Up to 267mph

The last decade has been dominated, in terms of sheer engineering excellence, by Bugatti’s finest: in true Bugatti-style, always reverberating history and past victories in every new model, the onomatopoeic 987bhp ‘Veyron’ was named after a Bugatti driver, Pierre Veyron, who won the 24-hour Le Mans race in 1939.

The first Veyron, launched in 2005, reached 253mph. The latest version, the Super Sport, boasts increased power at 1184bhp and has a recorded official speed of 267.85mph. The fact that, at that speed, the Veyron’s £23.5k set of tyres lasts for approximately 37 miles is more a statement to the car’s amazing performance from its W16 engine (two V8 together in a staggered configuration) than the tyre compound failure to keep up with progress.

It cost £840k at launch, with a price tag of over £1.4m for the current bespoke, bug-coloured black and orange version.