Bugatti Veyron: Trivia

* According to Jeremy Clarkson, the host of Top Gear, if the McLaren F1 were allowed to reach 120 mph before the Bugatti started, the Bugatti would still be the first to reach 200 mph.
* In one of Top Gear's races, Richard Hammond and James May attempted to beat Clarkson in a race across Europe using transport other than a car, from Italy to England to transport a truffle. Clarkson used the Veyron, while Hammond and May used a variety of transport, with May flying the Cessna 182 due to his newly obtained pilot's licence, and the use of the Eurostar, when it was revealed that May was not qualified to fly at night. Apparently, so far, Bugatti has not given Top Gear approval for a Power Lap in the Veyron in an attempt at the record time, now held by the Koenigsegg CCX (with the Top Gear spoiler).
* The Veyron's handbrake features ABS, allowing it to be used to stop the car in case the main brakes fail.
* At 230 mph the Veyron 'consumes' 10,000 gallons of air per minute, as much as the average person inhales in 4 days
* On another Top Gear episode (broadcast on 4 February 2007) James May tested the car's top speed of 253 mph at Ehra-Lessien in Germany, which has a straight piece of track of 5.5 miles long, suitable for the test. Upon reaching the top speed of 407 km/h (253 mph), James May mentioned that he was "covering one football pitch every second" . In the after-comments section he said that the whole experience was rather disorienting, as he thought he had stopped and was ready to open the door when he looked at the speedometer and it was still at 70 mph. It is not known if this was his first test around the track or if he had many beforehand.
* On the same episode James May stated that upon full speed the Veyron's tires would burst after 15 minutes, however this was not an issue because it would go through its entire fuel load within 12 minutes
* On March 4, 2007, a privately owned Veyron lost control in the wet and was involved in a road crash with a Vauxhall Astra van. The accident occurred in heavy rain on a 40mph section of Renfree Way, Shepperton ,Surrey, England. A pregnant woman in the van was not injured, but was taken to hospital as a precaution and released; no other injuries were recorded. The Veyron driver was reported by police for driving without due care and attention.
* According to many sources, Bugatti's Record as the world fastest production car is under threat as the new Koenigsegg CCXR is due for offical testing later in 2007.