I doubt that they carry these at Pep Boys!

[70salesguy]

From an article in the July 2013 issue of Motor Trend concerning tires on the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse :


"The Veyron's Michelins, which cost $42,000 a set, take 1 hour per tire to make. And Michelin will only allow two sets of tires to be fitted before the rims, which cost $69,000 a set, also have to be replaced to ensure the integrity of the bead seal at high speed."

 

[Sandy G]

That Veyron's awful High-Falutin' for a damn Volkswagen...(grin)

 

[Ohighway]

Something sounds screwy with that. I'm seriously doubting that other high speed vehicles (even specialty vehicles) need tires and wheels that are that exclusive and expensive to attain high speeds. Or I'm completely missing something here??

 

[SoundOfSound]

Something sounds screwy with that. I'm seriously doubting that other high speed vehicles (even specialty vehicles) need tires and wheels that are that exclusive and expensive to attain high speeds. Or I'm completely missing something here??

You are just missing the fact that some people have more money than common sense. :lmao:

 

[Jailtime]

Something sounds screwy with that. I'm seriously doubting that other high speed vehicles (even specialty vehicles) need tires and wheels that are that exclusive and expensive to attain high speeds. Or I'm completely missing something here??

I can't think of any other production vehicle that is over two tons and can exceed 250 MPH. There's a big difference between the Veyron, and say, a Ferrari 458. 458 is much lighter, and is good for around 205 MPH. That's a huge difference in the forces the tires are subjected to.

I know I have to cough up quite a bit more money to get a tire that's Z-rated (186+) over a tire that's H rated (130). Definitely worth it if I'm gonna be doing 150+, tires coming apart at those speeds result in unpleasant consequences.

 

[AnalogDigit]

I wonder if they have some for my 2001 Toyota Corolla?

 

[slow_jazz]

I guess if you can afford the car you can afford the tires and rims for it.

 

[eteller]

They mentioned this on Top Gear when they did a top speed run. I think they said $17K per tire.

 

[finnbow]

I can't think of any other production vehicle that is over two tons and can exceed 250 MPH. There's a big difference between the Veyron, and say, a Ferrari 458. 458 is much lighter, and is good for around 205 MPH. That's a huge difference in the forces the tires are subjected to.

I know I have to cough up quite a bit more money to get a tire that's Z-rated (186+) over a tire that's H rated (130). Definitely worth it if I'm gonna be doing 150+, tires coming apart at those speeds result in unpleasant consequences.

From Motor Trend:

Former racer Pierre-Henri Raphanel, Bugatti's official test driver and quite possibly the world's bravest man, says the only thing preventing the Veyron from going beyond 270 mph is tires. Raphanel, who set a production car record top speed of 268 mph in a Veyron Super Sport at VW's Ehra-Lessien test track in July, 2010, says Michelin runs the Veyron's massive meats on its tire test dyno at 270 mph -- the fastest it can spin -- for 20 seconds, then at 250 mph for 20 seconds. It repeats that cycle two more times. Then the tires explode.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/exotic/1206_2013_bugatti_veyron_grand_sport_vitesse_first_drive/

 

[JHS2RT]

It repeats that cycle two more times. Then the tires explode.

Yikes!!!

 

[EWizard]

That Veyron's awful High-Falutin' for a damn Volkswagen...(grin)

Too funny. Doesn't that thing have like a W-8 or something?
2 - 8 cylinder engines mounted side by side?

 

[Sandy G]

Nah, I THINK it has a W-16. 4 rows of 4 cyls... I'd HATE to try changin' the spark plugs in that jewel...I wonder what Professor Porsche would think of it.. He favored simple & light...The Veyron can't be accused of being either one.. For an average, everyday driver, like myself, getting into a Veyron & trying to see "What She'll Do" would be tantamount to suicide, I would think..

 

[El Pee]

They mentioned this on Top Gear when they did a top speed run. I think they said $17K per tire.

Yes, they also mentioned that at full speed (north of 250 mph!) the tires will only last for 15 minutes or so...

Impractical and prohibitively expensive though it is... that car is one impressive piece of engineering.

 

[Brett a]

Impractical and prohibitively expensive though it is... that car is one impressive piece of engineering.

No doubt. I think it was on Top Gear where they made the point that this car had to be engineered and built to withstand all the forces involved in traveling at insane speeds, generating insane Gs, and still be able to function as an over-the-road car for years and years. It's not going to get its gearbox stripped down and overhauled after every track day, nor is the engine going to be removed and rebuilt after every hard workout. This thing has to hold together as an actual consumer CAR for the duration of it's useable life. That in itself is pretty miraculous.

 

[jaguar06]

...I know I have to cough up quite a bit more money to get a tire that's Z-rated (186+) over a tire that's H rated (130)....

Yep. I paid more for a single z-rated tire than I'd paid for any set of four tires previously.

 

[finnbow]

That Veyron's awful High-Falutin' for a damn Volkswagen...(grin)

Designed by Volkswagen but built in France, albeit in the Alsace where some Teutonic know-how may still reside.

 

[Sandy G]

No doubt. I think it was on Top Gear where they made the point that this car had to be engineered and built to withstand all the forces involved in traveling at insane speeds, generating insane Gs, and still be able to function as an over-the-road car for years and years. It's not going to get its gearbox stripped down and overhauled after every track day, nor is the engine going to be removed and rebuilt after every hard workout. This thing has to hold together as an actual consumer CAR for the duration of it's useable life. That in itself is pretty miraculous.

Hehehehe...Wouldn't you LOVE to be able to have a Veyron as your toodlin' around town, pop down to the corner store vehicle ?!? Wonder how many sacks of groceries it'll hold ?!?

 

[finnbow]

Hehehehe...Wouldn't you LOVE to be able to have a Veyron as your toodlin' around town, pop down to the corner store vehicle ?!? Wonder how many sacks of groceries it'll hold ?!?

It has a small cubby that'll hold a pound of foie gras, a baguette, and a bottle of Dom Perignon.

 

[Sandy G]

It has a small cubby that'll hold a pound of foie gras, a baguette, and a bottle of Dom Perignon.

An' a jar of Grey Poupon, no doubt...(grin)

 

[Ohighway]

also think about the gas usage = 3 miles per U.S. gallon at top speed - with a 26.4 gallon fuel tank - it won't last long.

also fun facts - http://www.motormorph.com/?p=1795

I read the link you provided. :thmbsp: If the top speed is 253, and it drains that 26.4 gallon tank in 12 minutes, that means the car travels 50.6 miles on that tank of gas. My math says 1.9 mpg.

Maybe that 3 mpg figure counts the mileage traveled coasting from 253 down to zero.... lol.....