Lighter, faster Bugatti Chiron Super Sport hits 273mph
Bugatti has revealed a lighter more powerful and even faster version of its mighty Chiron hypercar.
Called the Super Sport, the new model gains 100hp over the ‘standard’ Chiron. Its 8.0-litre W16 engine now produces 1,600hp, while the overall weight has been cut by 23kg.
Bugatti says its engineers modified the turbochargers, oil pump and cylinder heads to eke out the extra power. Its rev limit has also been increased by 300rpm to 7,100rpm to provide ‘even greater acceleration’.
How great? Well, the Chiron Super Sport can blast from zero to 125mph in 5.8 seconds and reach 186mph in 12.1 seconds. The French company also points out the 0-248mph time is slashed by seven percent. Handy at the traffic lights… The Super Sport has a top speed of 273mph.
Despite the dizzying statistics, Bugatti insists the new car is not simply about straight-line performance. The Super Sport, it says, ‘stands for increased comfort and elegance coupled with even greater performance and high speed’.
Nonetheless, ‘every centimetre’ of the car has been designed for top speed. The rear has been lengthened by 25cm to increase aerodynamic efficiency, while Bugatti adds it has enlarged the diffuser’s cross-section, significantly reducing slipstream and wind resistance. At the front, side air curtains alongside the intakes improve airflow and reduce drag.
Michelin has developed new tyres for the car, which have been optimised for top speed (what else?) and are the only tyres that ‘can consistently drive at up to 310mph’.
Apparently, the tyres undergo stress testing on a bench that was originally built for the Space Shuttle. They are also X-rayed following production ‘in order to rule out even the most minuscule of irregularities’.
Production of the Chiron Super Sport starts soon and first deliveries are due next year, with prices from £2.7 million. Better start saving…
Daniel Puddicombe writes for Motoring Research