Hi Dave
Thanks for the e-mail and it is great to hear from you !
It appears that the Bugattis were in SA quite a while back ...Feb, 2003
I found this info on
http://www.bugattipage.com/2003news.htm The attached pics & article are reproduced from the aforementioned webpage and appear about 80% down from the top of the webpage. The writer found it on
www.wheels24.co.za but that link does not seem to exist.
Another link with the same photos is
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=27883 I hope this helps. I have not forwarded the info to Wally Wyss - I'll leave that part to you !! lol
Getting late here...1.42am !!
I hope all is well with you and your family.
Regards
Garry
Reproduced from
http://www.bugattipage.com/2003news.htm .....
April 28, 2003
Bugatti Veyron prototype tests: Update and correction
In my first newsitem about this, it was stated that the photos were taken by a Czech photographer, this probably because the site were the pictures were found was Czech, dufficult to read, isn�t it! (At least for most of us)
Turns out that the photo�s were actually taken in South Africa, and more shocking, that 3 cars were tested together (maybe to race one against the other?) The info was found on
www.wheels24.co.za and the pictures were taken by the Greef family. The photo�s were taken in the beginning of February 2003. Comment on the website mentioned:
A Southern Cape family took photos of the three sensational Bugatti Veyrons. The Greeff family, Marianne, Derick and Annette, spotted these cars on the scenic coastal route between Betty's Bay and Gordon's Bay.
The photos also show that there are special stickers on the Veyrons, which read: "High speed test vehicle - Approved by Government." This indicates that the cars are in South Africa for test purposes.
The Veyrons was first spotted earlier this week on the Cape's West Coast and then a day later another Wheels24 reader saw them in the Overberg district on the N2 near Grabouw.
There are no badges on the three test vehicles but they are unmistakably Bugattis Veyrons.
The Bugatti Veyron is the hottest car in Volkswagen's arsenal. It features an 8-litre W16 (2xV8) muscle engine with a power output of 736kW at 6 000 rpm. Torque is a mighty 1250Nm.
The car has a top speed of 406km/h and accelerates from 0-300km/h in less than 14 seconds!
Obviously the wheels have changed (again) to a not-onbecoming T35-like wheel. The Giant spoiler (which should lower below a certain speed) should prevent the Veyron from flying at high speeds. The cars really look aggressive from behind.
The fact that 3 cars were tested, really does give the idea that VW is very serious about the Veyron turning out right, and thus about the Bugatti marque they created.
