Big news on the Bugatti front today, Bugatti released the Veyron replacement at the Geneva Auto Show today. Meet the Bugatti Chiron, 1500 horsepower, the top speed is limited to 261 but we’re told when it’s uncorked it can do 288, and an ultimate form of performance and luxury that only Bugatti can manage.
Every single exterior piece on the Chiron is designed to help the car achieve the insane speeds Bugatti is famous for, the chassis is as rigid as an LMP1 racecar and for good reason, at the speeds it can achieve it only allows for a .025 flex in the frame at any point in time. The headlights have been pushed to the outside not only to provide better lighting quality but also to allow for central ducting to the brakes. The tires are a special formula from Michelin designed just for the Chiron, Like the Veyron it also uses active aerodynamics in the rear wing, allowing for more down force and handling mode, a smoother streamline in top speed mode, and when you hit the brakes it acts as an airbrake by turning itself vertically above the car.
Unlike its closest competitors which are often recognized as “the holy trinity” the Chiron is not hybrid powered, the quad turbo W16 engine backed by a strengthened 7 speed gear box borrowed from the Veyron is all that powers the all-wheel drive system that powers this rocket ship, able to put down a 0-62 time in under 2.5 seconds and a 0-186 in 13.6. Of course all of this power and speed means nothing if you can’t slow it back down. The brakes are 20mm larger and made from carbon silica carbide, meaning the 8 piston front 6 piston rear calipers can clamp down even harder as the rotors are more resistant to heat and lighter weight than the previous Veyron brakes.
No expense was spared on the interior design, full of beautiful rich leather, carbon fiber, and a stereo system that even Dr. Dre can’t beat; the 4 tweeters have one karat diamond membranes. The designers specifically left the speedometer analog rather than digital. The cars are so rare that most of us probably won’t ever see one in person, but if you get the chance, you won’t be disappointed when you look at the interior to see a dark blank dashboard. Instead you see a beautiful speedometer that sweeps from 0-500 kilometers per hour.
Check out our gallery for pictures of the Chiron and more updates from the Geneva Auto Show as they come in.
