Feel old yet? Bugatti is already restoring ‘modern classic’ Veyrons

Whenever somebody mentions the words ‘modern classic’ our minds are instantly drawn to things like the Sierra Cosworth RS500 that sold for nearly £600,000 the other day. So, imagine how old we felt when Bugatti got in touch about two “modern classic automotive icons” that it had just restored. Yep, they are Veyrons.

“As it matures with time, the Veyron is appreciated more today than it ever has been,” says Luigi Galli, Bugatti’s Heritage and Certification Specialist. 

“This car was a feat of automotive design and engineering that was light years ahead of its time when it was launched in 2005. That fact remains today, which is why the Veyron continues to become ever more desirable for collectors around the world. To call it a modern-day classic is an understatement – the Veyron is a timeless collectible.”

Both of these recently refreshed examples went through a nine-month restoration process, with the 2006 16.4 Coupe changing from two-tone grey to that famous two-tone blue exterior colourway. The interior was also swapped from ‘cognac’ to ‘Havanna’. Bet that cost a fair bit. The 2009 Veyron Grand Sport kept its exterior colour, but the interior was changed from ‘silk’ to ‘magnolia’. 

While completely stripped back as part of Bugatti’s La Maison Pur Sang restoration programme, both cars “underwent a methodical technical inspection” and had their drivetrains pored over to ensure that the glorious W16 engines were still in working order.

Again, we’re sure that cost a bob or two, and would you believe it – they’re both owned by the same lucky so and so in the United Arab Emirates. Maybe they took on an extra paper round last month and were feeling particularly flush?