Shotgun in the Veyron Vitesse

Depending on the car and road, anything above 150mph is generally where things turn a bit Twilight Zone.

Above 150, you get personally introduced to the concept of airflow, aerodynamics and, most of all, downforce. You can feel the front wheels squirm a bit, things might suddenly go a bit light and, if the boffins haven't done their sums correctly, your bottom will be the first part of your anatomy to alert you to the fact. For this reason, you'd be right to feel a little apprehensive.

None of these things happen in the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. (It's a mouthful and the Vitesse bit makes me think of soggy old Rover, so let's go with GSV for short.) Good job, too, because this is a roadster that will do 255mph.

Words: Jason Barlow
Photos: Wolfango

This feature was originally published in the May 2012 issue of Top Gear magazine