Bugatti

So, in the continuing saga of the Bugatti lake crash footage that we showed the other day, new details have just emerged. In a strange twist of fate, we have learned that the driver was Andy House, who just happens to own Performance Auto Sales, a company that actually restores wrecked exotics for resale. Is this starting to sound a little too much like the Balloon Boy incident?

In any case, he bought the 2006 Bugatti Veyron EB for $1.25 million last month and it was fully insured. But let me ask you this... How come it only costs $8,000 per year to insure a Bugatti (according to the article) but my 7 year old Acura runs me $3,600 in the state of California? ...Sorry to digress. What's really cool is that some unenlightened motorists (who thought it was a "Lambo") caught the actual crash on their video cam. And we didn't see no stinkin' pelican. Check out the footage after the jump. Beware, due to excessive swearing it is NSFW, so turn the volume down.

After a very long wait, the Bugatti Galibier 16C Concept has finally landed on US soil, making its public debut in Los Angeles. Let's just cut to the chase; this is the greatest sedan ever made. Sure it has its blemishes and it won't keep up with a CTS-V on the 'Ring, but as a whole it is simply incredible. I have since forgotten that other luxury cars even exist. I know there's one that starts with an “R”... 

So, what's our take? The body of the Bugatti Galibier looks like a stone polished by hundreds of years in a stream. The long hood reminds us of the incredible cars of the 20's, 30's and 40's. Back then, the hood made room for big engines, but it became a symbol of luxury, like a procession arriving ahead of a king. The profile rises early then slowly wraps around into the tail like a coupe. Even the hydraulic wing seems soft. The split rear window is a rare but wonderfully timeless cue.

Many automotive addicts will cringe when they see this, while many other jealous folks might just cheer. Whatever your reaction to this Bugatti Veyron lake crash, the circumstances leading up to this supercar blunder are rather comical. Apparently, while the owner of the vehicle was cruising through Galveston, Texas, on his way to check out some real estate, he was chatting on his cell phone when, all of sudden, a low flying pelican caught his attention. It was reported that "the man jerked the wheel, dropped his cell phone, and the car’s front tire left the frontage road and entered a muddy patch, which foiled his attempt to maneuver away from the lagoon."

And therein lies the rub --- a 1,001 hp quad-turbo 16-cylinder engine may be great for propelling one to 62 mph in just 2.5 seconds, but without reverse rocket thrusters or some type of Batman-like grappling hook to jettison, does no good when hurling through mud. With a curb weight of 4,162 pounds, no traction control, ABS or electronic wizardry today can help you here. But what makes no sense is that the news reported "the Veyron’s powerful engine gurgled like an outboard motor for about 15 minutes before it died."

For quite some time now there have been rumors of a four-door supersedan from Bugatti. Previously referred to as the Bordeaux, we now know that this new potential offering will be dubbed the Bugatti Galibier Concept. "Galibier" is the name of one of the most treacherous stretches of alpine roadway along the Tour de France. But it also was a version of the Type 57 C that was built between 1937 and 1940. This new concept is definitely a re-invigoration of this stellar saloon.

The Bugatti Galibier Concept was just unveiled in all its glory at the conclusion of the company's 100 year celebration in Molsheim, France. This vehicle is designed to be "the most exclusive, elegant, and powerful four door automobile in the world." And it looks like it has accomplished its goal. That said, the President of Bugatti indicated that this concept is just one of several models the company is considering going forward.

The Bugatti Veyron has had its fair share of special editions including the Pur Sang, Sang Noir, Bleu Centenaire, Fbg Par Hermès along with aftermarket creations like the Linea Vincerò by Mansory. There have also been many other one-off custom jobs sanctioned by high rollers in the Middle East. But the Grand Sport, which is the new targa-top model of the Veyron, has, until now, been left out of the unique variations game. However, debuting at Pebble Beach this weekend during Monterey Car Week, the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport "Sang Bleu" will be unleashed on the world. This is fitting since the original Grand Sport (chassis 001) was unveiled at the Concours d'Elegance last year. It then went to auction by Gooding & Company and sold for $2.9 million.

The Nissan GT-R is an amazing machine any way you look at it. After all, this is a car that can hold its own against the venerable Ferrari F430 Scuderia. With 480 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque it can reach 60 mph from a standstill in 3.2 seconds and tops out just shy of 200 mph. This all sounds really impressive until you put it side-by-side with the Bugatti Veyron. This monster costs 18 times more money, twice the horsepower and double the number of turbochargers. But in the real world, what does all of this really mean?

Evo Magazine took the opportunity to put these two unlikely bedfellows on the same track and let them go head to head. The result, while not so surprising, is nonetheless amazing to watch. We all know that the Bugatti Veyron is lightning fast, but how fast is it really when pitted against another automotive rockstar like the Nissan GTR? Check out the video after the jump.

The Bugatti Veyron is pretty exclusive by its very nature as only 300 of these supercars will be built in total at a cost of $1.4MM plus a piece. However, that hasn't stopped Bugatti from coming out with a seemingly endless supply of ultra-limited edition variations that cost considerably more than the original. These models include the Pur Sang, Fbg par Hermes, Sang Noir, Grand Sport, Bleu Centenaire and a plethora of one off models that seem to keep springing up in the Middle East.

High-end aftermarket tuner Mansory announced their own tuned version at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show dubbed the Linea Vincero, thereby officially throwing their hat into the arena of the uber-expensive, outlandish Bugatti customization. Now, we have a full photo gallery of this vehicle along with some video as well.

Where do you start with a comparison like this and, really, what is the point? Well, every now and then it's important to take a look at the extremes of an issue just to get some perspective or maybe just because it's Tuesday. We traditionally cover cars that are expensive, exclusive and ridiculously fast. So, why take pause now? Because the new Tata Nano is a game changer, just like the Bugatti Veryon 16.4 Coupe, but for very different reasons. Let's take a look at both the world's cheapest car and the world's most expensive car and see what you get for you dollars or lakhs.