Two very special cars
05/31/2025
They stand right next to each other. And they have more in common than you might think at first glance. Most obviously, they are both black. Although there are around 70 years between the two designs, the creators pursued similar goals in the 1930s and the noughties of the new millennium.
Both the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport and the Mercedes-Benz 540K "Autobahnkurier" were intended to cover longer distances as comfortably and safely as possible, but above all as quickly as possible. In 1936 this meant well over 170 km/h, in 2005 over 400 km/h.
Even in the 1930s, this required a great deal of technology. Eight cylinders and a displacement of 5.4 liters combined with a supercharger gave the Mercedes-Benz 180 hp. Combined with the particularly aerodynamic body, of which only six were built at the time, this was enough to achieve top speeds that were otherwise almost only possible for racing cars.
In the Bugatty Veyron Grand Sport, built from 2005 onwards, 16 cylinders, eight liters of displacement and four turbochargers had to be used in order to exceed 400 km/h with 1200 hp, but only after special precautions were taken. However, a sustained speed of 360 km/h was also on a par with racing cars at the time.
Either way, both cars were practically unaffordable, and hardly anything has changed in this respect. And both are among the highlights of their time.
Spotting both superlatives side by side is a rare occurrence. But at the Swiss Classic World in Lucerne , which is open until Sunday, June 1, 2025, you can experience exactly that. So let's get there!
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