Apparently no one outside Bugatti has experienced a top speed run in a Chiron Sport, at least until now as Top Gear magazine was granted access to the Ehra-Lessien test facilities and the keys to the 1,500 HP hypercar.
Bugatti claims that the Chiron and Chiron Sport are capable of hitting a limited 261 mph (420 km/h) flat out, and still doesn’t know where it will stop accelerating with the electronic nanny removed.
In order to get access to the full potential of the Chiron, you need a special key that activates what is called the “high speed” mode. Then you have to gently bring the car and its tires up to temperature before activating the mode that changes the wing angle, drops the ride and, generally, selects the optimal settings for a really fast run.
Also Read: No, Bugatti Won’t Build You An One-Off Model On Request
The 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W16 produces a monumental 1479 HP (1500PS) and 1180lb-ft (1600Nm) of torque that’s sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Bugatti claims 0-62mph (100km/h) is a matter of 2.5 seconds, with 124mph (200km/h) achieved in just 6.1 seconds. This is a car that will happily sit at 200 mph all day long, provided you have the space available for such an endeavor -and a petrol station, or a refueling vehicle, nearby.
The Chiron Sport is basically a slightly sharper version of the ‘normal’ Chiron. While the powertrain was left untouched, the chassis received a host of upgrades, including 10 percent stiffer dampers, a retuned rear differential, Dynamic Torque Vectoring, a recalibrated steering system, lighter wheels and the world’s first carbon-fiber windscreen wipers.
It may not sound like much, but thanks to these changes, the Sport can lap the Nardo test track five seconds (!) faster than the normal Chiron without having any extra oomph.
Perhaps the most impressive thing of this top speed run is how easy the Bugatti makes hitting 262 mph look like. There’s no drama, just a car that slices through the air at speeds that defy physics, showcasing the genius engineering that went into its creation.