In what was a fairly chilled press conference, Stephan Winkelmann of Bugatti set about unveiling the company’s new car this morning. And if you thought the standard Chiron was quick, wait until you get a load of this brute.
This is the Bugatti Chiron Sport, which takes on the mantle set out by the Veyron Super Sport as being the evolution of the ‘standard’ car that focussing on simply being faster in every way.
So what makes the Chiron Sport such a maniac from the legendary hypercar manufacturer?
THE EMPHASIS IS ON HANDLING
The Sport has the same 1500PS W16 as the ‘standard’ car.
A handling mode has been implemented that stiffens the car’s adjustable suspension, allowing the Sport to hunker down to the tarmac and keep its composure on tight and twisting roads and tracks.
The suspension itself is an all new damper setup that utilities an new control system that leans towards faster cornering and track times.
IT’S LIGHTER
The wheels have been trimmed to save every gram possible.
Altogether, Bugatti has shaved 18kg from the car’s weight, bringing it in at 1978kg. That’s still pretty damn heavy for a super/hypercar, but at least it has saved a little something.
To be honest, it is the way the car needs to go if it’s to beat the likes of Koenigsegg.
IT’S PREDICTABLY QUICKER THAN THE STANDARD CHIRON
The ’16’ signifies the 16 cylinders sitting in the Chiron’s engine bay
At the handling track used by Bugatti for testing, the Sport has set a time five seconds faster than the standard car, emphasising the increase in speed that the new car can carry into and out of the corners.
This is helped obviously by the weight reduction but also by an all-new torque vectoring system on the Chiron Sport that’s helps shift the presumed 1500PS power to any of its four driven wheels. The rear diff has had a little recalibration to focus purely on slingshotting the car out of the tightest of bends.
FOUR EXHAUSTS ARE ALWAYS BETTER
We’ve all been fans of the gaping exhaust system previously used on Bugatti’s cars but the Chiron Sport opts for four outlets that protrude from a rakish rear diffuser.
This may seem a bit more Lamborghini than Bugatti, but we’ll let them away with something a little more garish for once.
IT’S REFRESHING TO SEE THAT THE FOCUS ISN’T JUST TOP SPEED
Bugatti has obviously realised that there is a market for making a more track-worthy version of the Chiron and that’s nice to hear after the constant barrage of top speed records.
We will probably need to wait a bit for a 300mph monster that will knock Koenigsegg of its perch but for now, it’s cool to see Bugatti focussing its efforts on something a tad more relevant and ‘usable’.
What do you think of the Chiron Sport? Is it the right move for the Chiron to make? Or would you rather see them going for the 300mph prize? Comment with your thoughts below!
Originally Published on drivetribe
