A celebratory soirée for the 20th anniversary of the legendary Bugatti Veyron
It is hard to think of another 20-year-old car that is capable of evoking the sort of shiny-happy tingling sensations as the one in front of this writer, but this is the might and magic of the Bugatti Veyron.
Truth be told, I’m not embarrassed to admit the Veyron only started growing on this late bloomer over the past six years or so.
At its launch back in the early 2000s, it did not have the wow-kapow theatrics that many of us expected of a super-sportscar, especially since this was the era of the Pagani Zonda and Koenigsegg CC8S / CCR.
Even then, it had all the necessary hypercar credentials.
With its stupendous performance, Piëch’s quad-turbo’d pet project smashed many firsts: the 400km/h barrier, 1,000hp, a 2.5 secs 0–100km/h, million euros price-tag, but most importantly, was tractable (and practical) enough to be driven as a grand tourer, if so desired.
Beyond the technical statistics, the dark arts of engineering and tyre technology required to realise such mind-boggling fantasies, what is most remarkable is how well it has aged over the past two decades.
Best of all, the Veyron wasn’t the product of a niche, small-volume brand, but came under the auspices of Volkswagen AG, one of the juggernauts of the automotive industry.
At the 20th anniversary event hosted by Bugatti Singapore (the Veyron celebrates its 20th in 2025), we were treated to a Bugatti buffet spread for the eyes, with limited edition Chirons and even the odd Bolide on display in Wearnes Automotive’s bonded storage jewel-box. (L-R pictured above: Bolide, Chiron, Chiron)
However, I was always drawn back to the silver-blue 16.4 (16-cylinders, quad-turbos) display car. Like all Bugattis, the Veyron’s aura is low-key powerful, and we like that it lacks the cut-and-slash style of aesthetics favoured by so many today, especially since there is so much nuanced detail to take in and appreciate.
Even though it has long been succeeded by more powerful variants, this “base” model (no, there is no such thing as a base Bugatti!) is powered by a quad-turbocharged (just like the seminal EB110 of the 1990s) 8.0-litre W16, which is tuned to deliver 1001hp and 1,250Nm — monumental stats 20 years ago and even so today.
Most importantly, the Veyron 16.4 represents the actualisation of one man’s indomitable vision — Dr Ferdinand Karl Piëch, the-then chairman of the Volkswagen Group — to not just defy, but to demolish and rewrite technical, design and performance conventions. (pictured above: Mate Rimac at the 20th Anniversary of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 in Singapore)
