It’s official! The Bugatti Veyron is once again the fastest production car in the world. Bugatti’s official test driver Pierre Henri Raphanel completed two top speed runs at VW’s Ehra-Lessien test track, recording an average time of 268mph.

The car used for the run is the new Super Sports special edition of the Veyron which makes its public debut at the Pebble Beach Concours next month.

Taking the already potent standard coupe as a base, the firm’s engineers have increased the size of the four turbos and intercoolers. This has upped power to 1,183bhp and 1,500Nm of torque. New, motorsport-inspired dampers have also been fitted.

Road cars will be limited to ‘just’ 258mph, and the first five Super Sports cars, which have already been sold, will get the same exposed black carbon fibre and orange paint scheme as the record breaking Veyron.

All Super Sports cars feature different bodywork to improve aerodynamics. Made using a new carbon fibre weave to reduce weight, the body now features an elongated cover for the engine which incorporates huge ducts to scoop air into the engine. The front bumper also gains revised intakes.

So far, Bugatti has sold 260 Veyrons, 35 drop top Grand Sports and five Super Sports models, taking the firm to 300 cars. Bugatti originally planned to sell 300 cars by 2012, but this looks set to be extended due to the car’s popularity, despite its £1-million-plus price tag.

THE lid has been lifted on VW’s hot new roadster! Auto Express’s sources in Germany have revealed that a production version of the stunning BlueSport roadster has been given the green light.

The mid-engined two-seater wowed crowds on its debut at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show with its blend of sports car thrills and a frugal diesel engine. Now, insiders close to the project have revealed that a showroom-ready design is being finalised before engineering prototypes begin testing.

Stylists have stayed as true as possible to the original show car, and our exclusive illustrations reveal the newcomer’s look.

The familiar VW face is carried over from the Golf and Scirocco, so sleek headlights and a narrow, horizontal grille will appear. A set of LED daytime running lamps is the only notable addition.

Compact dimensions mean the BlueSport is shorter and lower than the Golf, but nearly as wide, so it has a squat, muscular stance.

Inside, the bespoke-style interior of the concept will make way for a more understated and sporty design, similar to that seen on other performance VWs, including the Scirocco. Thanks to the mid-engined layout, storage spaces in the front and rear should boost practicality.

Weight is kept to a minimum by the use of an ultra-light aluminium chassis, plus a manually operated canvas folding roof. The car will tip the scales as low as 1,200kg – similar to rivals such as Mazda’s MX-5.

Power will come from the show car’s 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel, as well as a choice of the turbo and supercharged 1.4 TFSI engine from the Polo GTI, and the Golf GTI’s 2.0-litre turbo unit. A six-speed manual gearbox is to be offered as standard, but VW’s dual-clutch DSG set-up will be available as an option.

Performance from the diesel version is expected to be rapid, with 0-60mph in around six seconds. But it won’t come at the expense of efficiency; thanks to regenerative braking and stop-start, the newcomer promises fuel economy of 45mpg and sub-120g/km CO2 emissions.

Our sources say that as Toyota is said to be working on a hybrid version of its MR2 replacement, and Honda has already launched its petrol-electric CR-Z, a hybrid BlueSport could follow. Expect to see the car in dealers by 2013, priced from around £20,000.

Economy meets opulence in Mercedes’ facelifted CL coupé. Radical changes under the bonnet mean the S-Class-based CL500 now returns a respectable 30mpg, while at the same time increasing power and performance.

Key to the CL’s new frugality is an all-new 4.6-litre twin-turbo V8 that hikes power from 388bhp to 435bhp, and produces a huge 700Nm of torque – up 32 per cent. Mercedes has confirmed that this engine will also appear in the S-Class and E-Class.

The new V8 pushes the two-tonne CL from 0-62mph in less than five seconds, but BlueEFFICIENCY tweaks – including direct injection and a stop-start system – mean it produces CO2 emissions of 224g/km. That shaves £200 off the owner’s tax bill.

For buyers more concerned with power than frugality, the CL600, CL63 AMG and CL65 AMG will all be available as a special order. The 600’s 5.5-litre V12 delivers 517bhp, pushing it from 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds.

As before, the CL brims with technology, getting the latest in active safety devices linked to a network of cameras and radar devices. The blind spot detection system not only flashes a warning if you’re in danger of straying into the path of another car, but will brake the opposite wheels if you don’t react, which steers the car to safety. Headlights automatically dip in the dark, while the standard intelligent light system offers five different modes, depending on the weather or type of road.

Radar cruise control keeps a set distance to the car ahead, braking to a standstill if need be without driver input, while active body control can reduce the effect of crosswinds.

External changes include a more pronounced V-shaped grille, new air intakes in the front bumper and LED driving lights.The CL500 will cost roughly £90,000 when it goes on sale in October, with the 5.5-litre V12 twin-turbo CL63 AMG around £100,000.