The 2006 Bugatti Veyron, originally introduced at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, has been delayed so many times that it is starting to seem like an epic washout on the scale of a Werner Herzog film.
The numerous teething difficulties that the Veyron has faced have proven a PR embarrassment for both Bugatti and parent company Volkswagen. As the Veyron was originally intended to go on sale during 2003, our exclusive video and spy photos at first seem like another in a long line of false alarms.
Given the remarkably complete appearance of the publicly glimpsed Veyron seen here, though, perhaps we can safely assume that this grandly ambitious two-seater is finally nearing a genuine production date.
Sales are expected to begin in the spring of next year following what will hopefully be the Veyron's final preproduction tease at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
Many of the developmental difficulties that held the Veyron back from production reportedly involved Bugatti trimming weight and refining the aerodynamic capabilities of the vehicle.
In the process of tweaking the shape and design of the Veyron, Bugatti has also managed to provide the car with a much more powerful engine than it originally intended. Early specifications for the Veyron's mammoth 8.0-liter W16 listed the vehicle's top speed at a whopping 220 miles per hour. As of May, though, Bugatti claimed that it had squeezed nearly 30 additional mph out of the engine, raising its top speed within a hair's breadth of 250 mph.
Not content to rest on the laurels of a four-figure output for this engine, Bugatti has seen fit to make the Veyron yield 1,001 horsepower.
The lucky 300 individuals able to get their hands on a 2006 Bugatti Veyron will certainly be paying handsomely to do so, as the vehicle is confirmed to go on sale for over a million euros, which translates into more than $1.2 million for American customers.
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