Friday 3rd March 2017

Bugatti Chiron hits the road

Veyron? Yesterday's news as the first production Chirons leave the factory

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In a press release best described as a polite clearing of the throat ahead of next week's Geneva show Bugatti has released a video celebrating the departure of the first production Chirons from its Molsheim 'Atelier'. You can perhaps understand why - with the world's supercar buying elite dusting off their best tailored sports jackets, expensive timepieces and posh loafers ready for the show Bugatti will be keen to remind them it's still the daddy in this game.

Are those afterburners?

Lest we forget, the production Chiron was formally unveiled a year ago at the same show and Bugatti is promising "a further customer vehicle" for its stand this year. The first of a range of increasingly ostentatious one-off special editions in the mould of the Veyron? We'll see.

For now the first cars off the line are Chiron1series models with the entry level spec of a 1,500hp quad-turbo 8.0-litre W16 motor. Two-stage turbocharging means its 1,180lb ft of torque is there from 2,000rpm to 6,000rpm and there's the 261mph top speed present and correct to triumph in any key fob measuring contests you might be having with your hypercar owning mates.

From the moment you lay down your 2.4m euros (before options) and pull the trigger on the preferred spec construction of your Chiron takes six months of painstaking assembly by Molsheim's specialist technicians. A taste of that is shown in the video, including the 'mating' of the 628kg powertrain and the the carbon monocoque. With the rear body built around the engine and gearbox the two sections are joined by 14 titanium bolts, each weighing just 34g. Each stage requires suitably time-consuming quality control, mainly involving being fondled by a white-gloved Frenchmanm if the video is anything to go by.

Bugatti expects to build Chirons at the rate of 70 per year, these first three cars featured in the video now on their way to owners in Europe and the Middle East.

Watch the vid here.

 

 

[Onehp]

Looking forward to your review

[Vee12V]

Didn't the first one already leave together with that GT prototype thingy?

[PhantomPH]

See one in action here:

https://drivetribe.com/p/KaDWIcrjRN6nQ9Ga64ImFA?ii...

Edited by PhantomPH on Friday 3rd March 12:15

[Krikkit]

I know it gets a lot of hate, but I think that looks absolutely spectacular.

I like the nerdy factory details - like the little stainless flaps that cover the track for the posts to run along etc.

[Vitorio]

I very much appreciate the engineering that goes into cars like this, but it does absolutely nothing for me

They veyron was revolutionary for breaking the 1000hp and 400 kmh barrier, this just goes a tiny bit faster (and oddly, 300hp more, but slower then a veyron SS?)

And the design is very "cheap generic futuristic RC car toy" to me.

[Europa1]

Mr Trent, you used the phrase "pull the trigger". Go and stand in the corner and think about what you've done.

[WCZ]

Vitorio said:

slower then a veyron SS

?

[0a]

Krikkit said:

I know it gets a lot of hate, but I think that looks absolutely spectacular.

I like the nerdy factory details - like the little stainless flaps that cover the track for the posts to run along etc.

I agree. I like the fact that it's not another track hypercar. It's a bit of an ultra barge

[Dave Hedgehog]

Veyron? Yesterday's news?

last decades news ....

[Vitorio]

WCZ said:

Vitorio said:

slower then a veyron SS

?

261 mph is 420 kph according to almighty google, i seem to remember the Veryon SS doing 431

Wiki tells me that the Chiron is limited to 420 (and should do ~460 unleashed), but after the Veyron being such a big deal for hitting over the magic 400, the Chiron being limited to under the Veyron SS...

[Dan Trent]

Europa1 said:

Mr Trent, you used the phrase "pull the trigger". Go and stand in the corner and think about what you've done.

I had to leverage my best creative thinking and blue sky how I was going to action that particular terminology.

I think I successfully put it in the back of the net there.

Dan

[lestiq]

I'm completely torn these days. Car design engineering, motorsport are all some of things I enjoy most out of life, I wouldn't be on this site if I didn't. But I don't know if I can really celebrate the ultimate expression of a car that probably uses more energy on a high speed run that I will in a normal week. Its nearly 1500 bhp, the only people that are driving these are probably contributing to the planets decline, so I can't really get excited about it either. So many talented engineers, designers, making effectively a giant polished member. I wonder what they could've achieved if they had turned their talents to the world at large.

[jhonn]

What I'd like to know is - when you're rich and successful enough that you can quote'pull the trigger' on a 2.5 mill. hypercar is your typical owner really excited about it being delivered? Or..is it just another tick filling in a gap in the collection?

When I say excited, I mean really excited - like that feeling that you had when you were in your teens and you were getting your first car/bike, and you couldn't sleep, and you couldn't wait, because... Woohoo! - you were going to be driving soon!

What I guess I'm trying to say is ... is the more expensive/advanced the car, does it translate in to a more exciting ownership experience (at this level)?

Not that I'll ever be in a position to find out..

Or maybe I'm just rambling.

[Europa1]

Dan Trent said:

Europa1 said:

Mr Trent, you used the phrase "pull the trigger". Go and stand in the corner and think about what you've done.

I had to leverage my best creative thinking and blue sky how I was going to action that particular terminology.

I think I successfully put it in the back of the net there.

Dan

Did you take a scuba in the think tank, before running various ideas up the flagpole to see if anyone saluted?

[Vitorio]

Nanook said:

Well, yeah...

But if they bring out the all singing all dancing one now, how are they going to justify jacking the price up again for 'limited editions' in a few months?

Chrome-plate it?

In all seriousness, they couldve limited the Chiron to 440, and jack the turbos up some extra in the inevitable SS model and shoot for 470

[daveco]

lestiq said:

I'm completely torn these days. Car design engineering, motorsport are all some of things I enjoy most out of life, I wouldn't be on this site if I didn't. But I don't know if I can really celebrate the ultimate expression of a car that probably uses more energy on a high speed run that I will in a normal week. Its nearly 1500 bhp, the only people that are driving these are probably contributing to the planets decline, so I can't really get excited about it either. So many talented engineers, designers, making effectively a giant polished member. I wonder what they could've achieved if they had turned their talents to the world at large.

That's a Monday morning type of post, on a Friday afternoon!

[LotusOmega375D]

Shirley this story should be accompanied by the usual Pistonheads: "Bugatti Veyron - Catch it While You Can" story?

We can then all start trawling the classifieds for some 13 year-old bargains!

[Dan Trent]

Europa1 said:

Did you take a scuba in the think tank, before running various ideas up the flagpole to see if anyone saluted?

You are worryingly fluent in this language...

Dan

[Plug Life]

See them soon circling around Harrods at 5mph chased by plonkers.

[threespires]

Europa1 said:

Mr Trent, you used the phrase "pull the trigger". Go and stand in the corner and think about what you've done.

Agree