World's Fastest Cars 2010

The transmission is a dual-clutch direct-shift gearbox computer-controlled automatic with seven gear ratios, with magnesium paddles behind the steering wheel and a shift time of less than 150 milliseconds, by Ricardo of England rather than Borg-Warner, who designed the six speed DSG used in the mainstream Volkswagen Group marques. The Veyron can be driven in either semi- or fully-automatic mode. A replacement transmission for the Veyron costs just over $120,000. It also has permanent four wheel drive using the Haldex Traction system. It uses special Michelin PAX run flat tyres, designed specifically to accommodate the Veyron's top speed, which reportedly cost $25,000 US per set. The tyres can only be removed from the rims in France, a service which reportedly costs $70,000. Kerb weight is 2,034.8 kilograms (4,486 lb). This gives the car a power to weight ratio, according to Volkswagen Group's 1,001 brake horsepower (746 kW; 1,015 PS) figures, of 446.3 bhp per ton. The car's wheelbase is 2,710 mm (106.7 in). Overall length is 4,462 mm (175.7 in), width 1,998 mm (78.7 in) and height 1,204 mm (47.4 in).
The top speed was verified by James May on Top Gear in November 2006, again at Volkswagen Group's private Ehra-Lessien test track, where the final-production car hit 407.9 km/h (253.5 mph), almost one-third of the speed of sound at sea level. As the Bugatti Veyron approached the top speed during the test, May said that "the tyres will only last for about fifteen minutes, but it's okay because the fuel runs out in twelve minutes". He also gave an indication of the power requirements: at a constant 155 mph (249 km/h), the Veyron is using approximately 270 brake horsepower (200 kW; 270 PS); the next 100 mph (160 km/h) requires an additional 730 brake horsepower (540 kW; 740 PS). Jeremy Clarkson, driving a Veyron from Italy to London, noted that at top speed the engine consumes 10,000 imperial gallons (45,000 L) of air per minute (as much as a human breathes in four days). With a 0-to-60 mph time of 2.4 seconds, the Veyron has the fastest top speed of any street legal car. Once back in the Top Gear studio, James was asked by co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson what the Veyron felt like to drive at 407 km/h (253 mph), May replied that it was "totally undramatic", and very stable at speed.