Bugatti Veyron 

The two banks are essentially twin, narrow-angle Volkswagen VR8 blocks fed by a quartet of turbochargers and direct injection to produce 1001 horsepower (now rumored closer to 1100) at 6000 rpm and 922 pound-feet of torque between 2200 and 5500 rpm.

On good gas (say 93 octane or better), it is rated at 1,001 horsepower and 922 pound-feet of torque.

The car is equipped with huge carbon-ceramic brakes: 15.7 inches in front with eight-piston, four-pad calipers, and 15.0 inches in back with six-piston, two-pad calipers.

According to the engineers it’s easily capable of even greater outputs, but the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox couldn’t reliably handle them.

The Veyron's seven-speed dual clutch automated manual transmission - developed and built by British engineering company Ricardo - is more accomplished, and the ride is more compliant.

You might think you're a purist, and prefer the uncorrupted induction and exhaust note of a naturally aspirated engine, but I defy you not to love this noise and not to sacrifice the smooth progress the Grand Sport is perfectly capable of making in favor of a little gentle, deliberate kangarooing to get the engine sounding like a riled cobra.

The energizer in the Veyron is a WR16 displacing 7998cc and turbocharged with 15.8 psi of boost.

But the Bugatti engine has more cylinders, more displacement, more power per liter, and more output overall than any other engine in the WR family tree.

You have just ignited a quasar (which is a much more accurate term for the 16.4 engine).

The result is phenomenal: We felt none of the nervous front-end vibration during full throttle that afflicts the Super Sport coupe’s steering.

Despite weighing almost 4400 lbs and power being sent to all four wheels, the steering is light and weights up nicely as the angle increases.

The power-assisted hydraulic steering is superbly reassuring in its actions and perfectly weighted, allowing a change in direction with the immediacy of a much smaller car.

The B-pillars get carbon fiber hoops and the intake faces get their own carbon fiber hoops as well.

The air intakes double as roll over protection with 10 cm wide carbon fibre inserts and the doors have been swapped with carbon fibre along with an added beam to transfer any side impact to the A- and B-pillars.

The blue carbon fiber finish also seemed to amplify the Super Sports smooth hewn-from-a-block look, a characteristic best gazed on from the rear.