Showing posts with label w16 engine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label w16 engine. Show all posts

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Bugatti Veyron vs. BMW S1000 RR – Which is fastest?


Car guys insist that their four-wheeled machines are as fun as any motorcycle. The two-wheeled, leather-clad bike folks laugh at this notion, then scream off into the twisties at 9,000 rpm. The discussion can go back and forth until both parties are blue in the face. Inside Line decided it would be fun to put two powerful examples, one car and one motorcycle, to the test. These aren’t just run-of-the-mill vehicles, either: In one corner is a 2010 Bugatti Veyron while in the other sits a 2010 BMW S 1000 RR. The battleground? Forest roads around Molsheim, France


The Veyron obviously has the power advantage, thanks to its quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 engine that produces 1,001 horsepower. The 190-horsepower BMW, however, has a huge weight advantage and the agile bike can get around any Citroën-shaped obstacles that it might come across.


The staff at Inside Line give the nod to the bike, for a number of valid reasons. It makes more sense in a day-to-day atmosphere, can slip through traffic, and when the luggage rack is applied it has more cargo capacity. The S 1000 RR also gains an edge when comparing maintenance costs. Changing a tire on a bike isn’t too much of a hit to the wallet, but to change the full set of rubber on the Bugatti costs $90,000. Furthermore, there are only two machines in the world capable of handling that job — one in France and another here in the US.
Regardless of the outcome, the pair both represent unique forms of engineering excellence and the real winner of the shootout is Inside Line. Getting to spend time with either vehicle is a treat, but getting to do it on a scenic French road is a dream. Head on over to Inside Line to live vicariously through their lucky contributor.


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Bugatti Galibier to be available with hybrid power


Bugatti models have never lacked ambition, from the company’s original incarnation under founder Ettore Bugatti to its present-day operations under the Volkswagen Group. That unbridled moxie looks poised to gather pace with the brand’s forthcoming Galibier super sedan.


Not only will the Galibier be very exclusive and very costly, British magazine CAR is reporting that the W16 engine from the Veyron will be ported over with its dual-clutch gearbox, albeit with a twist – it will also be available with optional hybrid power. The dual-power system is being developed because an increasing number of metropolitan city centers are taking steps to curb or ban internal combustion cars firing up in downtown areas, and Bugatti owners aren’t exactly the type to take mass transit.


In an interview with the marque’s new president and CEO, Wolfgang Durheimer, CAR confirms the project is still in its early stages, with the final dimensions of the car and its chassis construction not yet settled upon. The design is expected to be finalized this fall, and the leading architectures in contention are a carbon monocoque like the Veyron or possibly an aluminum spaceframe.


While the Veyron’s production run has been earmarked at 300 units, the Galibier is to increase that tenfold to 3,000 units, but the price will still be steep – CAR estimates the privilege of ownership will cost upwards of £1 million ($1.62M dollars).









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