The Bugatti Veyron->ke1112, the world's fastest production car in its Super Sport guise, is nearly ten years old. Although in today's automotive industry ten years on the market make a car obsolete, the Veyron is here to stay until the manufacturer sells its remaining stock. About a year ago, Bugatti's stock included 50 units of the Grand Sport Vitesse roadster.

I have to be honest with you guys, I've never been a fan of the Veyron. Mainly because it was developed as a speed record car. It's the result of Bugatti's obsession with the McLaren F1->ke1159, the production supercar->ke177 that held the world record from 1993 until 2005. Unlike the Veyron, which can reach an intoxicating 267.85 mph on an oval track, the F1 was also a successful race car->ke148, proving itself at Le Mans.

Of course, with a luxurious interior and badge that speaks for itself, the Veyron is more than just a gas-guzzling, tire-wearing machine. Now that the supercar->ke177 has reached its final months on the market, Bugatti->ke16 has decided to sweeten up the deal with half a dozen of very exclusive models launched under the "Les Legendes de Bugatti" flag.

With the first four version already launched and sold out, the French automaker has just introduced the fifth special-edition model -- the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Black Bess. Based on the record-setting roadster, the Black Bess pays tribute to a Type 18 model that was built in 1913 and delivered to aviation pioneer Roland Garros.

Named after an English race horse, the Type 18 Black Bess was built around one of the fastest pre-war Bugattis, a two-seater that was powered by more than 100 horsepower that propelled it to a top speed of 100 miles per hour. It doesn't seem much nowadays, but it was lightning-fast in the 1910s.

Updated 06/12/2014: Bugatti unveiled a cool promo video for the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Black Bess. Check it out in the "Videos" tab. Enjoy!

Click past the jump to read more about the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Black Bess.

Exterior

There aren't any aerodynamic body improvements added to the Veyron Black Bess, but the supercar benefits from a paint scheme inspired by its 100-year-old inspiration. The carbon-fiber body is finished in black and seasoned with 24-carat-gold-coated parts, such as the horseshoe grille and the rear badge.

Additionally, gold stripes have been drawn from the headlamps all the way up around the front hood and onto the upper side of the doors. The theme continues on the black wheels, which are fitted with gold hub covers that bear Ettore Bugatti's initials.

Interior

The interior is far more exquisite, being wrapped in light beige and Havana dual tone, high-grade leather. For a strong contrast, but also to as a reference to the Type 18, the steering wheel is covered in Red Crimson leather, while red stitching can be found on the outer bolsters of the seats and in the seat belts.

Bugatti says creating the door panels was one of the most daring projects in the design process, and looking at the photos we can understand why. Sketches depicting Roland Garros' airplane were hand-painted on the leather using a special ink and impregnation process, adding even more exclusivity to the Black Bess Veyron.

Moreover, a hand-painted motif showing the classic Bugatti adorns the cover of the rear storage compartment, while the selector lever and the console panel are rounded of with with high-quality rosewood. Gold inserts are present in the cabin as well via EB logos, Legends Editions badges and dancing elephant figures.

Drivetrain

As expected, no changes happened under the hood, which means the Veyron Black Bess is motivated by the already familiar 8.0-liter, W-16 engine. The huge mill delivers 1,200 horsepower and 1,106 pound-feet of torque, and enables the supercar to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 253 miles per hour.

Prices

Scheduled to make its public debut at the Beijing Auto Show later this month, the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Black Bess will be built in only three units and retailed for €2.15 million, or nearly $3 million at current exchange rates.

Competition

Although there are plenty of supercar to choose from nowadays, I think it's fair to compare the Black Bess only to other extreme-performance, limited edition vehicles. Thus we'll skip on four-wheeled bullets such as the McLaren P1 and the Ferrari LaFerrari, which were available by the hundreds.

Koenigsegg One:1

Unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the One:1 is highlighted by its perfect one horsepower per one kilogram ratio. Powered by a twin-turbocharged, 5.0-liter, V-8 engine, the One:1 has 1,340 horsepower and 1,011 pound feet of torque at its disposal.

The supercar accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and Koenigsegg claims it can reach a top speed of 248 mph.

The Koenigsegg One:1 will be built in only six units, all of which have been already sold for a cool $2.4 million each. All told, it's a bit cheaper than the Veyron Black Bess, but you won't be able to buy it unless it hits used car lots. And I don't think that will happen very soon.

Hennessey Venom GT World's Fastest Edition

Ever since the Veyron SS established a new Guinness Record, John Hennessey has been struggling to create an equally fast vehicle. The Texas-based company finally achieved this in February, when a Venom GT hit 270.49 miles per hour at the Kennedy Space Center. However, the speed record wasn't eligible for a Guinness induction, as Hennessey wasn't allowed two runs, as required by Guinness, due to high winds and lacked the 30 production cars to qualify for the record.

But the impressive run spawned a limited-edition Venom GT called World's Fastest Edition. Only three units are to be built and delivered to high-speed enthusiasts that had already acquired them for $1.25 million each.

The Lotus Exige-based, special-edition supercar hides a twin-turbocharged V-8 engine under the hood that delivers 1,244 horsepower. The WFE needs 2.7 seconds to sprint from naught to 60 mph and 9.9 seconds to pull a quarter mile.

Conclusion

With the Bugatti Veyron saga nearly over, it's not at all surprising that the manufacturer keeps milking this nameplate. Save for its awesome, heritage-filled interior, the Veyron Black Bess is basically pointless. It's more of a garage queen that needs washing and waxing than a true supercar that delivers thrills at the track.