Words: Jonathan Wells
Bugatti aren’t a company famed for taking it slow – either in speed or styling. So, as the iconic Veyron pulls both off the road and on its handbrake, the supercar’s successor has – predictably – come storming onto the scene.
The Chiron, a £1.9 million hypercar, will be limited to a run of 500 – but still replaces the Veyron as Bugatti’s sole production model. So what do you need to know about the newest Bugatti wheels burning rubber on the road?
In astronomy, a ‘Chiron’ is a comet with a unique and erratic orbit. But, whilst Bugatti’s new model may have the ferocity and might of a meteorite, the designers have engineered any potential for erraticism out of the car to create a refined and responsive motor.
In astronomy, a ‘Chiron’ is a comet with a unique and erratic orbit. But, whilst Bugatti’s new model may have the ferocity and might of a meteorite, the designers have engineered any potential for erraticism out of the car to create a refined and responsive motor.
To create a worthy successor to a car whose name has become synonymous with speed, Bugatti have supersized the Chiron. The four turbos have been increased in size and a pioneering two-stage spooling system introduced. A titanium exhaust system has been introduced to the design, along with six enormous catalytic converters.
Dürheimer believes the Chiron to have the highest-performance clutch ever fitted to a passenger car and this, coupled with carbon silicon carbide brakes – with eight pistons apiece on the front – and the air-brake that protrudes from the rear haunches, promises a ride experience beyond exciting.
Unlike the Veyron, whose rear section was crafted from steel, the Chiron has a fully carbon-fibre monocoque chassis, or unibody, meaning that it is considerably lighter than its predecessor. A bold mix of curves and straight lines make up the exterior, and the sculpted bonnet with its low headlights calls back to the Veyron’s styling.
However, the Chiron is both wider and taller than the Veyron, which allows for a much larger cabin space – and a unique 1.6 metre long LED light strip at the back further sets itself apart from the 2005 design of Bugatti’s last offering.
With an adaptive suspension system and tyres that have been specially-developed alongside Michaelin (a new set will set you back £40,000) Dürheimer claims that the new car is “an agile, modern Bugatti with handling that ensures maximum driving pleasure”.
At 268mph – with its electronic speed limiter deactivated – the Veyron Super Sport holds the current speed record for a production car. However, according to Dürheimer, the engineering team behind the Chiron are convinced that “the Chiron is faster, but [they don’t know] by how much”.
Some sources suggest that 288mph is definitely possible – a huge increase on the Veyron’s attempt. Details regarding a 0-60 time are yet to come to light, but with figures like these being thrown around, expect it to be little more than 2.5 seconds.
Little is known about the interior – you’d want at least a little secrecy for £1.9 million – but we do know that the Chiron contains a luxury high-end sound system, portable WiFi hotspot and upwards of 30 leather trim and colour options.
If you do indeed have £2 million burning a hole in your pocket, London-based luxury car dealer H.R Owen is the only dealership in Britain where you can order a Chiron.
Of the 500 models Bugatti will produce, 200 have already been sold – with 15 of those destined for UK roads. On average, each customer will spend an additional quarter of a million pounds on extras. But there’s nothing average about these buyers – rumour has it that one customer has already pre-ordered not one, not two, but six Chirons. Unique and erratic without doubt.
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