Bugatti Speeds Ahead with 1,500-hp Chiron Supercar

Volkswagen AG’s Bugatti unit says its new Chiron supercar is faster and more powerful than the brand’s outgoing Veyron, which in 2010 set the speed record for street-legal production car at 267.7 mph.

Although the Chiron’s top speed is electronically limited to about 261 mph, Bugatti expects the ultra-high performance coupe to approach 290 mph in unrestricted mode.

The Chiron, is longer, taller, wider and about 340 lbs heavier than the Veyron. But the output of the new model’s upgraded 8.0-liter W-16 engine more than offsets the increased weight.

Featuring four two-stage turbochargers with a redesigned air intake and cooling system, the reworked engine produces an earth-shattering 1,478 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque. By comparison, the base Veyron makes 1,000 hp, and the record-setting Super Sport version reaches 1,200 hp.

Below 3,800 rpm, only the two smaller turbochargers are used to provide faster actuation. The larger turbos kick in above this level to create a linear power curve.

Other performance upgrades include a carbon fiber inlet manifold, six catalytic converters and a titanium exhaust system that helps reduce back pressure. The engine is mated with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission with paddle-shifters for manual operation.

Bugatti says the car can rocket from zero to 62 mph in less than 2.5 seconds and reach 124 mph in about 6.5 seconds. It will take just 13.5 seconds to hit 186 mph, which the carmaker says is three seconds faster than the original Veyron.

Built on a new carbon fiber monocoque chassis, the all-wheel-drive Chiron gets an electronically controlled multi-plate center differential with torque vectoring.

Other goodies include a hydraulically controlled rear wing, an electro-mechanical steering system, air suspension with variable ride height and Z-rated Michelin tires. The brakes feature large carbon-ceramic rotors and 8-piston calipers in the front with 6-caliper units in the rear. The system enables the Chiron to come to a complete stop from 62 mph in 103 ft.

Bugatti plans to limit production to just 500 units with a starting price of $2.6 million. The company also expects the vehicle to be profitable—something it didn’t achieve with the Veyron due to its high development costs.

Bugatti says it already has presold about one-third of the production run. Deliveries will start in September.