Bugatti’s eagerly-anticipated successor to the Veyron boasts an astonishing set of power and acceleration figures, and will go on sale in the Autumn with an equally staggering £1.9million price tag.
Perhaps that’s a fair price for a new model that Bugatti modestly describes as the “world’s most powerful, fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive production super sports car”, but it doesn’t really matter. Customers excited by the Chiron and its redeveloped 8.0-litre, quad-turbo W16 engine – which produces 1,479bhp and 1,600Nm of torque from as little as 2,000rpm – are queuing up with deposits already.
London-based luxury car dealer H.R Owen is reportedly the only place in the UK you’ll be able to get hold of a Chiron, but with around 360 production slots left globally, you’ll have to be quick.
The new Chiron makes almost 300bhp more than its Veyron Super Sport predecessor. The top speed is limited to 261mph for “road use”, but the firm states this is “by no means the end of the road” for the Chiron. The speedo runs up to 500kmh (310mph), but we don’t expect that to be achievable any time soon.
Bugatti has made this monumental speed possible by enlarging each of the four turbos and introducing an innovative new two-stage spooling system. A titanium exhaust also features, as do six enormous catalytic converters. The manufacturer also claims the Chiron uses the highest-performance clutch ever fitted to a passenger car. Carbon silicon carbide brakes with eight pistons rein all that power in, as does the air-brake that protrudes from the rear haunches.
But this isn’t just a straight-line weapon, according to Bugatti. The carbon body is based around a new carbon-fibre monocoque chassis, which should mean it’s considerably lighter. It gets an adaptive suspension system and specially developed tyres, and is claimed to be “an agile, modern Bugatti with handling that ensures maximum driving pleasure”.
Although the car has been testing for some time now, the bold mix of curves and straight lines for the exterior is still striking. At the front it gets a sculpted bonnet and low headlights, while round the back, a unique 1.6m long LED light strip features. It’s taller and wider than the Veyron, with increased space in the cabin. Inside you’ll also find luxury features like a high-end sound system, WiFi and 31 leather trim colour options.
Only 500 examples of the Chiron will be built, and around 166 of those have already been snapped up by super-rich customers.
Speaking at the Chiron’s 2016 Geneva Motor Show reveal, Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said: “Yes, we have nearly 170 cars allocated for serious purchasers. They have all laid down either 250,000 US dollars or 200,000 Euros.”
Incredibly, one potential super-wealthy buyer has paid deposits for no less than six Chirons, and Durheimer added that he was aware of some customers buying used Veyrons to give themselves a better chance of being allocated a Chiron, as the brand will look more favourably on current owners.
And given parent company Volkswagen’s current financial predicament, with massive fines and compensation bills looming in the wake of Dieselgate, Durheimer said the Group had nothing to fear from the Chiron, which is of course a hugely expensive car to develop. “This is a profitable project,” he stressed. “It produces more money that it will cost.”
