Guinness returns fastest production car world record to Bugatti

The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is back as the “Fastest Production Car” after Guinness World Records looked deeper into the claim, and decided that Bugatti's eliminating the speed limiter in order to set a record did not bar the vehicle from holding the title.

“The focus of the review was with respect to what may constitute a modification to a car's standard specification,” said Guinness in a statement. “Having evaluated all the necessary information, Guinness World Records is now satisfied that a change to the speed limiter does not alter the fundamental design of the car or its engine.”

Now the company owns both the open- and closed-top speed records with the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse and the Veyron Super Sport. The former clocked a speed of 254.4 mph while the latter logged a speed of 267.8 mph.

Texas tuner John Hennessey, who produces the Venom GT franken-supercar, for now, has to settle with having the second fastest production car, which hit 265.7 mph at California's United States Naval Air Station Lemoore. That speed was never verified by Guinness, but we did see video of the feat on Hennessey's website.

But the fact remains, the Bugatti Veryon Super Sport in your neighborhood garage will top out at 258 mph, while the Venom GT your neighbor just bought goes 7.7 mph faster. So if you're ever in a very long, very straight drag race, the Venom will continue after the Veyron hits the limiter.

By Jake Lingeman