steering wheel have been carefully restored to restore the original tactile feel and comfort of the seats from the early stages. Outside, the carbon fiber bodywork has been given a new clear coat, while the striking orange contrast elements on the sills and rims have been carefully repainted.
“Bugatti hypersports cars were designed to be driven, experienced and enjoyed,” says Luigi Galli, heritage and certification expert at Bugatti. “With La Maison Pur Sang, we ensure that even vehicles with a rich and active history can be restored to the same high standard as when they were delivered in Molsheim.”
What's particularly interesting is what's hidden beneath the outer shell. Since it was an early pre-production model, Bugatti used the time in the workshop to adapt certain electronic and cooling systems from the then prototype state to the final production state of the Super Sport.
This is primarily to ensure reliability in future road use. The mechanical heart of the vehicle – the famous 8,0-liter W16 engine with four turbochargers and a connected dual-clutch transmission – was deliberately left untouched during the renovation. This is to preserve the historical authenticity of the powertrain.
The restored Pionier has now been handed over to a private collector, along with an official certificate. The document confirms the vehicle's continuous history, the work carried out in Molsheim, and the vehicle's status in the modern history of the brand.
A piece of automotive history that is ready for new rides after months of restoration – in the spirit of Mr. Galli and Ettore Bugatti. Once the fastest production vehicle, which has since had to cede the leading position to some super sports cars – including its successor, the Chiron – can now safely “excite” roads around the world again.
