BUGATTI Veyron W16 Engine and Gearbox (2005)

• Limited Edition of 199 pieces
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• 1:4 scale model - over 45 cm (17 in) long and 28 cm (11 in) wide
• Over 3500 hours to develop the model
• Over 325 hours to build each model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built using original CAD and material specifications from BUGATTI

The BUGATTI Veyron has legendary status in the motoring community. Initially a technical experiment for the now Volkswagen-owned BUGATTI company, it transformed the motoring landscape forever and rejuvenated the BUGATTI brand, turning the supercar into a luxury road car suitable for everyday use. Its development is considered one of the greatest technological challenges ever known in the automotive industry. Every single component of the car was developed from scratch and the engineers at BUGATTI worked closely with experts in the aviation and space sectors, industries where materials and systems are routinely subject to extreme speeds and forces. Though the car was setting a new technological benchmark, its design was infused with BUGATTI DNA. The two-tone design created the characteristic side profile with the signature BUGATTI line. The centre line and horseshoe-shaped radiator grille bridged the gap between the early BUGATTI models and the present day. Even the full name, the BUGATTI Veyron EB 16.4, harked back to the marque’s history: ‘EB’ refers to Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti and the car is named in honour of Pierre Veyron, a BUGATTI development engineer, test driver and company race driver who, with co-driver Jean-Pierre Wimille, won the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans while behind the wheel of Type 57C Tank.

Unparalleled Speed

The Veyron was many production car firsts: the first with over a thousand horsepower, the first with a W16 engine and the first to break the 250 mph (402 kph) barrier. The car boasted unparalleled statistics which only a handful of manufacturers have matched since. Powered by an eight-litre W16 engine with four turbochargers that developed 1,001 bhp and 1,250 Nm of torque, the 1,888 kg Veyron possesses a power-to-weight ratio of 523 bhp per ton and could accelerate to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. This enabled it to reach a top speed of 253 mph (407 kph), making it the fastest car in the world – a record it would hold for two years. A later variant of the BUGATTI would reclaim the record from the SSC Ultimate Aero TT and keep that record until 2017, another seven years.

Ground-breaking Technology

Beyond the engine, BUGATTI worked in partnership with Michelin to develop the world’s first mass-produced tyre that was capable of withstanding speeds close to 400 kph and was suitable for everyday road use. Together, they developed a new tyre pressure sensor to withstand the 130 kg centrifugal forces placed upon the wheels at top speed. Carbon-ceramic brake discs were chosen to withstand brake disc surface temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees. In addition, titanium was used for the brake disc hub instead of the usual stainless steel, delivering what was, at the time, the strongest braking performance in the automotive and motorsport industry at the time. BUGATTI regarded the rear wing to be the most important technical element. At high speed, the wing could flip up to an angle of 55 degrees in less than 0.4 seconds, increasing rear axle downforce, thereby improving the distribution of braking power between the front and rear axles. The airbrake alone caused deceleration of up to 0.6 G and, when combined with the 1.4 G generated by the wheel brakes, the Veyron had ample stopping power.

The BUGATTI W16 Engine

The only 16-cylinder engine in the world to be used in a car, the 8.0-litre W16 is a true engineering masterpiece and an icon in its own right. Assembled by hand from more than 3,500 components, it produced over 1,000 PS from its very first test in 2001, combining immense power with exceptional smoothness and reliability thanks to innovations such as the Bugatti Ion Current Sensing system. Cooling and performance were equally extraordinary: dual water cycles, multiple heat exchangers, and dedicated coolers maintained optimal temperatures even under extreme loads, while four turbochargers boosted an already prodigious output to deliver limitless acceleration. Its distinctive asymmetric firing order produces a sound as unique as the engine itself, moving from a refined purr to a growling intensity as the load increases. Continuously refined over the years, the W16 powered the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport to 1,200 PS and a record-setting 431 km/h in 2010, securing its place in automotive history. A pinnacle of performance and innovation, the 8.0-litre W16 continued to propel BUGATTI’s hyper sports cars for almost 20 years.

A Faithful Reproduction of the W16 Engine

This fine 1:4 scale model of the BUGATTI Veyron W16 Engine and Gearbox has been handcrafted and finished in Amalgam's workshops using CAD directly from BUGATTI’s design studio allowing them to perfectly recreate every detail at scale, right down to the numerous parts labels and barcodes. The appearance of each individual material in the engine has been artistically captured at scale using special processes and finishes as befits the BUGATTI Veyron design. This extremely accurate replication of the actual engine has relied heavily on Amalgam’s close relationship with the BUGATTI design and engineering teams. Finally, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by BUGATTI’s design and engineering teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

The BUGATTI Veyron W16 Engine and Gearbox is limited to just 199 pieces at 1:4 scale.