Bugatti Veyron - record time at the Autocar’s annual 0-100-0mph contest

The Bugatti Veyron has wiped the floor with the opposition in Autocar’s annual 0-100-0mph contest, featured in the current issue of the world’s oldest car magazine, even managing to beat a Suzuki GSX-R1000 superbike. The Veyron, with its 987bhp 16-cylinder engine, wasn’t necessarily the favourite to win. "A low weight tends to be the key to a good 0-100-0mph car," said Autocar’s road test editor Adam Towler.

"Cars like the Ariel Atom and Caterham Superlight historically dominate this contest." But the 1890kg Bugatti ripped through the gears to hit 60mph in 2.8 sec and 100mph in an astonishing 5.5sec. It then stopped in just 3.4sec, giving a 0-100-0mph time of 9.9sec (just 0.5 sec less than the Ultima’s world record). Not only is the Bugatti faster than the Suzuki, it creates more g-force at maximum acceleration than you’d experience in an F-16 jet fighter at take off or when skydiving.

"It’s good to see British sports cars doing so well against such an impressive machine as the Bugatti."Autocar also brought along an A1 GP car, driven by Brit Robbie Kerr, to see how a purpose-built race car would compare with road-going machinery. The 550 bhp single seater weighs just 695kg, and proved to be the fastest vehicle on the day with a 0-100-0mph time of 8.4sec.

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