In 1998, Volkswagen Group acquired the rights to the fabled Bugatti company in a strategic acquisition born to realize Ferdinand Piëch’s vision for an 18-cylinder automobile of unsurpassed power, performance, and heritage. His mandates for the car that eventually became the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 would be some of the most ambitious ever issued by an automaker: It needed to produce 1,001 PS (987 horsepower) and achieve a top speed in excess of 400 km/h (nearly 250 mph), yet also be entirely tractable and livable for daily driving, with great comfort for both driver and passenger. The final product was intended not just to resurrect one of the most famous names in automobiles, in utterly spectacular fashion, but to absolutely demonstrate the engineering prowess of the Volkswagen Group as a whole to the world.

Piëch’s team responded to this challenge by not only meeting but, in many cases, exceeding his ideals. The production Veyron that emerged in 2005 could accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.46 seconds, en route to a top speed just over 408 km/h (nearly 254 mph). Built around a magnificent mid-mounted, quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W-16 engine with four valves per cylinder and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, it astonished the world with its surefootedness even at the most extreme speeds, enabled by a full-time Haldex all-wheel-drive system. The stopping power was stunning, as the Veyron was anchored by massive carbon-ceramic disc brakes with 15.7-inch discs and eight-piston, four-pad calipers up front, while 15-inch discs with six-piston, two-pad calipers were mounted at the rear. The alloy wheels, respectively 20 and 21 inches at the front and rear, were shod with special Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 PAX run-flat tires engineered specifically for the Veryon.

Three different drive modes governed the dizzying array of technology: a Normal mode, at which the ride height was 4.9 inches; a Handling mode that deployed the rear spoiler and lowered ride height to 3.15 inches; and a special, key-activated High-Speed mode that dropped ride height to 2.56 inches in front and 2.75 at the rear, while changing the spoiler position. Even the car’s ancillary systems, including no fewer than 10 radiators, were marvels of automotive engineering conceived to perform under the most demanding circumstances.

All of this was encased within an intricately hand-crafted structure, actually shorter in overall length than a modern Porsche 911, though riding on a longer 106.7-inch wheelbase, while being noticeably lower and wider than the benchmark German sports car of the day. It was instantly and definitely recognizable only as what it is: the modern Bugatti, a car that looked and performed like absolutely nothing else on the road. Even today, nearly 20 years after its introduction, its specifications are remarkable, and its performance still stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the world’s greatest supercars.

VEYRON NUMBER 66

Bugatti Veyron production ceased in 2015, at which point 450 cars had been produced; just 250 of these were 16.4 coupes, with only 76 in United States specification. The example offered here is a relatively early car, the 66th built and only the 20th to be delivered new to U.S. shores. While many were finished in somewhat eye-popping combinations of hues, this car was finished in a more subtle Silver Metallic over Bright Silver, an exceptionally effective two-tone pairing that serves to emphasize the Veyron’s distinctive lines and complex curves. Like the Bugattis of the Classic Era, the interior was elegant, simple, and purposeful, thanks to the choice of the rare combination of Silk leather with Anthracite inserts. An engine-turned center console serves as a focal point, while adding a dash of vintage spirit to the cabin as it recalls the dashboards of the original Bugattis.

Under the care of its original owner in 2018, the car was serviced by Los Gatos Luxury Cars in California, with an invoice on file indicating over $51,000 in work performed, including an annual service as well as new front and rear tires. Subsequently, the car was acquired for the noted Fox Collection, from which it was purchased by the present owners, aficionados of outstanding supercars, in 2021. Today the car has recorded only 928 actual miles at the time of cataloguing, and is offered with further documentation of additional maintenance performed in the present ownership. Given such limited mileage and careful maintenance by doting custodians, it is hardly surprising that the car presents in outstanding condition throughout, and is almost certainly one of the finest to be found on the market today.

Like the original Bugatti, the Veyron has become a timeless machine. This example, pure in design and elegant in presentation, is offered with minimal mileage and correct accessories. Suitable for any serious stable, it is a truly superb example of a supercar that will be remembered for all time as one of the true greats.