Car of the Day - Bugatti Veyron Centenaire

Car of the Day - 2009 Bugatti 16_4 Veyron Centenaire

Bugatti kicked-off its centenary celebration models with a special set, four Veyron’s with the same coordinated treatment in four national racing colors.

The illustrious racing career of the Type 35 was the reference for the special models and each bears the name of a race driver with a significant career in a 35.

Jean-Pierre Wimille, a driver with a long career at Bugatii gets the French Blue example. Wimille scored the last-ever victory in a Bugatti during in 1947 at Bois de Boulogne in a 4.7-litre Monoposto Type 59/50 B. He also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1937 and 1939 for Bugatti.
The example finished in traditional Italian Red is named after Achille Varzi who was a member of the official Bugatti team from 1931 to 1933.
He had many successes a private Type 35 C before joining Bugatti and winning the Monaco Grand Prix.

Malcolm Campbell gives his name to the dark dark green British example. Campbell besides having a legendary history with Land Speed Records often raced a Bugatti Type 39 A or Type 35, and also owned a magnificent Type 57S.

The traditional White German example is honoured by Prinz Hermann zu Leiningen who started driving Bugattis in 1927 when he purchased a Type 40. He won a number or races in a privately owned Type 37 and then went on to international racing in a 35 C.

The four cars were presented at the 2009 Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza where they were joined by the four Type 35’s that were the inspiration for the special edition Veyrons. A truly unique and memorable occasion. In a time were a special addition model of a Veyron is perhaps a bit mundane in its uniqueness (in relative terms) the idea of a “set” adds a certain style to one of the most stylish cars ever made.

Rod Halligan