Like many of the most iconic cars ever made, the Bugatti Veyron was created to fulfill the vision of one extraordinary person. Ferdinand Piëch – whose grandfather Ferdinand Porsche designed the Beetle in the 1930s – became CEO of Volkswagen in 1993, and his legendary obsession with engineering resulted in one of the company’s most remarkable periods. Mr. Piëch created the Veyron specifically to show the world that the Volkswagen Group was the world’s finest carmaker.

Volkswagen had acquired the Bugatti brand in 1998 and set about reinventing it to become the crown jewel of its parent company’s sprawling empire. To ensure this, Mr. Piëch involved himself intimately in the Veyron’s development. At his insistence, nearly everything about it would push the limits of what was possible. Its performance targets certainly did: 1,000 metric hp, 1.2 g of acceleration, 2.0 g of deceleration under braking, and a top speed of at least 407 kph (253 mph) specifically to better Peugeot’s 1988 record achieved on Le Mans’ Mulsanne Straight, which unseated the Porsche 917 speed record set in 1971. Piëch had managed Porsche’s competition department during the 917’s development and wanted to banish the usurpers who dared challenge the performance of one of his cars.

To do this, the Veyron spent five years in development and emerged with a carbon fiber tub, all-wheel drive, a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, a behemoth 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged, 64-valve W16, and no fewer than 12 heat exchangers for the heating, air-conditioning, engine coolant, intake charge (intercoolers), and oil coolers for the engine, transmission, and differentials. And because it is a product of one of the world’s largest carmakers, the Veyron was originally sold with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty.

It is a technological tour de force, but beyond that, the Veyron is also an object of art: leather-trimmed, beautifully detailed, and wildly exclusive, thanks in no small part to its original price of $1.7 million. In exchange for this sum, owners received an incredibly singular driving experience. Its jewel-like gauges and finely wrought aluminum accents are simultaneously technical and luxurious, which mirrors the experience when underway. The car is docile at low speeds, with light steering and a DSG transmission, which was a revelation in period, and remains clever even by today’s standards.

However, the centerpiece of the experience is the performance. What was a fast car off-boost becomes positively explosive when on full boost, yet the car is sure-footed and composed, even at outrageous speeds. The car at 150 mph feels routine, and normal highway speeds feel as if the occupants could simply get out and walk. The W16’s extraordinary soundtrack is dominated by a symphony of turbo noises which change with boost pressure, throttle position, and rpm, adding a sense of drama and texture that makes every Veyron ride, regardless of speed, an occasion.

For an entire generation, the Veyron represented the ultimate in automotive excess and, nowadays, its pure internal-combustion power train already evokes a completely different era from today’s hybrid and electric hypercars. It is awesome in the truest sense of the word – a monument to the capacity of human achievement.

Just 252 Veyron 16.4s were built, of which this was the 23rd. Finished in two-tone Sterling Gray and Graphite Metallic matched to a gray leather interior, its original owner was noted collector and philanthropist Michael Fux. Of particular note, during his tenure with the car, he participated in the Dream Ride in Farmington, Connecticut, benefiting the Special Olympics, and giving memorable rides to children with disabilities. For years, it was reportedly his car of choice to drive, as one of his most exotic and satisfying cars in his formidable stable. It was acquired by the consignor in 2016 and, during his ownership, he has had the Veyron serviced by an authorized Bugatti dealer, including a substantial service which included the replacement of the tires. At the time of cataloguing, the odometer read just 4,114 miles.

When it was introduced, the Veyron redefined automotive performance. This fact, coupled with its rarity, means that it will always be collectible. This elegantly finished example retains the purity of the original Veyrons and has been lightly used, making it ideal for the collector seeking one of the most thrilling cars of the 21st century.