Forget the 660-bhp Ferrari Enzo, the 605-bhp Porsche Carrera GT, the 617-bhp Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, or even the mighty 627-bhp McLaren F1. These supercars are simply slugs compared with the new 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 (16.4 for 16 cylinders, 4 turbochargers). This $1.2 million "hyper-exotic" boasts 987 bhp (1001 metric horsepower) and 922 lb.-ft. of torque, enough to propel the 4160-lb. beast to a top speed of over 250 mph. And according to the factory, a 0-62-mph acceleration run (0-100 km/h) can be done in 2.5 seconds, 0-124 mph can be reached in 7.3 sec., nd 0-186 mph in 16.7 sec., faster than you can re-read and comprehend the astonishing stats.

Climbing aboard the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, you are intimidated initially by the car's impressive specs. In the instrument cluster — beyond the usual tachometer, fuel level and coolant temperature gauges — sits a special dial on the lower left that shows how much horsepower is being used at any moment, up to 1001 metric horsepower. And on the lower right is the speedometer that has 280 mph as the last marker.

Twist the key and turn on the ignition. All you can hear is a quiet murmur, giving no hint of the engine's enormous potential. The interior is furnished in premium leather accentuated by aluminum. The seats are supportive, though the driving position is low and slightly canted toward the center due to the intruding left front wheel well. This also doesn't help the vision forward, which is partially blocked by thick A-pillars.

Unlike other high-horsepower supercars where there's a risk of stalling the car because of high horsepower and a hard-to-use clutch, or the gut-wrenching sound and feel of a hydraulic-actuated clutch slipping, the Bugatti scoots away with minimal fuss. In the first 100 ft., you can already tell the Veyron is very civilized. Loaded with the luxurious amenities such as a stereo with CD player, navigation system, air conditioning, etc., combined with a docile low-speed driving character, the Bugatti could be used to drive to the store or run errands.