Last week we reported that a third Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang, one of only five made and the world's most expensive production car, had been listed for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList. Now a fourth Pur Sang has surfaced for sale at Florida's exotic auto dealer Forza Collezione. The car on offer is said to be the first of the five Pur Sang's built and we're told the pricetag is $3.8 million. This means only one of the five Pur Sang's remains in private hands. The first was offered up in Abu Dhabi, and the next one surfaced a couple of weeks later in Frankfurt, Germany, where the car was originally unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The special edition supercar with exposed carbon fiber and aluminum bodywork sold out within 24 hours of its original announcement.

Earlier this year we reported on two ultra-exclusive $3 million Bugatti Veyron Pur Sangs, the world's most expensive production vehicle of which only five were built, being put up for sale. The first of the special edition cars with exposed carbon fiber and aluminum bodywork, which sold out within 24 hours of their original announcement, was offered up in Abu Dhabi. The next one surfaced a couple of weeks later in Frankfurt, Germany where the car was originally unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Now a third Pur Sang has been listed for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList in Munich.

With the other two Pur Sangs already on the block as previously noted, only two of the cars seemingly remain in private hands. Also back in April we noted that 18 Veyrons were on offer via JamesList; that number has now swelled to 23, or nearly one-fifth of all Veyrons built to date. The cheapest is a 2005 model with 29,000 miles on it offered at €789,000 or about $1.09 million. Obviously the pitiful economy means many people are having to try and unload these agonizingly expensive automotive status symbols.

With a seven-figure price tag, not many of us can get anywhere near a Bugatti Veyron, but $25,000 sounds a bit closer to what we could afford to spend on a car. We'd just imagine that twenty-five grand lasting a bit longer than one day. But if you simply must get behind the wheel of a Veyron and don't know anyone willing to let you drive theirs, you could always turn to Holders Vehicle Contracts, a rental firm in England. HVC will rent you a Veyron for the princely sum of $25,000 per day, plus a $160,000 deposit. With those figures attached, HVC isn't likely to be targeting the average joe, but those with the cash to burn who might be deterred from spending the full million might find themselves strangely tempted.

Photos by Pawel Litwinski © 2009 Courtesy of Gooding & Company

On August 15 – 16 Gooding & Company is holding its annual auto auction during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The centerpiece of the sale is an incomparable piece of Bugatti history: marque founder Ettore Bugatti's personal 1938 Type 57C Coupe (above), which is expected to fetch several million dollars. Bugatti factory employees originally assembled the car as a birthday present for Mr. Bugatti, and the car's one-off coachwork is believed to be one of the last designs penned by his son, Jean Bugatti, before his death. It's a truly unique piece of automotive history.

Deemed one of its most cherished automobiles, the Bugatti factory went to great lengths to protect the precious vehicle during World War II when its premises were in danger. After Ettore Bugatti's death in 1947, the car continued to be maintained and stored at the Bugatti workshop in Molsheim, France, where it received upgrades as over the years. These included tailored interior accessories, a unique engine and transmission combination and other subtle technical improvements that distinguished it from any other Type 57.

Since leaving the Bugatti factory in the late 1950s, the precious vehicle has had only a few protective caretakers and remains one of the most correct and original Bugattis in existence, untainted by later restoration. The car is being sold without reserve, no doubt to encourage bidding. Last year at Gooding's Pebble Beach sale a rare 1937 Type 57SC Atalante Coupe sold for $7.92 million, setting a record for the highest price ever paid for an automobile at auction in the U.S.A. It remains to be seen what effect the recession may have on the chances of this sale topping that feat.

The world is not lacking for high-priced convertibles. Between exotic machinery like the Ferrari California, Mercedes SL, Bentley Continental GTC, Rolls-Royce Phantom DHC and Pagani Zonda F Roadster, to name just a few, there are plenty of epically fast and monstrously priced open-air motors to choose from. And this is the grand-daddy of them all: the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport. Initially revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance at Monterey Beach, California, last year, the targa Bugatti is just now entering production, with the first deliveries taking place as early as next month. Only 150 examples will be made, with the first 50 going to existing Veyron owners at a price approaching $2 million, minus pocket change. As fast as the Veyron burns fuel and rubber, its owners will need it.

Police in Los Angeles have questioned celebutante Paris Hilton after several of her new neighbors' cars were vandalized including a $1.4 million Bugatti Veyron. The incident occurred on Monday night at the starlet's Hollywood Hills house where she's just moved back in following a long renovation. Hilton threw a welcome back party that went on until 4 a.m., causing neighbors to complain to the police, TMZ reports. The same neighbors woke up to find their cars keyed and egged, apparently in revenge. In addition to the Veyron, two Bentleys and two Maseratis were also trashed. The cops are still investigating.

With its million-euro Veyron, the grandest of grand touring cars, Bugatti may be a long way from racing these days. But back in the day its Type 35 Grand Prix car was the dominating racing machine of choice for gentleman racers and professional drivers alike. Over the course of a decade in the inter-way period, the proliferation of Bugatti Type 35s achieved an unfathomable 2000 race victories at the hands of such revered pre-WWII driving aces as Jean-Pierre Wimille, Achille Varzi, Malcolm Campbell and Prinz Hermann zu Leiningen. To commemorate those glory days and celebrate its milestone anniversary, each of those drivers gave his name and racing color to one of four special edition Veyrons which the marque rolled out on the shores of Lake Como along with their historic counterparts.

No word on whether these particular Veyrons, of which only one of each will be made, will be available for sale, but if they are expect a considerable premium. The special display, which we previewed last week, is just one of a variety of anniversary celebrations which Bugatti has got lined up this year, which started with the Bleu Centenaire edition debuted in Geneva, and will include special events at Pebble Beach in August and at the company's factory in Molsheim in mid September, so stay tuned. In the meantime, why not have a glance at the images in the gallery below for a closer look at the Bugatti specials past and present.

It would appear that our earlier report on the quantity of Bugatti Veyrons going up for sale was only the tip of the iceberg, as a seemingly endless succession of special-edition versions of the million-euro supercar have been showing up on the marketplace. First we spotted a Pur Sang edition, one of only five, put up for sale in Abu Dhabi. Then we reported on yet another one on offer from Frankfurt. But if 2 out of 5 of that production run wasn't exclusive enough, now an even more unique example is up for grabs, provided you have the cash.

The Pegaso edition was made as a special model for one wealthy Eastern European oil baron living at the prestigious Burj al Arab development in Dubai, which you may recognize as the world's only seven-star hotel. The Pegaso was commissioned in tribute to the custom workshop in Spain that transformed several Ferraris and Alfa Romeos of note during the 1950's, and is differentiated by a unique contrasting white-over-red paint scheme and custom interior. It is on offer for €1.85 million, which may seem like a huge premium over the million-euro sticker price for a new example, but looks like a bargain compared to the $3 million being asked for that second Pur Sang edition.

Hard to believe that with owners selling off their unique Veyrons, Bugatti is still producing new special editions. But so the case would appear to be as the most premium of premium automotive marques gears up to celebrate its 100th anniversary this weekend with not one, but four new versions of its seven-figure supercar.

Following up on the one-off Bleu Centenaire edition which Bugatti unveiled at the Geneva show last month, the new Centenaire edition is scheduled to debut at the prestigious Villa d'Este auto show on the shores of Lake Como where, as we reported earlier, Ralph Lauren will also be demonstrating his very special Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic to commemorate the marque's centenary. Each of the Veyron Centenaires pays tribute to one of Bugatti's pre-WWII driving aces, each hailing from a different country and represented by a different color: Sir Malcolm Campell's in British Racing Green, Achille Varzi in Italian Racing Red, Jean-Pierre Wimille in French Racing Blue (Bugatti's signature color) and Hermann zu Leiningen in an off-white to represent Germany. No word yet on pricing, but prospective buyers can expect to pay an extra premium over the – ahem – "ordinary" Veyron's million-euro asking price. Stay tuned for more.

Earlier this month my colleague Noah Joseph reported that an ultra-rare Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang (above), one of only five built, had been put up for sale in Abu Dhabi at an undisclosed price. When originally announced in 2007, the special edition cars with exposed carbon fiber and aluminum bodywork sold out within 24 hours. Now a second Pur Sang is being offered in via online global luxury marketplace JamesList for $3 million in Frankfurt, Germany where the car was originally unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It only has 124 miles on it, in case you were wondering. As we reported previously, the economic downturn has forced many Veyron owners to try and offload the vehicles in the hopes of cashing in on their exclusivity.

Formerly high-flying music producer Scott Storch (above with his Bugatti Veyron) has been charged with grand theft auto after failing to return his leased Bentley GT. Storch, who produced hits for the likes of 50 Cent and Beyoncé and partied with close pal Paris Hilton, has fallen on hard times recently and has seen his $10 million Miami mansion foreclosed on.

According to a copy of the a the police report obtained by MTV News, Storch began leasing a 2004 Bentley GT in February 2006 which was due to be returned last month. However, instead of handing over the pricey wheels Storch gave the Bentley to L'il Kim, TMZ reports. A repo company finally tracked the car down at Kim's place in New Jersey. Storch was released on bail after posting an undisclosed amount; according to some reports he is currently in rehab.

All Veyrons are special, but some are more special than others. As if a $1.5 million supercar weren't special enough, Bugatti has come out with what has seemed like an endless array of special editions to further differentiate the rare cars one from another. It all started with the Pur Sang edition, a Veyron with its bare aluminum and carbon-fiber body exposed like an heiress on a Mediterranean beach. Only five were made, and were sold within 24 hours of its announcement. It seems like the sheikh who bought this one, however, is in need of some extra cash, and has put his up for sale for an undisclosed price at an Abu Dhabi dealership. Interested parties with an extra couple million to spare should contact the dealership directly.

At the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy on April 24-26, designer Ralph Lauren will be presenting his multiple concours-winning 1938 Bugatti Atlantic 57SC (above), one of only three built. At the event, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, Lauren's beautiful car, worth several million dollars, will be making its first European appearance in 18 years. The Concorso is held at the ultra-luxurious Grand Hotel Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como, where part of Casino Royale was filmed, and which we featured in our post on the world's most luxurious private gardens. More than 50 classic beauties spanning six decades of motoring history have been selected to appear at this year's Concorso, which is presented by BMW with sponsorship from Swiss watchmaker Girard-Perregaux, while bespoke coachbuilders Bertone and Zagato will stage world premieres of their new concept cars.

[via JustLuxe]

The actual Shelby SuperCars Ultimate Aero (above) that was certified as the official "World's Fastest Production Car" by Guinness World Records in 2007 and still holds the title is for sale via online global luxury marketplace JamesList for $1.25 million. The US-made car clocked an average top speed of 256.18 mph, beating the Koenigsegg CCR's previous official record by 11.83 mph and demolishing the Bugatti Veyron's unofficial record by 3.63 mph. The SSC Ultimate Aero, with its 1183 hp power plant, is the first American car to hold the record since the Ford GT40 captured the title in 1967, and it joins an ultra-exclusive club that includes the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, 1986 Porsche 959, 1990 Lamborghini Diablo and 1994 McLaren F1. The car can do 0 - 60 mph in an astounding 2.78 seconds. The buyer will get a copy of the Guinness certificate.

It is true that the Midas touch usually ends up appearing more like a beating from the 'rod of distaste.' Not always though, and thankfully this splendid Bugatti isn't actually suffering from Gold sheet metal, but rather a decadent paint job. With a slathering of two-tone gold paint, this owner of this charming speed demon pampers it like a new born - an almost 2 million dollar new born. Kept in a special climate controlled garage in Kuwait, this gold Veyron is a pride of the desert.

With needs like an occasional $10,000 detail job, this isn't the type of super car you just ignore until you get the itch to drive fast. Instead, the proud owner will likely be spending much of his time with a delicate cloth buffing the Veyron's flanks while whispering to it in soft German. The occasional drive through the boulevards of Kuwait with the luxurious gold paint job may not necessarily be to show off, but rather as camouflage to blend in with the sand while pushing the Bugatti's massive 1001 horsepower 16 cylinder engine to its over 200mph limit.

Gallery at Zero Customs.

Via Motor Authority.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.