RE: Watch the Bugatti Chiron make history

RE: Watch the Bugatti Chiron make history

Monday 2nd September 2019

Watch the Bugatti Chiron make history

One day a production car will go quicker than 304.77mph. But Bugatti will always have been first



What more can we say about Bugatti's waltz through the 300mph barrier? "At that kind of speed, normally aeroplanes are flying in the air," said Stefan Ellrott, head of development at Bugatti. That's it in a nutshell. And when you remember that the same Chiron could be given number plates and happily driven to the shops, you remember just how ticklishly difficult that nutshell is to crack.

Also worth noting - as a PHer did impressively early on - that 84 years ago tomorrow marks the day Sir Malcolm Campbell broke the 300mph barrier in the Campbell-Railton Blue Bird at Bonneville. That car, of course, was built solely for one purpose, and invested with a 36.7-litre 2,300hp Rolls-Royce R V12 engine to achieve it.

The Bugatti Chiron in question has 700hp less from its quad-turbo W16 - plus nice seats and wing mirrors and doors to put them on. Naturally it's a testament to Bugatti that it has achieved the feat with such limitations - whether it's an 'official' record or not. It has arguably gone about it the right way, too: the barrier is broken, whichever firm follows them must now accept second place in the history books.

Or, as Andy Wallace says: "Wow, guys, what a fantastic car. Thank you."


 

Author
Discussion

GolfJay

Original Poster:

17 posts

157 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Is this a "Production" car? The rear end looks completely different. Also, is this particular "Chiron" available for sale?

frayz

2,629 posts

160 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
I don't care if its a "production spec" or the whats, whys and wherefors, if it should be allowed and "whats the point" blah blah blah

This is fapping amazing and a stunning achievement too all involved. biggrin

kambites

67,582 posts

222 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
GolfJay said:
Is this a "Production" car? The rear end looks completely different. Also, is this particular "Chiron" available for sale?
It's not the current Chiron production car (slightly different aero, a taller top gear and some additional safety stuff) but they are apparently going to make a car in this spec (or very close) available for sale.

Edited by kambites on Monday 2nd September 17:54

Ph1listine

1,352 posts

101 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Astonishing.

gizard

2,250 posts

284 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Bonkers ….. biggrin

unsprung

5,467 posts

125 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Ph1listine said:
Astonishing.
+1

One could probably fill an hour-long lecture on the physics of the tyres, alone.

cooling

aero friction

suspension dynamics

truly another world

coffee


g4ry13

16,998 posts

256 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
I wonder how long those tyres would last at that speed.

Jonny_

4,128 posts

208 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
frayz said:
I don't care if its a "production spec" or the whats, whys and wherefors, if it should be allowed and "whats the point" blah blah blah

This is fapping amazing and a stunning achievement too all involved. biggrin
This, times a million. Awesome feat of engineering and of driving skill.


Leggy

1,019 posts

223 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Holy F*ck!

GroundEffect

13,838 posts

157 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
It's the Frankfurt IAA motorshow this week, this launches just before the start of it...what's the betting there'll be a special edition of 10-20 cars that match that spec?


velocgee

511 posts

147 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Had to check the date wasn’t April 1st!

Plate spinner

17,712 posts

201 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Serious question my son just asked - need a physics boffin...

If you were running at 300mph and stuck your arm straight out of the drivers widow, would it break off?!

Haha, no, I’ve no idea why this was his first thought either hehe

the_hood

771 posts

195 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
Words aren't really adequate to describe what an achievement this is.

WheelyTyred

28 posts

80 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all

Sparkzz

450 posts

137 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
YESSSS.
cool

Zygersaf

18 posts

62 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
frayz said:
I don't care if its a "production spec" or the whats, whys and wherefors, if it should be allowed and "whats the point" blah blah blah

This is fapping amazing and a stunning achievement too all involved. biggrin
I think the reason it matters is that some aftermarket tuners achieved 300mph earlier this year during a standing 1 mile run with a tuned ford GT. So yeah cool this one is road legal, but if it is only "production spec" and isn't actually the one you can drive on the road then what doe sit matter? They were 6 months too late to get that record! Unless this is some "ultimate spec" car that you can actually buy the achievement is "meh" in my opinion. Like yeah, well done Bugatti and your infinite VAG R&D money you managed to reach 300mph with 6 months after some Americans that put a few hundred K into a 40 year old car!

DoubleD

22,154 posts

109 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
frayz said:
I don't care if its a "production spec" or the whats, whys and wherefors, if it should be allowed and "whats the point" blah blah blah

This is fapping amazing and a stunning achievement too all involved. biggrin
It is amazing and its good to have positive comments for once rather than the usual moaning.

Striple

174 posts

142 months

Monday 2nd September 2019
quotequote all
after having done 150mph on a motorbike and knowing how fast that feels, this must have been so exciting/scary for the driver!!

Arsecati

2,314 posts

118 months

Tuesday 3rd September 2019
quotequote all
Well they are not the first 'road legal' car to go over 300mph (that's IF this car is actually road legal with all the mods they've done), as a few Texan Tuners in the US have already taken a 13 year old Ford GT over the 300mph about 6 months ago. And it's also not the first 'production' car either, as you can't actually buy it. And before anyone slobbers on about the 'near identical cars' being made available for sale after they're unveiling in Frankfurt, just ask one simple question: 'will it go over 300mph, mister?' And the answer will be no. This will always be the one and only version of the car that will go over 300mph, so for those who DO go buy the 'Special Super Speed Edition' (or whatever they will call it), what actually are you buying? An homage? A tribute? A pastiche? Whatever it is, it WON'T be the fastest production car or road legal car you can buy: that honour will still be with Koenigsegg.......... for the moment anyway!

johno333

82 posts

150 months

Tuesday 3rd September 2019
quotequote all
When the cameras stopped rolling, some old cruddy Astra van saled past him