Bugatti Veyron Test Mule Seen at the Nurburgring

Seeing the legendary Veyron on a race track is like seeing Godzilla battling it out with Optimus Prime – it's that legendary, that cool. But why is Bugatti working on here and what's the strange thing on the prototype's back?

We think that an improved engine with more output needs too much cooling for the Veyron's numerous radiators to handle. Rather than wait for a solution, removing the engine deck gives a simple cooling fix.

There's definitely something fishy about this test mule though. The front end looks like the one on the record-setting Super Sport, the funky orange car. But in order to achieve its record top speed, that car had been aggressively streamlined and didn't have the large oval cowlings on top of the engine bay. However, our prototype has the rounded indentations right above the bezel's head, just like on the 2009 Grand Sport.

We think this is because the test mule is based on one of their early show cars. Does this mean development for the Veyron's replacement is underway. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope it will be ready soon.

In a statement made last year, Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, president of Bugatti, hinted the Veyron's successor will be less of a car: "There will not be a successor of the Veyron because you cannot succeed the Veyron."

What is this then, Dr Wolfgang?