There are four Bugatti sports cars that represent automotive innovation like no others cars do.

It would come as a surprise that the four cars that represent innovation in automobiles in its purest form are all Bugatti sports cars. Showcasing the evolution of automobiles in a way that is unique and amounts to flexing the boundaries of what machines can really be or do what they are expected to do to the fullest, the four Bugatti cars are the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition, Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse World Record Edition, Chiron Super Sport 300+ and the W16 Mistral World Record Car.

Successful in carving out a niche, each of the four cars – ultra super cars – have come to represent Bugatti’s incomparable legacy. The Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition, on a beautiful day of April 2010, achieved a new land speed world record for production cars on the proving grounds of the Volkswagen Group at Ehra-Lessien (nearby its headquarters at Wolfsburg). In the presence of the German Technical Inspection Agency (TÜV) and a representative of Guinness Book of Records, the Super Sport achieved an average top speed of 431 kmph!

Bugatti’s Pilote Officiel Pierre Henri Raphanel put his helmet and gloves on, pulled the safety belts tight whilst the engineers checked the car a very last time for tyre pressure, temperature and all the systems.

The orange-black Super Sport crossed the light barrier within one hour by driving from South to North and then in the opposite direction. The driver being the only one to touch the car during the record run, the description of the Veyron as its headlights appeared at a certain point of the track was of a jumbo jet coming closer and simply jetting by.

The GPS-tachometer recorded a speed of as much as 933 kmph. The average speed generated by the TUV and Guinness representatives was a whopping 431.072 kmph, which surprised even the Bugatti team.

The roadster version of Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition, Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse World Record Edition, set the world speed record for open-top production sports cars at the Volkswagen Group’s proving grounds in Ehra-Lessien.

TÜV, the renowned independent German organisation for technical inspection and certification, officially confirmed that a top speed of 408.84 kmph was achieved when the super car was driven by the Chinese racing driver Anthony Liu in 2013.

On the market since the spring of 2012, the open-top sports car is fitted with an 8.0 litre W16 engine that pours 1,200 PS and a torque of 1,500 Nm at 3,000 to 5,000 rpm on the road. Its high-performance handling can be attributed to a racing chassis, which together with extremely fast-acting shock absorbers and reinforced anti-roll bars, guarantees exact control of both the four-wheel drive system and the entire vehicle.

The other factors that enable such performance at the upper limits include a standard carbon monocoque with high torsional rigidity and an outer shell made entirely of carbon fibre. With wind noise and air turbulence a particular concern with open-top vehicles, the Vitesse is offered with a specially developed roof spoiler along with an intricately designed windbreak that guarantees calm open-top driving.

The Chiron Super Sport 300+ is the fastest Bugatti ever made, redefining what is possible when it comes to speed and aerodynamics. Piloted by Bugatti’s Pilote Officiel Andy Wallace, the hypercar smashed through the 482.803 kmph (300 mph) barrier in 2019. Never had a production car reached such speeds ever!

Occupying a spot in the history and standing as a marker in the quest for greater performance and speed, the hypercar was fitted with a re-engineered version of Bugatti’s legendary 8.0 litre W16 engine that produced 1,600 PS of power. A new thermal management system for the engine and gearbox were developed. Refinements to the software governing the engine, gearbox and turbochargers were also made.

To ensure top notch stability, the car was fitted with a ‘longtail’ that extended the car length by approximately 25 cm. This allowed the laminar flow to pass over the body for a longer period of time, reducing aerodynamic stall by more than 40 percent. Air curtains adorning the hyper sports car’s front corners dispersed excess air pressure towards the car’s sides. Simultaneously, air outlets at the wheel arches and behind the front wheels guided excess pressure away from each wheel arch, reducing drag by also producing a small amount of negative lift. Liberal use of exposed carbon fibre – flowing through into the car’s engine cover and the windscreen wiper, thereby contributing to crucial weight-saving that helps the hyper sports car push the envelope of performance – was resorted to. Extremely light and strong magnesium alloy wheels were deployed.

Andy Wallace – Bugatti Pilote Officiel and winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours – assumed the controls of the one-off W16 Mistral World Record Car, warming up the vehicle’s bespoke high-performance tyres on a first anticipatory lap. Ascending to a specified speed of 200 kmph into the banking of the track (of ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg GmbH), he increased the speed before unleashing the full power of the vehicle as the straight opened up coming off the banking, taking it to new heights of record speed in November 2024. Under the meticulous control of SGS-TÜV Saar GmbH, the achievement of a new world top-speed record for an open-top car was officially confirmed at the end of the run, with Andy reaching an incredible 453.91 kmph.

The EUR 14 million hypercar is powered by an 8.0-litre, quad-turbo, W16 engine that does an impressive 1,578 bhp. Innovative is the W16 Mistral’s X-taillight arrangement, which channels hot air from the radiators through ducts towards the rear of the vehicle. The air is expelled through the vents in the X-taillight arrangement.

The hypercar’s ramp-design diffuser accelerates the air’s journey from the rear of the vehicle, which increases downforce and helps the model excel at high speeds. Contributing to the vehicle’s excellent stability are bespoke high-performance tyres.

MT

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

German luxury automotive company BMW Group India has expanded its retail presence in Navi Mumbai by introducing the MINI brand at the Infinity Cars dealership. The update brings new BMW models, MINI vehicles and BMW Premium Selection pre-owned cars into a single location.

The Infinity Cars facility covers 6,774 square feet on a single level, utilising BMW's Retail.NEXT layout. The site features a Central Customer Walkway, digital configuration terminals, a dedicated pre-owned vehicle display area in the basement and a lifestyle section for brand merchandise and accessories. Infinity Cars operates six sales and service locations for BMW Group India across the Mumbai region.

Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO, BMW Group India, said, "The luxury mobility landscape in India is becoming increasingly experience led, with customers seeking brands that reflect their lifestyle and individuality. MINI, with its iconic design, distinctive character and expressive personality, resonates strongly with this evolving audience. Mumbai continues to be one of the most important markets for luxury automobiles in India and the introduction of MINI at Infinity Cars further strengthens our presence in the region. Through the Retail.NEXT concept, we are redefining how customers engage with our brands by creating immersive, digital-first and customer-centric experiences. Together with Infinity Cars, we look forward to bringing the unique world of MINI closer to customers in Navi Mumbai and accelerating the brand's growth in the market."

Pooja Choudary, Dealer Principal, Infinity Cars, said, "We are proud to deepen our association with BMW Group India by introducing MINI at Infinity Cars in Navi Mumbai. Building on our strong presence in the region with BMW and BMW Premium Selection, MINI adds a distinctive new expression of premium mobility to our portfolio. Its iconic character will help us connect with a new generation of customers while giving our existing clientele even greater choice. We look forward to growing MINI in Navi Mumbai and taking our partnership with BMW Group India to the next level."

The facility applies unified sales, service and administrative systems to manage customer operations from point of sale through ongoing vehicle maintenance.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Used car retail platform Spinny has opened its first Spinny Park in the Mumbai region, located on Kalyan-Bhiwandi Road near K N Park Hotel, Rannoli.

The facility covers 15,000 square feet and holds space for 61 cars, providing buying and selling services for vehicles in Kalyan and surrounding areas.

The location offers vehicle viewing, test drives, financing and ownership transfers under its Spinny Assured brand. For vehicle owners seeking to sell, the platform's SellRight service handles valuations, payments and registration certificate transfers at the site.

Niraj Singh, Founder and CEO, Spinny, said, "Mumbai has been an integral part of Spinny’s journey, and this is the right time to bring a Spinny Park here. Maharashtra has been an important market for us, and this is a meaningful next step in getting even closer to our customers. This is the time for coming together, and celebrating this new chapter with the community makes it all the more meaningful."

The launch included Spinny Park Live, an event featuring local Marathi performers during the Ganpati festival season, hosted by Marathi Kapil.

The Kalyan location expands Spinny's network in Maharashtra, where it already operates five hubs in Mumbai including Dadar, Seawoods, Vidyavihar, Kandivali, and Thane, along with four sites in Pune, and operations in Nashik and Nagpur. The company combines physical locations with doorstep services for test drives and sales. Vehicle inventory for the network is processed through Integrated Quality Centres after inspection and refurbishment, drawing from procurement operations across 100 cities nationwide.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

German luxury car brand Porsche India has launched the Cayenne Electric, expanding its electric vehicle lineup in the country while introducing an electric propulsion system for its popular Cayenne model range.

The model arrives in two variants, the Cayenne Electric (priced at INR 17.72 million) and the Cayenne Turbo Electric (priced at INR 22.75 million), with customer deliveries commencing immediately following its release in Mumbai. Porsche will continue to sell internal combustion engine (ICE) variants of the Cayenne in India alongside the electric models.

Ashutosh Dixit, Head of Porsche India, said, “The Cayenne enters an important new era with electrification, combining uncompromising Porsche performance with electric mobility while remaining unmistakably Porsche. It continues to offer the everyday usability our customers expect from the Cayenne, together with the performance, engineering and driving experience that define our sports cars. Its introduction marks an important next chapter for Porsche in India as we continue to broaden the choices available to our customers.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

JSW MG Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, completed the delivery of 50 units of the Hector Tomahawk EV in Surat in a single day, following the market launch of its electrified SUV model line.

The Hector Tomahawk lineup includes both battery-electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrains. The Hector Tomahawk EV incorporates a 69.2 kWh battery pack paired with an electric motor producing 150 kW and 310 Nm of torque, yielding a certified range of 517 km on a single charge and supporting DC fast charging up to 90 kW.

The Hector Tomahawk PHEV combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine, a dedicated hybrid transmission and a 20.5 kWh battery pack, delivering an electric range of 115 km and a combined driving range exceeding 1,100 km.

The SUV measure 4,745 mm in length, 1,850 mm in width and 1,770 mm in height, with a 2,810 mm wheelbase and 230 mm of ground clearance at the battery casing. On the inside it features a 15.6-inch central display screen, the i-SMART 3.0 connected software platform with artificial intelligence voice command integration, Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) power output capabilities and Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

The Hector Tomahawk EV is offered under a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) introductory pricing scheme starting at INR 1.39 million with a battery rental fee of INR 4.90 per kilometre, or at an outright ex-showroom price starting at INR 1.94 million for the Excite 7-seater variant, rising to INR 2.34 million for the Essence 7-seater model.

The Hector Tomahawk PHEV, available exclusively as a 7-seater, starts at a BaaS price of INR 2.17 million with a battery rental fee of INR 3.20 per kilometre, or an outright ex-showroom price of INR 2.56 million for the Exclusive trim and INR 2.77 million for the Essence trim. A lifetime battery warranty is provided to original owners for both EV and PHEV variants.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!