Bugatti’s million euro Veyron may soon be a thing of the past for US buyers if strict new laws regarding child-safe airbags are implemented. The US is Bugatti’s largest market and the French automaker cannot afford to lose these sales. To accommodate the new rules, the cost of the car would rise almost 10 percent and cause a delay in production until 2008.

The new airbag determines whether the occupant is a child or an adult and controls the direction of the exploding bag to suit. Bugatti is not alone in its frustration over the new legislation. Many other low-volume manufacturers are having the same problem, including Maserati, Spyker, Lotus and Lamborghini. So far only Ferrari has been given an exemption by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, but even this is only temporary.

[Source: zibb]