Bugatti has completed the restoration of an early development prototype connected to the legendary Veyron Super Sport – the hypercar that once set a production-car speed record of approximately 431kmph. The restoration highlights the brand’s ongoing effort to preserve significant vehicles from its modern engineering history.
The car in question is an early prototype of the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport, the open-top variant of the iconic Bugatti Veyron. This prototype was first shown publicly in 2008 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where Bugatti unveiled the Grand Sport as a convertible derivative of the Veyron. Following its debut, the prototype was used by the manufacturer for demonstrations and exhibitions across several international automotive events.
After completing its promotional duties, the car eventually returned to Bugatti and was later reacquired by the company so it could undergo a full restoration. The project was carried out at Bugatti’s historic headquarters in Molsheim, France, where the company still builds its modern hypercars.
The restoration process was conducted under Bugatti’s official La Maison Pur Sang programme. This specialised division focuses on verifying, restoring and preserving historic Bugatti vehicles while ensuring every car retains its original authenticity and factory specifications. It was driven about 70,000km!
The exterior also underwent extensive refurbishment. All body panels were removed and refinished before the car's original Orange shade was carefully renewed and all the carbonfibre parts were refinished. The restoration team aimed to match the exact finish that the car wore during its initial public appearance in 2011.
Inside the cabin, Bugatti carried out a full interior restoration as well. The cockpit was retrimmed with Black-coloured leather
Like other versions of the Veyron, the Super Sport is powered by Bugatti’s renowned 8-litre quad-turbocharged W16 engine, but here the unit makes 1183bhp (200bhp more) and 1500Nm of torque. This immense power enables the car to accelerate from 0 to 100kmph in under 2.7 seconds, delivering performance that was groundbreaking at the time of its launch.
The Veyron family itself remains one of the most important milestones in the history of modern hypercars. The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, in particular, gained global attention after achieving a top speed of around 431kmph, making it one of the fastest production cars ever built.
Following the completion of the restoration and official verification of its historical importance, the prototype reportedly attracted strong interest from collectors and was quickly sold. Today, it stands not only as a rare development vehicle but also as an important reminder of the engineering achievements that defined the Veyron era.
