Bugatti introduced a one-off track car named Bolide in October 2020, but the images it sent us were computed-generated renderings. It released a batch of fresh photos that finally show the model in real life.
In a normal year, there is a good chance we would have caught up with the latest addition to the Bugatti family tree at an auto show on either side of the pond. 2020 is different because all of the events we normally cover are canceled, so the images give us a much-welcomed second look at the Bolide. It’s just as stunning in photos as it is in the computer-generated graphics, and the new gallery proves this track monster is not merely a figment of some designer’s imagination. It exists, you can look at it and sit in it. Odds are you’ll want to drive it, too.
It’s built around a quad-turbocharged, 8.0-liter W16 that’s related to the engine that powers the Chiron and tuned to develop 1,824 horsepower when it’s slurping 110-octane race fuel. While that’s an impressive figure on its own, it’s even more mind-boggling when you take into account the Bolide’s 2,734-pound dry weight. It weighs about 166 pounds less than the new, second-generation 2022 Subaru BRZ yet it has eight times the power.
Nils Sajonz, Bugatti’s recently-appointed head of special projects, shed light on one of the Bolide’s design themes. He explained the x-shaped lights on both ends are a reference to the tape that race car drivers used to put over their headlights to ensure the glass didn’t spread on the tarmac if it broke. Racing is a significant part of the Bugatti heritage, cars like the Type 35 were hugely successful, and the Bolide is the newest torch bearer.
Will it race? It’s too early to tell. As of writing, it’s a one-off model that hasn’t been approved for production. Bugatti notes that simulation testing reveals the Bolide can lap the Nürburgring in 5:23:01, a figure that makes it nearly as fast as the record-holding Porsche 919 Hybrid, and it takes 3:07:01 to go around Le Mans. The firm is done chasing speed records, but we’re hoping it gives the Bolide the chance to prove its mettle on the track.
December 9, 2020 / Comments Off on New images show Bugatti’s 1,824-hp Bolide track car in real life
German engineering and design firm Uedelhoven Studios has reimagined the Bugatti Type 35 as a modern roadster. It’s visibly inspired by the original model, but it’s lower, sleeker, and made largely with carbon fiber.
Uedelhoven Studios isn’t a household name, even in enthusiast circles, but it has helped create numerous concept cars including the 2020 Hyundai Prophecy, the 2019 Hyundai 45, and the 2019 Audi AI:Me. It explained that its designers began brainstorming ways to bring the Type 35 into the 21st century in 2015, though it’s unclear whether Bugatti was involved in the project. We didn’t see it when we went behind the scenes in its design studio to discover some of the unbuilt models it developed in the 2000s and the 2010s, including a V8-powered coupe.
Called Type 35 D, a designation never used by Bugatti, the roadster is instantly recognizable as a follow-up to the successful race car thanks in part to a horseshoe-shaped grille surrounded by a thick chrome frame, a tapered body and light blue paint. The suspension system’s components and the wheels are fully exposed, like on the original model, but Uedelhoven added fatter tires and a sizeable air diffuser that’s wider than the body.
Peeking inside reveals wood trim on the steering wheel and the gear selector, leather upholstery, and a copious amount of carbon fiber. The center console is loosely inspired by the one fitted to Bugatti’s current-day models, like the Chiron, with round instruments (including a digital gear indicator). It looks like there’s a screen on the dashboard, too, which strongly suggests the cabin isn’t as closely linked to Bugatti’s heritage as the body.
What’s under the hood hasn’t been revealed. We think the front end looks a little too narrow to house Bugatti’s thunderous 8.0-liter W16 engine and its four turbos. Released in 1924, the original Type 35 was powered by a 2.0-liter straight-eight engine tuned to develop about 90 horsepower, a magnificent amount at the time.
We don’t know what’s next for the roadster; we’ve reached out to Uedelhoven and Bugatti to find out more, and we’ll update this story if we learn more. We’d love to see the Type 35 D race like the original, which famously won more than 1,000 races (including the grueling Targa Florio held in Sicily) between 1925 and 1931.
December 8, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti Type 35 reborn as a sumptuous retro-styled roadster
Bugatti captioned the sketch “what if…?,” which suggests we’re looking at a model that’s markedly different than the other cars in its range. We can’t imagine the French company would invite us simply to imagine what a Chiron with black wheels and gold brake calipers would look like. We’re intrigued by the shape of what looks like the rear lights: they form an X, and they don’t match the light signature worn by Bugatti’s other models. We’ve seen the X theme on the aforementioned Pur Sport, though the four strips of LEDs are also reminiscent of something you’d spot in outer space. It’s a very spaceship-like look that could hint at the brand’s next design language.
X marks the spot where what we know about Bugatti’s next car ends, and speculation begins. Working extra-long hours, the rumor mill recently brought us murmurings of an electric car possibly fitted with four seats. Could we be looking at it? Alternatively, some reports claim more Chiron variants are in the pipeline, and this might be one of them. What’s certain is that, whatever we’re looking at, it’s not an SUV; Bugatti stressed it won’t build one. Finally, it’s too early to tell whether the model is related to unverified claims that Rimac is preparing to buy the firm.
Bugatti will introduce the model online in the not-too-distant future.
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October 20, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti’s next new model looks part spaceship, part hypercar
FRANKFURT — Volkswagen is drawing up plans to set up Lamborghini as a more independent unit, and is discussing long-term supply deals that could make it easier to list it on the stock exchange, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
“Volkswagen is in the process of carving out Lamborghini, and to organize future supply and technology transfer deals,” one of the sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The Italian sportscar brand, which is currently a division of Audi, could be partially listed, with Volkswagen retaining a controlling stake, the first person familiar with the talks said.
There is no formal decision to divest Lamborghini, a second source said, adding that the timetable of any deal remained unclear.
“This is a first step which gives VW the option to list the unit further down the line,” the second source told Reuters.
A third source familiar with the discussions said the future of Bugatti, Lamborghini and Ducati was discussed during a supervisory board meeting last Friday.
The possibilities for how to electrify the Lamborghini and Bugatti brands through partnerships and investors was discussed, the third source said.
Bankers and potential cornerstone investors in an IPO have been approached by the carmaker, the sources said.
Volkswagen is reviewing what role its high-performance brands Lamborghini, Bugatti and Ducati will play within the multi-brand carmaker as part of broader quest for more economies of scale, senior executives told Reuters.
A global clampdown on combustion-engined vehicles has forced carmakers to accelerate development of low-emission technology for mainstream models, leaving Volkswagen managers struggling to find resources to electrify low volume sportscar models.
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October 1, 2020 / Comments Off on Volkswagen may ‘carve out’ Lamborghini to list on the stock exchange
GTspirit was delighted to be invited to attend 30th anniversary of the legendary Bugatti factory in Campogalliano (Italy). In this place, in 1990 Romano Artioli dream came true, giving rebirth to Bugatti brand, developing and producing the wonderful Bugatti EB110s in GT, SS and even LM versions.
Unfortunately, as everybody knows, the dream lasted not for long as the Bugatti automobili SPA, due to poor economic conditions, went bankrupt and ceased operations in 1995. What was left of the Italian adventure after liquidators came is the wonderful factory, now privately owned, and for 30 years had been kept in order by the 2 custodians Enrico and Ezio Pavesi.
Bugatti Factory Anniversary
Their enthusiasm is what triggered the idea to organise this wonderful and emotional event reuniting Romano Artioli, old Bugatti employees and naturally all Bugatti enthusiast and a few collectors as well.
Stephan Winkelmann, the current President of Bugatti, was among the guests of honor and on a public speech showed his appreciation for the Factory affirming “..The Blue Factory set standards in the automotive industry at that time; it was more of a manufacturer than an industrial plant. Romano Artioli had a feel for innovation, but was always conscious of the French history and significance of Bugatti..”
As a homage to the celebration, Bugatti SAS displayed the two legends that were born under VW era, the Bugatti Veyron and the Chiron in Super Sport WRE and Sport versions and last but not least the special model Centodieci concept car.
Well, probably this will be the last time that a celebration will be held in this special location, keyword now is “look ahead at the future” hoping that the Factory of Campogalliano will be back again one day as forge of cutting edge technology. A presto!
Bugatti’s handling-focused Chiron Pur Sport should have been one of the stars of the 2020 Geneva auto show, but the event was canceled at the last minute due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Although customers weren’t able to see the firm’s newest model in person, demand has nonetheless been exceptionally high.
Geneva is a major event for brands like Bugatti because it’s one of the last shows where customers go to spend money, not just to sit in cars and play around with the infotainment system. Members of the company’s sales and marketing team consequently had to find other ways to present the model; some potential buyers were shown the Pur Sport online, while a handful have seen it in person as it tours Europe. All have given it a warm welcome.
“Feedback from customers that have seen the car, online or in person, has been positive. It’s exceeding expectations,” a spokesperson for the company told Autoblog. Bugatti will continue showing the car to loyal customers in Europe, and it will soon set sail across the Atlantic to make its debut on American soil.
Sixty units of the Pur Sport will be built by hand in Bugatti’s Atelier in Molsheim, France. It’s the latest member of the Chiron family, which also includes the standard model introduced at the 2016 edition of the Geneva show and the record-breaking Super Sport 300+ unveiled in 2019. Frank Heyl, the company’s deputy design director, told Autoblog that customer requests play a big role in shaping the different directions his team takes the Chiron in.
“We have customers who really demanded a more reactive, more emotional car. This was, of course, one idea. We said, ‘OK, let’s do it,’ and we started developing this car,” he said. Heyl stopped short of telling us what’s next, but his team won’t run out of ideas — and customers won’t run out of requests — anytime soon.
In the meantime, Bugatti’s team of intrepid road testers is fine-tuning the Chiron Pur Sport by putting it through its paces on various tracks, including the Nürburgring. Production is scheduled to start in the second half of 2020.
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July 16, 2020 / Comments Off on Demand for Bugatti’s Chiron Pur Sport is exceeding expectations
As the successor to the world-beating Veyron, the Bugatti Chiron had big shoes to fill, and by every measure it has succeeded. With its 304-mph top-speed run last fall, the latest Bugatti hypercar has handily beaten all expectations, and Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann has even publicly stated that the company will no longer chase speed records. One could argue that the Chiron’s work here is done, and yet it’s merely half way through its projected lifecycle. What more could it possibly accomplish?
Bugatti’s answer: Go faster on a road course. To accomplish this, the Chiron Super Sports 300+ formula would have to be cast aside for something entirely new. After all, the things that make a car fast in a straight line are only part of the equation when it comes to conquering a race track, and with that mission, the Chiron Pur Sport was born. These two models’ diverging missions necessitated distinct design. To learn more about just how differently they were formed, Autoblog attended a virtual round-table with Frank Heyl, Bugatti deputy design director, and Jachin Schwalbe, Bugatti head of chassis development.
The distinctions are most evident in their profiles, where the longtail design of the Super Sports 300+ radically alters the Chiron’s entire rear “box,” making the Pur Sport’s sharp rear cut-off seem almost inelegant by comparison. The slow, clean taper of the longtail design accomplishes the same thing aerodynamically that it does aesthetically. When the car is in top-speed mode, the rear spoiler even remains stowed.
This design significantly shrinks the low-pressure zone behind the car, reducing the resulting drag, but that absent spoiler also detracts from the Chiron’s stability. To compensate for the lack of spoiler deployment, Bugatti’s engineers altered the flow beneath the car and through the rear diffuser. Heyl describes this as “free” downforce, because there’s no corresponding penalty in drag from gains found with these underbody features.
With the Pur Sport, Bugatti went the other direction. This track-focused car gives up a ton of top speed to its sibling in exchange for nimbleness and acceleration, so being able to cut the minimum hole in the air is far less important. Think of design as a zero-sum game, Bugatti’s team says. With the Pur Sport, top speed was less of a priority, which allowed engineering and design to explore other capabilities.
The short rear deck and pronounced rear diffuser pair with the Pur Sport’s massive rear wing to produce significantly more downforce, significantly improving the car’s high-speed handling. It may “only” hit 218 mph, but the trade-offs allow for far greater flexibility on tighter, more technical tracks. These design changes go hand-in-hand with the Pur Sport’s extensive chassis and braking system overhaul to create a total package that is more than merely a stock Chiron with 110 pounds yanked out of it.
In the end, this divergent pair of new Chirons should provide more than enough incentive for customers to justify and/or desire plunking down a few more millions on one of the few remaining Chirons set to be made (less than 100). Basically, how and where do you want your second Chiron to be faster?
July 15, 2020 / Comments Off on How design follows function in the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport and Super Sports 300+
One of our spy photographers has caught a rather odd Bugatti Chiron prototype out testing. It features no camouflage, which reveals that it seems to fuse a regular Chiron with the Chiron Super Sport 300+. And that begs the question, what is this?
The front of the car is all Super Sport 300+. It has the revised air intakes, clusters of round vents in the hood, and big vents in the fenders. But unlike that top speed challenger, this has a normal, truncated tail from the regular Chiron. In fact, everything from the front fenders back appears to be regular Chiron. The one difference is the exhaust, which consists of two oval tips that most resemble the tailpipes of the Chiron Pur Sport. But the rear fascia is definitely regular Chiron, not the revised design of the Pur Sport.
So what is it? It could simply be a mash-up of leftover Chiron parts for some kind of test mule. It could also be shortened Chiron Super Sport 300+ that will share the same 1,600-horsepower engine as the high-speed car, but without the cost of the extra aerodynamics. Whatever it is, Bugatti’s testers evidently weren’t happy about the spy photographer catching the car, as he reports the car was hurried into a trailer and security sent to confront the photographer and stop him from sharing the photos. So it seems Bugatti has something interesting coming, whether it looks exactly like this or just has this car’s underpinnings.
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May 29, 2020 / Comments Off on Short-tailed Bugatti Chiron Super Sport spied testing
Bugatti is emerging from weeks of lockdown loudly, and sometimes sideways. Its engineers have started testing the Chiron Pur Sport unveiled in March 2020 on the Blister Berg track nestled in Germany’s Teutoberg forest.
Blister Berg is a private track, so the team only has three days to fine-tune the Pur Sport’s chassis, steering, suspension, and gearbox — the latter isn’t the same unit that’s found in the Chiron because its gear ratios are shorter in order to deliver quicker acceleration. Engineers are also monitoring wear-and-tear items, like the tires, and keeping an eye on the model-specific engine components. That’s a lot to cram into three days, especially since Bugatti had to reduce the size of the team it sent to the track in order to comply with the social-distancing measures that remain in effect throughout much of the world. Germany’s dense, fairytale-like forest is no exception.
Luckily, sensors aren’t affected by health-related restrictions, and there’s no limit to the number Bugatti can stuff into the two pre-production prototypes tirelessly lapping the Blister Berg track. They’re monitoring a variety of parameters, including the exhaust temperature. They’re also helping engineers set up the new Sport+ driving mode that relies on gyro-based technology to make the Chiron more eager to drift. Creating this profile requires a tremendous amount of calibration work. Testers download data after each run, analyze it, and make changes if needed. Bugatti told Autoblog the Chiron can already drift, but the new mode makes it a little bit easier.
Going through this costly, time-consuming process is a way for the firm to demonstrate that its definition of performance doesn’t end at straight-line speed. It wants to show a lesser-known side of its personality.
“Bugatti has always proven it can build fast cars in terms of top speed,” the company told Autoblog, pointing to cars like the Chiron Super Sport 300+. “However, we also have a history of building cars devoted to agility. This is often forgotten or overshadowed by the incredible top speed feats. We, as did some of our valued customers we talked to about this, felt we should complete the spectrum of performance of the Chiron lineup.”
Validation testing will continue in the coming months; Bugatti will notably take the Pur Sport to the Nürburgring. Jachin Schwalbe, head of chassis development, explained every part of the car needs to work perfectly on its own, but also as part of the broader package. While that’s par for the course when it comes to developing a new car, the Pur Sport needs to work perfectly over a much larger speed range than the average car.
Pur Sport production is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2020. Sixty units will be built, and pricing starts at €3 million, a figure that makes it slightly more expensive than the Chiron. In the meantime, the company’s factory in Molsheim, France, is assembling the first examples of the limited-edition Divo introduced in 2018. Bugatti’s lineup has grown considerably in a few short years, which adds a level of complexity to its production.
“We are currently building the Chiron, the Chiron Sport, and the Divo. And, we’ll be building the Chiron Pur Sport, the Chiron Super Sport 300+, the La Voiture Noire, and the Centodieci as soon as their development has concluded. We naturally had to adjust or optimize our structures and processes, not only in the production or in R&D, but also in the design, procurement, and logistics departments — in all departments, really. We have successfully done so, and the team is proud to see the portfolio grow.”
Although it couldn’t share more details about what’s next, the company assured us it’s not idling in neutral. “We can’t disclose what we are working on, but our team doesn’t know boredom.”
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May 15, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti walks us through the Chiron Pur Sport’s testing process
Bugatti recently announced that the Bugatti Divo had completed development. Customers are expected to receive the first examples later this year. To whet our appetite, the French hypercar manufacturer recently shared a new set of configurations for the French hypercar.
Customers were given the opportunity to completely customise their car with Laure Beneteau, Sales and Operations Manager at Bugatti. She works alongside three other Bugatti employees and the rest of the 15-strong customisation team, called “Bugatti sur Mesure”.
In theory, the choice of colours is unlimited. Bugatti explains: “some customers have their own ideas, such as family crests, national flags, their own logos or special colour schemes”. Customers are able to choose the colour of body panels, decorative parts, the roof, engine covers, and other components.
Bugatti has revealed some of the more personal touches it has applied to cars over the years. These include a child’s footprints on a rear panel, the first name of a customer’s partner embroidered in the door pockets, and crystals mounted in the cockpit.
It is also possible to design individually grilles or to have logos applied to the underside of the rear wing.
Bugatti also revealed general trends by region. It sees that Asian customers tend to request more unusual colours and prefer effect paint, while the European market tends to choose more restrained tones. Customers from the USA or the Middle East, on the other hand, like to order eye-catching and extravagant colour combinations.
The first configuration revealed by Bugatti includes a dark grey body with exposed carbon fibre accents. Painted stripes pay homage to the french flag with the red, white and blue running down the middle and on the fender vents. Inside, this model blends blue and black leather, with exposed carbon fibre and red and white alcantara. The text in the passenger footwell appears to read “vive la marque”.
The second example blends a unique shade of grey/gold with exposed and painted blue elements. This care also features the french flag displayed prominently at the front brake vent. Inside, this model opts for what looks like a dark blue leather dash, accented by light grey alcantara and black alcantara for the seats.
The next example is the boldest of the lot. Wearing a bright yellow, accented by dark black carbon fibre, a touch of white around the headlights adds something a little different. The interior gets a very stylish blend of black leather, alcantara and chrome work, accented by subtle touches of yellow.
The final example features white as the dominant colour, again accented by carbon fibre lower panels and with the french flag permeating the brake vent. The light accents are silver and the fender vents appear to feature rent accented fins. Inside, the theme is blue leather and alcantara with silver accents and plenty of exposed carbon fibre.
Each Bugatti Divo customer, and there are 40 of them, has paid 5 million euros for their car. Bugatti’s CEO, Stephen Winkelmann recently revealed that the entire production run is accounted for with admission predicated on owning a Chiron.
The Divo is a substantially different model from the Chiron. Focused on cornering instead of outright pace, the Divo wears completely new skin. Increased downforce, improved cooling and optimised airflow, all three elements contribute to improved handling characteristics. The Divo manages 90 km of additional downforce.
May 8, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti Shares New Bugatti Divo Configurations
Earlier this week, Bugatti confirmed that development of the Bugatti Divo had come to an end. The first customer cars are due to begin deliveries later this year. The milestone marks a return to coachbuilding for the French hypercar expert.
Bugatti first unveiled the Divo at Monterey Car Week in 2018. It was the first project developed under Stephan Winkelmann’s direction.
Even before Bugatti announced the Divo, it had already sold all 40 planned production units. A staggering feat when you consider that the asking price runs to 5 million euros, net of tax. Even more impressive is Winkelmann’s confirmation that “Every Divo customer owns a Chiron” too.
Bugatti Divo
The Divo is a substantially different model from the Chiron. Focused on cornering instead of outright pace, the Divo wears completely new skin. Increased downforce, improved cooling and optimised airflow, all three elements contribute to improved handling characteristics. The Divo manages 90 km of additional downforce.
While the bodywork differs from the standard Chiron, the engineering remains broadly the same. The Bugatti Divo continues to use the 8.0-litre W16 engine with 1,500 hp and 1,600 Nm of torque. 0 to 100 km/h happens in 2.4 seconds. The improvements in aerodynamics mean that top speed is limited to 380 km/h.
The chassis modifications include a change in wheel camber on the front and rear axles, harder springs and a more front-oriented balance. Bugatti shed 35 kilograms in weight.
April 25, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti Divo Development Complete – Cleared for Delivery
In early 2019, Bugatti ended its 15-year watch partnership with Swiss watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier and inaugurated a new collaboration with New York watchmaker and jeweler Jacob & Co. — the latter firm once known for helping define the bling-bling era in American music. When announcing the new tie-up at the global timepiece showcase Baselworld in March last year, Jacob debuted two new limited-edition watches, both based on extant Jacob models. The $545,000 Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Edition reworked the watchmaker’s Twin Turbo Furious timepiece, and the $37,000 Bugatti Chrono Edition Limitee 100 Ans celebrated Bugatti’s 110th anniversary and was based off Jacob’s Epic X Chrono. Yet, as the partnership promised to push “the limits of what seems mechanically possible,” a new and incredible watch would be needed, so Jacob spent a year developing this, the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon. Behind its sapphire crystal there’s an automaton suspended inside the case mimicking the movement of the Chiron’s W16 engine.
The animated engine serves no timekeeping purpose, it’s there for show — and it’s quite the show. Pressing the pusher crown at the base of the case sets the engine in motion for about 20 seconds; a stainless steel crankshaft milled from a single ingot pushes stainless con-rods and pistons inside a sapphire crystal block, and two spinning turbochargers can be viewed through a window on the side of the case. After three runs, the engine’s barrel needs to be recharged by turning the center crown counterclockwise, then it’s ready for another three goes. The setup consists of 578 pieces, and is so tiny and complicated that it took more than three days to program the CNC machines milling the stainless steel, and the animation designer wasn’t sure it would work. Those two factoids are perhaps the best connection to the improbable wonder that is the Bugatti Chiron.
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We meant the phrase “suspended inside the case” literally. The watch’s movement sits on four coilover dampers at the corners, allowing the movement a hint of up and down flotation which necessitated an Incabloc shock protection system. Other Bugatti-themed touches include the titanium case, the Chiron Blue hands, the watch movement’s 60-hour reserve dial that looks like a gas gauge, a window onto the tourbillion shaped like a Chiron grille, the black rubber strap, and the customization possibilities that include an owner be able to choose what color the coilovers should be.
Jacob & Co. will make 250 of the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillion, each priced at $280,000.
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April 13, 2020 / Comments Off on Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon puts a mini W16 engine in motion inside a watch
The modern era of Bugatti has seen dozens of special-editions, limited-editions, and bespoke one-offs, but the core of the company is defined by three models that have spanned the past three decades. The EB110 marked the ’90s, the Veyron ruled the ’00s and early ’10s, and the Chiron dominated the end of the ’10s into the present. Bugatti calls the trio the “Holy Trinity” and recently brought all three supercars together for a photoshoot in Dubai.
Against a backdrop of sweeping sands and a spiky skyline tipped by the Burj Khalifa tower, Bugatti placed a black EB110 next to black examples of a Veyron and a Chiron. It’s an awe-inspiring sight, even in photos, though it is a bit strange to see the models dressed like they’re going to a funeral rather than sporting any of the numerous iconic color schemes they’ve worn throughout the years.
Despite the 30 years between the EB110, and the Chiron, all three vehicles are built with the same three key components: a carbon-fiber monocoque, four turbochargers, and all-wheel drive. The technologies within these three pillars have drastically changed, but the idea of what makes a true super sports car has remained the same.
The EB110, which denotes Ettore Bugatti and his 110th birthday, debuted on his birthday, September 15, 1991, in Paris. It packs a mid-engined quad-turbo 3.5-liter V12 that has a 8,250-rpm redline. The lowest-powered EB110 had 560 horsepower, while the most powerful model made 611 horsepower. The EB110 claimed a zero-to-62-mph time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 218 mph.
The Veyron entered the scene for the 2005 model year. This time around, Bugatti slapped the four turbochargers on an 8.0-liter W16, and that engine makes a whopping 987 horsepower (1,001 PS). With the added power, the zero-to-62-mph time dropped to 2.5 seconds, and the top speed increased to 253 mph, and that was before more powerful variants were released.
The Chiron, Bugatti’s current model, debuted in 2016 and continued to build on the power and speed records its relatives had set before it. The Chiron carries on with a quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16, but it now makes 1,479 horsepower. It can sprint from a stop to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds, and in 2019, Bugatti used a Chiron to reach 304.773 mph, the fastest speed for a production car ever achieved.
To truly appreciate the greatness of these vehicles requires an in-person visit, but for now, photos will have to do. Check out the family photoshoot in the gallery above.
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April 4, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti put three generations of legendary supercars into one photo
Another special edition Bugatti Chiron arrived this afternoon. The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is limited to 60 examples. This is the Chiron for you if you like the idea of a massive fixed rear wing!
The Pur Sport benefits from less weight and a sharper focus on downforce, its the Chiron for those winding roads. The Pur Sport gets a close-ratio transmission, high-performance tyres with a new material mix geared towards extreme grip as well as an agile chassis and suspension setup.
Whereas the Chiron Super Sport 300+ was set up to hit top speeds, the Pur Sport is set up for optimum lap times. The front gets wide air inlets and an enlarged horseshoe panel to extract air from the radiators. The splitter is lower to the ground which helps to maximise downforce.
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport
A new split paintwork design has been developed for the Pur Sport. The bottom is a carbon fibre panel while the top half is painted with the choice of a custom centre-line and accents.
The rear is dominated by a 1.90 metre rear spoiler. Part of the 50 kg weight loss is caused by losing the hydraulic component of the Chiron’s automatic rear spoiler. A more aggressive rear diffuser is combined with a distinctive 3D-printed titanium exhaust tip.
Inside, Alcantara surfaces help reduce weight. Patterns have been lasered into the Alcantara door trim panels. All trim and controls are made exclusively of either black, anodised aluminium or titanium.
The wheels are also unique to the Pur Sport. They are magnesium and feature an optional aero blade. The rings fitted to the rim extract air outwards from the wheel. Each of the 5 lug nuts gets a special cover that reduces turbulence. The measures applied to the wheels alone save 16 kg.
The chassis modifications include 65% firmer springs at the front and 33% firmer springs at the rear, an adaptive damping control strategy geared towards performance as well as modified camber values (minus 2.5 degrees). Bugatti add carbon-fibre stabilisers at the front and rear. 19 kg of weight is lost here.
On top of the usual Chiron drive modes, the Chiron Pur Sport features a new Sport + drive mode. The main difference is that the traction control system kicks into action on dry race tracks at a significantly later point. Changes to the transmission mean that the gear ratio that has been configured 15% closer together.
The 8.0 litre W16 engine still kicks out a massive 1,500 hp and 1,600 Nm of torque. Due to the higher levels of downforce, the Pur Sport tops out at 350 km/h. Bugatti hasn’t released any performance details aside from the claim that the Chiron Pur Sport accelerates from 60 to 120 km/h almost two seconds faster than the standard Chiron.
40 units of the Bugatti Divo should arrive next year with these Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport models set to be produced in the second half. 60 will be available at three million euros excluding VAT. With the 250th Chiron already leaving the factory gates, and 30 Chiron Super Sport 300+ announced, we calculate that there are a further 120 Chirons left before Bugatti’s self-imposed 500-car quota is hit.
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March 3, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Revealed with $3.35 Million Price Tag
“It’s a lot of little details that add up to a very different driving experience. You immediately feel the car is nimbler and more agile,” explained Frank Heyl, the company’s deputy design director, in an interview with Autoblog.
Heyl’s team worked directly with Bugatti’s engineering department to create a front fascia with wider air intakes, a redesigned splitter, and a bigger grille. Out back, it’s impossible to miss the 74-inch long wing that unlocks quicker cornering speeds by adding downforce. Below it, a pair of exhaust tips 3D-printed in titanium are integrated into a taller air diffuser made with carbon fiber. There’s no way to miss the Pur Sport if it passes you on the highway.
The rear wing is fixed, and its mounts form an X-shaped insert. Heyl told us Bugatti deliberately sent the Chiron’s hydraulically-operated spoiler back to the parts bin to save as much weight as possible. It shaved a total of 110 pounds, which is far more impressive than it sounds. “You have to consider this: we’ve done everything we could to save weight on the base Chiron. We’ve put the most expensive materials inside this car, and used the most expensive solutions already. To gain another [110 pounds] was quite a challenge,” he pointed out.
The wheels received attention, too, and we’re not just talking about the design or the -2.5 camber angle. “[The two rings] suck air from the inside of the wheel to the outside, which creates downforce and improves the brake cooling by increasing airflow through the wheel,” Heyl explained. The 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels are made of magnesium to reduce unsprung mass by 35 pounds, and they’re wrapped by Bugatti-exclusive Michelin Sport Cup 2 R tires manufactured with a stickier compound. All told, the tweaks made at the Chiron’s four corners increase its lateral acceleration by 10%. Heyl’s equation is beginning to add up.
Alcantara upholstery largely replaces leather in the cabin. It’s lighter, and it does a better job of ensuring the driver’s butt doesn’t slide around when racing up a mountain road. Model-specific stitching on the seats and on the steering wheel, trim pieces, and miscellaneous accents further set the Pur Sport apart from the Chiron.
Bugatti then turned its attention to the chassis. The front and rear springs are 65% and 33% firmer, respectively, and the braking system is lighter thanks to the use of brake pads with a titanium base panel and different brake discs. Owners will be able to exploit the Pur Sport’s full potential by engaging a new driving mode named Sport + that wards off the traction control system’s intervention to allow a controlled drift — on a race track, of course.
“This mode enables the car to be placed on the throttle, so you can steer on the throttle a little bit more. It will allow you to go into a drift, and it will still catch you if things go wrong,” Heyl told Autoblog. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the gyro-based technology is similar to what Lamborghini offers in the rear-wheel drive Huracán.
Finally, let’s answer the question trotting through your brain: no, you won’t find more power in the engine bay. It’s the same quad-turbocharged, 8.0-liter W16 engine found in the regular Chiron, meaning it delivers 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque, but it’s bolted to a new seven-speed automatic transmission with shorter gear ratios. Engineers raised the 16-cylinder’s redline to 6,900 rpm, an increase of 200 rpm, and these seemingly small changes (along with the weight reduction) make the Pur Sport nearly two seconds quicker from 37 to 75 mph than the Chiron. Elasticity improved by 40% across the board, so it should feel strikingly quick in a straight line. The trade-off is that engineers had to limit its top speed to 217 mph due to the shorter gear ratios and the huge wing.
“Everything works together beautifully for the car to handle much better,” Heyl summed up.
Bugatti will make 60 examples of the Chiron Pur Sport, and each one costs €3 million before taxes, a sum that represents $3.3 million. Autoblog asked the company how many units are already spoken for, and we’ll update this story if we learn more. In the meantime, the French firm is preparing to deliver the first examples of the Divo.
March 3, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport: born to speed (and drift) through the twisties
Bugatti has always been a brand known for their blending of insane power, luxury and price tags with their cars. While we do love the classic modern Bugattis like the Chiron and the Veyron, we…
It’s hard to believe that it has been almost 4 years since the Bugatti Chiron debuted. Earlier this week, Bugatti revealed its 250th Chiron, the Bugatti Chiron Sport “Edition Noire Sportive”.
The Bugatti Chiron Sport “Edition Noire Sportive” marks a staggering milestone for Bugatti. 250 cars have left the Bugatti factory with a further 150 already paid for, this means that fewer than 100 units are still available for sale.
Bugatti Chiron Sport Edition Noire Sportive
The Edition Noire Sportive features a satin black carbon fibre body which extends into the interior, coupled with black leather. Chrome work has been blacked out and a Noire signature applied to the door jambs and under the rear spoiler.
The Bugatti Chiron Sport “Edition Noire Sportive” is one of 20 Chiron Noire’s planned for production as a limited edition run. Each costs an additional 100,000 euros on top of the normal Chiron Sport.
Otherwise, this Chiron shares its looks with the Bugatti Chiron Sport. This means that it gets the Chiron Sport’s new wheel design and four-pipe exhaust deflector as well as its carbon fibre windscreen wipers.
Under the rear bonnet sits an 8.0-litre W16 powerplant producing 1,500 hp with 1,600 Nm of torque. The Sport is 18 kg lighter than the standard Chiron.
The Bugatti Chiron Sport “Edition Noire Sportive” will be on display at the Bugatti stand at the Geneva Motor Show 2020 which starts the week after next.
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February 21, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti Chiron Sport “Edition Noire Sportive”: The 250th Chiron Revealed
For Bugatti, possibly only for Bugatti, a 1,479-horsepower coupe with a quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 is just the starting point. Bugatti unveiled the Chiron in 2016 with the intent of building 500 examples, and four years later, 250 units and numerous extraordinary limited-editions have been crafted. To mark the occasion, Bugatti will show No. 250, a Chiron Sport Edition Noire Sportive, at the 2020 Geneva International Auto Show, where it all began.
Near the end of 2019, Bugatti announced two new blacked-out Chirons, one called the Chiron Noire Elegance and the other called the Chiron Noire Sportive. The Elegance model exhibits a reflective gloss, while the Sportive has a muted matte exterior. Backing up the Noire designation, the Sportive model goes completely black, with nearly nothing left to show off any sort of metallic sparkle. The Elegance, however, looks a bit more dressed up with aluminum and silver accents. Both feature Noire script graphics, including on the underside of the rear wing. The Noire models are limited to 20 examples total, and No. 250 will surely be one of the most interesting of the bunch.
The Noire Elegance and Sportive follow in the footsteps of Bugatti’s (and the world’s) most expensive release, the Bugatti La Voiture Noire. A coachbuilt homage to the Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic, the La Voiture Noire reportedly cost more than $18 million, with fees and taxes factored in. It was limited to only one example, and it was only one of numerous special launches that spawned from the Chiron.
For only having one car in its lineup, Bugatti sure has made a lot of different vehicles, and we recently found out it could have been more. In an Autoblog exclusive, we learned Bugatti also planned two never-before-seen coupes that would have been marketed alongside the Chiron. Unfortunately, they never made it through to see production.
With 250 produced, only 250 remain, and their availability is getting increasingly more scarce. Bugatti says 150 Chirons are already spoken for, which means only 100 are left to be claimed. We fully expect some of those to debut new bespoke features, new special editions and hopefully more coachbuilding.
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February 20, 2020 / Comments Off on Bugatti Chiron Sport Edition Noire Sportive marks the production halfway point
A 20-strong special edition has been announced by Bugatti. The Bugatti Chiron Noire pays tribute to “La Voiture Noire”, a special Type 57 SC Atlantic created by Jean Bugatti. One of four, it is the only Atlantic which remains missing, a car which belonged to Jean Bugatti and was used in the company’s brochure, display, and as a test car.
The Chiron Noire will be available in two versions. The “Chiron Noire Sportive” will add sporting flair which the “Chiron Noire Élégance” will focus on elegance.
The Élégance model gets black exposed carbon fibre bodywork. The Bugatti “Macaron” emblem sits at the centre of the grille, made of solid silver and refined with black enamel. The callipers are also finished in black with Caractère wheels. The signature line is milled from solid metal with a matt polished aluminium finish. Both the rear-view mirror and engine cover are also finished in black carbon and polished aluminium.
Inside, the theme is dark black. Only the “Inner Signature Line” is finished in silk-matt aluminium to break the shadows. The inscription “Noire” appears on the door sills and on the outside of the centre console while a model designation badge is applied to the centre armrest.
The Chiron Noire Sportive gets a matt finish to its carbon bodywork. The exterior trim elements, the C-shaped Bugatti signature line, the wheels, front spoiler and radiator grille are all matt black. The exhaust tips are black and the engine cover too. Inside, everything is black including the inner C-line, switches, push-buttons and rotary knobs on the dashboard, steering wheel, centre console and door handles.
The 20 Chiron Noire’s will be available for the Chiron Sport at an extra charge of 100,000 euros.
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December 6, 2019 / Comments Off on Bugatti Chiron Noire is Bugatti’s Monochrome Limited Edition
Bugatti has only constructed one La Voiture Noire, the homage to the Jean Bugatti’s now-lost 57 SC Atlantic, and as far as we know, Bugatti will only build one. The Molsheim manfuacturer has come up with a way to spread the sheen of The Black Car to a few more Bugatti owners with two versions of a single special edition. The Chiron Noire Elegance and Chiron Noire Sportive are two ways to dress the hypercar up in black, the difference being that one presents a gleaming black objet to admire, the other opens two doors to a singularity and perhaps a portal to the Planet of the Apes.
The Elegance is the showy black one, all of its bodywork done in exposed carbon fiber. Two new mesh designs cover the front radiator grilles, highlighted by a Bugatti badge worked up in solid silver and black enamel. Matte polished aluminum caps the C-line swooping around the doors, tying in with the polished aluminum on the side mirrors and engine cover. Lower down, the word “Noire” on the rear fenders, scripted in black, of course, gives away the coupe’s exclusive identity, as do the black brake calipers. Inside the black leather interior, silk-matte aluminum highlights the C-line between the seats, and Noire badging decorates the center console, armrest, and door sills.
The Chiron Noire Sportive is the shadowy black one, all of its bodywork and normally metallic jewelry slathered in matte black, including the C-line and tailpipes. Bugatti appears to have dipped the interior in a tub of black, so not only is the leather the color of night, so too are all the usually aluminum parts; the C-line, the steering wheel, the center console, switchgear, buttons and knobs on the dashboard and the door handles, all of them want to swallow all the light.
Bugatti will sell only 20 of this Chrion Noire special edition, builds to begin in the second quarter of next year. Either package can be ordered for the base Chrion for three million euros ($3.3M U.S.), or added to the more expensive Chiron Sport for an additional 100,000 euros ($110,865 U.S.).
December 3, 2019 / Comments Off on Bugatti Chiron Noire only slightly less exclusive than ‘La Voiture Noire’
