Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse WRC is the fastest drop-top

Meet the world’s fastest roadster. Known as the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse WRC, the model recently set the world speed record for the fastest open-top production sports cars at the Volkswagen Group’s proving grounds in Ehra-Lessien.

German company TUV, officially confirmed a top speed of 408.84 km/h (254.04 mph). During the top speed run the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse WRC was driven by 29-year old Chinese racing driver Anthony Liu.

“This was a very exciting moment,” Liu said. “In our training sessions we exceeded 400 km/h but the fact that I could surpass this unbelievable speed once again and even higher has made me very proud. The car is even at such high speeds incredibly comfortable and stable. With an open top, you can really experience the sound of the engine and yet even at higher speeds I did not get compromised by the wind at all.”

Bugatti will build 8 limited-edition units of the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse WRC. The price tag will start at $2.62 million USD.

“When we introduced the Vitesse, we established the top speed for open-top driving to be 375 km/h,” said said Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. “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.”