Can the Bugatti Veyron drive in snow? (Watch)

A car with such exceptional potential as the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 *) calls for equally exceptional testing conditions:
Repeated switches from the high-speed circuit to city traffic and from the highway to the racetrack, steep uphill climbs and descents, and every possible curve radius. The internal tests required top speeds, full-throttle acceleration to up to 350 km/h, again and again, and repeated full brake maneuvers with a force of 1.3 g. The Bugatti test engineers drove more than 1,000 km per day, only interrupted by the necessary service breaks. And then there were the extensive test drives on the extremely tough Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit, and non-stop autobahn drives.

In addition to these internal tests, the Veyron 16.4 had to pass all official roadworthiness tests just like any other serial production vehicle for road traffic. Approval criteria included reliability, stability, fine-tuning of driveline, chassis, and transmission, as well as the overall condition of the car after 50,000 driven kilometers. This was rounded off by the thousands of hours the Veyron 16.4’s engine, drive train, brakes and chassis were inspected on numerous test benches.

Next, the Veyron was exposed to weeks of heat and cold tests at extreme temperatures ranging from -20°C (-4°F) to 50°C (122°F). The car and its inexhaustible four-wheel drive braved both the ice and snow of Northern Europe and the sizzling South African heat. Even in the snow, the Electronic Stability Program always detects the degree of road grip, adjusting the engine control systems accordingly. The active rear axle lock not only helps the car take fast turns, but also ensures non-slip acceleration even in the snow. One particularly memorable episode occurred when a heavy van with camera equipment got stuck in a Scandinavian snowdrift – to be pulled out by the Veyron, which mastered this task like a professional tow truck.

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