Bugatti Veyron 16.4: Behind the wheel of the fastest and most powerful production car in the world.

CASTELBUONO, SICILY — Warning! Do not read on if: 1) Your right foot is heavier than your left foot, and 2) Your driver's license is one ticket away from being revoked.

Okay, you made it this far, which means you are probably at least sane enough to consider the following:

Forget the 660-bhp Ferrari Enzo, the 605-bhp Porsche Carrera GT, the 617-bhp Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, or even the mighty 627-bhp McLaren F1. These supercars are simply slugs compared with the new 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 (16.4 for 16 cylinders, 4 turbochargers). This $1.2 million "hyper-exotic" boasts 987 bhp (1001 metric horsepower) and 922 lb.-ft. of torque, enough to propel the 4160-lb. beast to a top speed of over 250 mph. And according to the factory, a 0-62-mph acceleration run (0-100 km/h) can be done in 2.5 seconds, 0-124 mph can be reached in 7.3 sec., and 0-186 mph in 16.7 sec., faster than you can re-read and comprehend the astonishing stats.

It is not possible to talk about the Bugatti Veyron's high-speed and massive power capabilities without first discussing the technology behind it. However, we'll let renowned McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray share his expert opinion on engineering and styling of the Veyron in the following pages. I'll focus on what it is like to drive this amazing exotic during the car's introduction in Sicily. In three words:

Climbing aboard the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, you are intimidated initially by the car's impressive specs. In the instrument cluster — beyond the usual tachometer, fuel level and coolant temperature gauges — sits a special dial on the lower left that shows how much horsepower is being used at any moment, up to 1001 metric horsepower. And on the lower right is the speedometer that has 280 mph as the last marker.

Twist the key and turn on the ignition. All you can hear is a quiet murmur, giving no hint of the engine's enormous potential. The interior is furnished in premium leather accentuated by aluminum. The seats are supportive, though the driving position is low and slightly canted toward the center due to the intruding left front wheel well. This also doesn't help the vision forward, which is partially blocked by thick A-pillars. Tap the 7-speed direct-shift transmission (DSG) gearshift lever to the right once and you are in 1st gear. Slowly feed in more throttle and the Veyron responds with a slow crawl.

Unlike other high-horsepower supercars where there's a risk of stalling the car because of high horsepower and a hard-to-use clutch, or the gut-wrenching sound and feel of a hydraulic-actuated clutch slipping, the Bugatti scoots away with minimal fuss. In the first 100 ft., you can already tell the Veyron is very civilized. Loaded with the luxurious amenities such as a stereo with CD player, navigation system, air conditioning, etc., combined with a docile low-speed driving character, the Bugatti could be used to drive to the store or undefined.

Find an open road. Romp on the throttle. Unleash the Veyron's 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged 987-bhp W-16 engine. This 2-ton ferocious beast catapults forward and accelerates at more than 1.1g, albeit with just a slight pause before the power really kicks in. Once on its way, the rocketship ride is smooth but forceful, thanks to its seamless direct-shift transmission, which delivers this enormous power appropriately to all four wheels.

On long stretches of a Sicilian highway, the Veyron can get up to speed so fast that the speed dial goes up just as quickly as the rpm dial. Cruising at 140 mph is effortless. Pedal to the metal and the Bugatti charges up to 170 mph in an instant, just as effortlessly. Unfortunately, the continual stream of local Sicilian traffic never allowed for any faster speed runs, as the Veyron's triple-digit closing speeds make even light traffic seem heavy. Also, its shock tuning is fixed with no adjustment for sport or comfort, so the gaps on Sicilian highways and bridges pound the double-wishbone suspension relentlessly, preventing you from forcing the Bugatti into achieving higher speeds.

There are three basic speed settings on the Veyron: Standard, Handling and Top Speed. In Standard mode for speeds up to 137 mph, the car's ride height is set to 4.9 in. Diffuser flaps are open up front, and the rear spoiler remains retracted. For speeds above 137 mph and up to 233 mph in the Handling mode, the ride height is changed to 3.1 in. in the front and 3.6 in. at the rear. When the front diffuser flaps remain open and the rear spoiler is extended fully, the Veyron is designed to maintain a 45/55 front/rear weight distribution even at high speeds. In fact, in Handling setting, the car experiences 772 lb. of downforce, thanks to aerodynamics.

Finally, to reach speeds beyond 233 mph, the car must come to a complete stop and a second key must be inserted to the left of the driver's seat to engage the Top Speed mode. This is to ensure the driver goes through a checklist, including checking tire pressures, before the car is allowed to run without a speed governor. The Top Speed setting puts the Bugatti ride height at 2.6 in. up front and 2.8 in. at the rear. The front diffusers close and the angle of the rear spoiler is decreased to reduce drag. Of note, if you are driving in the Top Speed mode and apply the brakes beyond a predetermined threshold pressure, the car automatically reverts to Handling mode. In addition, the Handling setting can also be activated below 137 mph via a button on the center console.

At slower speeds, the Bugatti Veyron's Michelin PAX run-flat tires generate noticeable tire noise. The ride is firm, and can be surprisingly harsh on roads that are not well maintained. On Sicily's twisty mountain roads, the Veyron's 4160-lb. curb weight never over-ran the car's ability to carve a corner. The steering is extremely responsive and gives good feedback from the front tires. The weighting is a bit lighter than preferred, though there is still a positive and confident on-center feel. Shifting is a breeze, thanks to the steering-wheel-mounted paddles. But with the engine's enormous power and flexibility, no matter what gear you are in, just romp on the throttle on corner exit, point the car straight ahead and let the W-16 take you on a thrilling ride like no other in the world.

After only a brief drive in the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, you can't help yearning for more. It's hard not to be addicted to the tremendous horsepower and torque. With the production capped at 300 units, about 50 per year over the next six years, I'd better find a way to persuade Bugatti that I need another turn in the Veyron for a more "in-depth" assessment. Or I'll have to start saving for the $1.2 million price tag it commands.

"... Ettore Bugatti also designed a successful motorised railcar, the Autorail, and an airplane which never flew. His son, Jean Bugatti, was killed on August 11, 1939 at the age of 30, while testing a Type 57 tank-bodied race car near the Molsheim factory. Subsequently the company's fortunes began to decline. World War II ruined the factory in Molsheim, and the company lost control of the property. During the war, Bugatti planned a new factory at Levallois in Paris and designed a series of new cars. Ettore Bugatti died on August 21, 1947.

The company attempted a comeback under Roland Bugatti in the mid-1950s with the mid-engined Type 251 race car. Designed with help from famed Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Maserati designer Gioacchino Colombo, the car failed to perform to expectations and the company's attempts at automobile production were halted.

In the 1960s, Virgil Exner designed a Bugatti as part of his "Revival Cars" project. A show version of this car was actually built by Ghia using the last Bugatti Type 101 chassis and was shown at the 1965 Turin Motor Show. Finance was not forthcoming and Exner then turned his attention to a revival of Stutz.

Bugatti continued producing airplane parts and was sold to Hispano-Suiza (another auto maker turned aircraft supplier) in 1963. Snecma took over in 1968, later acquiring Messier. The two were merged to form Messier-Bugatti in 1977.

Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli acquired the legendary Bugatti name in 1987 and established Bugatti Automobili SpA. The new company built a factory designed by the architect Giampaolo Benedini in Campogalliano, Italy, a town near Modena, home to other performance-car manufacturers De Tomaso, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani and Maserati.

By 1989, the plans for the new Bugatti-revival were presented by Paolo Stanzani and Marcello Gandini, famous designers of the Lamborghini Miura and Countach. The first completed car was labelled the Bugatti EB110 GT, advertised as the most technically advanced supercar ever produced.

From 1992 through 1994, famed racing car designer, Mauro Forghieri, was technical director.

On August 27, 1993, through his holding company, ACBN Holdings S.A. of Luxembourg, Romano Artioli purchased the Lotus car company from General Motors. The acquisition brought together two of the greatest historical names in automotive racing and plans were made for listing the company's shares on international stock exchanges.

Bugatti also presented in 1993 the prototype of a large sedan called the EB 112.

By the time the Bugatti EB110 came to market the North American and European economies were in recession and operations ceased in September of 1995. A model specific to the United States market called the "Bugatti America" was in the preparatory stages when the company closed.

The most famous Bugatti EB110 owner is racing driver Michael Schumacher, 7 times Formula One world champion. Despite now racing for Ferrari, he still owns the Bugatti EB110 he acquired while racing for the Benetton team.

Volkswagen AG purchased the rights to produce cars under the Bugatti marque in 1998. They commissioned ItalDesign to produce the Bugatti EB118 concept, a touring sedan which featured a 555 hp DIN (408 kW) output and the first W-configuration 18-cylinder engine on any passenger vehicle, at the Paris Auto Show.

In 1999 the Bugatti EB 218 concept was introduced at the Geneva Auto Show; later that year the Bugatti 18/3 Chiron was introduced at the IAA in Frankfurt. At the Tokyo Motor Show the EB 218 reappeared and the Bugatti EB 18/4 Veyron was presented as the first incarnation of what was to be a production road car.

In 2000 Volkswagen founded Bugatti Automobiles SAS and introduced the EB 16/4 Veyron concept, a 16 cylinder car producing 1001 hp DIN (736 kW), at the Paris, Geneva, and Detroit auto shows. Development continued throughout 2001 and the EB 16/4 Veyron was promoted to "advanced concept" status. In July 2005 Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. announced that the car would officially be called the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. It was said that the car - built in the historical Bugatti's factory in Molsheim - would be delivered to clients in October 2005, however the Veyron finally entered production in late 2005, delivery will start in early 2006. Maximum speed claims have been met in several high speed tests where the car slightly exceeded its target, reaching 252 mph (407.5 km/h)(Mach 0.3) and holding it for about two minutes. According to Car and Driver, the fuel economy when traveling at 253 mph in the Veyron was 3.0 mpg (78L/100km). Independent Press tests have reported many failures (3 out of 5 cars available for testing in November 2005 were out of service), but the Veyron prototypes were put through the same grueling regimen of other Volkswagen group models, with each pre-production car logging over 50,000 miles..."

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