Bugatti's Secret Veyron Upgrade REVEALED! What Could Have Been?!

Bugatti almost gave the Veyron one last, earth-shattering send-off. According to recent reports, the French marque was developing a farewell edition that would have pushed the limits of its already legendary W16 engine to an astonishing 1,360 horsepower. Imagine that – even more muscle in a car already synonymous with outrageous power. This "MegaWatt Veyron," as it was apparently dubbed, aimed to break the megawatt barrier before the Koenigsegg One:1 swooped in and stole its thunder.

Bugatti's Secret Veyron Upgrade REVEALED! What Cou...

The news, revealed by Bugatti's design boss Frank Heyl, really makes you wonder what could have been. We're talking about a full 160 hp jump over the already potent Super Sport and Grand Sport Vitesse models. In a world where horsepower figures are often just bragging rights, this would have been a genuine leap forward. It’s interesting to think about how this would have shifted the landscape of hypercar performance back then.

Interestingly, the pursuit of ever-greater speed and power is what ultimately led to the Veyron's discontinuation. Ferdinand Piëch, the driving force behind the Veyron, reportedly wanted to push the Super Sport even further, aiming for a staggering 1,500 hp and a top speed of 450 km/h. That's nearly 280 mph! While the Super Sport had already clocked an impressive 431 km/h at the Volkswagen Group's test track, Piëch wanted more. But apparently, achieving that target would have required a complete overhaul of the Veyron's engineering. A task deemed too complex and expensive at that point.

Instead of pouring resources into a Veyron revamp, Bugatti decided to channel those efforts into its successor, the Chiron. Which, of course, went on to break even more records. The Chiron Super Sport, for instance, eventually hit 490 km/h at the same Ehra-Lessien track – a truly mind-boggling figure. However, the production version was limited to a "mere" 440 km/h, mirroring the Veyron's top speed restrictions designed to protect its tires. It's a delicate balance, isn't it? Chasing ultimate speed while also ensuring the car is somewhat manageable for its (very wealthy) owners.

Now, with Mate Rimac at the helm, Bugatti seems to be re-evaluating its stance on top speed runs. While the company initially announced it was done chasing records, Rimac has hinted at a potential return to the fray, possibly targeting the elusive 500 km/h mark. Could we see a new Bugatti take on the challenge? And with the Ehra-Lessien track no longer available, where would they even attempt such a feat? The Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds in Florida is one possibility, but only time will tell. The hypercar speed wars are far from over, that's for sure.