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Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse world speed record: Video

We hoped that tease might be for something really interesting and new – perhaps the much rumoured 1600bhp Veyron or even the Galibier –  but it was simply a new world record for an open-topped production car. Impressive, of course, but just more of what we expect from Bugatti, rather than something new and innovative. The new world record for the Vitesse was set at the VW facility at Ehra-Lessien where Chinese driver Anthony Liu took the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse to 254mph, creating a new world record for an open-topped production car and, more importantly for Bugatti, an excuse to produce a limited run of the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse WRC Edition with a black and orange paint job for €1.99 million each.

Designer Paul Smith launches exhibition

DESIGN GURU Sir Paul Smith has given a glimpse into his world with a re-creation of his office forming part of a new exhibition dedicated to his work. The fashion star takes centre-stage at the Design Museum in London for the next four months with items from his vast archive on display. Sir Paul was at the launch today, posing alongside colourful life-size cardboard cut-outs and showing off sketches, designs and other paraphernalia from his lengthy career as one of Britain's best-known creative forces.

New VW Golf R Mk 7 costs from £29,900 in the UK

The new VW Golf R (pictured) costs from £29,900 The best of the MK 7 Golfs – the new Golf R – arrived back in August ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, with Volkswagen telling us it would go on sale in early 2014. But it’s actually on sale now, a few weeks early. At £29,900 (for the 3-door with 6-speed manual), the Golf R is a sensible price ( at least in comparison to VW’s truly silly price for the MK 6 Golf R Cabrio – which they subsequently dropped by more than £5k) and undercuts the similar Audi S3.