The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse has officially been named the fastest roadster in the world.

Fastest production roadster in the world

The 16.4 Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse set its world speed record for open top production sports cars at the Volkswagen Group’s proving grounds in Ehra-Lessien. Driven by Chinese racing driver Anthony Liu, a top speed of 408.84 km/h was officially confirmed by the renowned independent German organisation for Technical Inspection and Certification TUV.

“When we introduced the Vitesse, we established the top speed for open-top driving to be 375 km/h. Still, we could not let go of the idea of reaching the 400 km/h mark with this car as well. The fact that we have succeeded in reaching 408.84 km/h is a thrill for me, and it reaffirms once again that Bugatti is the leader when it comes to technology in the international automotive industry”, said Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.

This top speed is an addition to Bugatti’s titles of being the words fastest car. In 2010, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport achieved an impressive top speed of 431.072 km/h also confirmed by TUV.

Powerful and high performance handling

The open top model is powered by an 8-litre W16 engine, with a torque figure of 1500 Nm and 3000 to 5000 rpm to the road. Other features that enabled such spectacular performance include a standard carbon monocoque with high torsional rigidity and an outer shell made entirely of carbon fibre. The interior was designed to keep wind noise and air turbulence to a minimum.

The Vitesse also sports a specially developed roof spoiler along with an intricately designed windbreak which guarantees calm open-top driving. It also received a powerful dual-colour scheme in black and orange, perfectly translating its inner qualities into its exterior appearance. This special Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse will be available in a World Record Car (WRC) Edition, which is limited to eight vehicles.

The World Record Car will be unveiled to the world for the first time at the Shanghai Motor Show later this month.