Building a car from scratch is one thing, but making an extreme hypercar like the Bugatti Chiron is a completely different matter, as it has to handle superbly on the track yet still be a very fast and comfortable intercontinental cruiser.

The development of the Chiron ended in 2016, with the Geneva Motor Show unveiling. Nonetheless, the French company has since expanded the lineup with several derivatives, including the new Chiron Pur Sport, a more track-focused model whose sole purpose, compared to the ‘regular’ Chiron, is to offer an even more focused driving experience.

Usually, Bugatti’s engineers head to the Nurburgring or Nardo racetracks for the fine-tuning process, yet in this instance, they chose the Bilster Berg, with its 19 turns, 44 crests and dips and 230 feet (70 meters) change in elevation that is 2.6 miles (4.2 km) long. After weeks of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, Sven Bohnhorst, the Bugatti engineer responsible for the chassis setup and testing, along with his colleagues, were finally able to head to the racetrack again and make the Chiron Pur Sport as pure as possible.

Watch Also: Discover How The Bugatti Chiron Is Hand Built In This 50-Minute Documentary

Their work usually includes a warm-up lap, followed by two fast laps and a cool-down lap. Besides keeping it between the lines and driving it as quick as possible, the engineers have to pay attention to a lot of things, from the handling to the steering, dampers, traction control, spring rates, anti-roll bars, tires and so on. It may look like a walk in the park, but it’s not, and ultimately, it’s down to the entire team to agree to the perfect setup.

“The beautiful thing about the Chiron Pur Sport is that it continuously provides sensitive feedback. It remains extremely controllable, also thanks to the interaction of a mechanically finely-tuned basic setup, and is enhanced by coordination with electronic control systems to prevent any unexpected events”, said Bohnhorst. “This creates natural, very powerful handling, nothing artificial. It is important to me that I am the one in control of the car, not the other way around.”

Limited to just 60 examples, each priced at €3 million (~3.3 million) excluding tax, the Chiron Pur Sport is a lighter, more aerodynamic variant of the Chiron. It shares the same 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 engine, which still makes 1,479 HP (1,500 PS / 1,103 kW) and 1,180 lb-ft (1,600 Nm) of torque, yet it comes with a recalibrated transmission and a redline that is set 200 rpm higher, at 6,900 rpm.

 

Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport
Bugatti Engineer Explains The Delicate Fine-Tuning Aspect Of The Chiron Pur Sport