Chiron diets, gets curves. At last, Bugatti is ready to monster corners, not smash top speeds. Meet the Chiron Pur Sport.
Where does Bugatti go after smashing through the 300mph barrier with its Chiron Super Sport 300+? It goes for the corners, that’s where. This lighter, firmer, more driver-focused Chiron Pur Sport is the car that showcases Bugatti’s new interest in swinging for apexes.
Power from the 8.0-litre W16 engine is unchanged at a highly sufficient 1479bhp and 1180lb ft, but a new fixed rear spoiler caps top speed at just the 217mph, down from the regular Chiron’s 261mph. The 1.9-metre-wide wing not only improves downforce as part of a re-worked aero package (no figures, mind), it’s also 10kg lighter than the active one. Combined with a fresh magnesium wheel design, liberal use of alcantara inside and a few other tweaks, it helps save 50kg.
Yes, this is a drop in the ocean for a two-tonne hypercar, but the Pur Sport is not just about weight-trimming. There are closer gear ratios that improve in-gear acceleration by 40 per cent – Bugatti says 38-50mph is blitzed in two seconds in the leisurely sixth cog. But the biggest contributions to the Chiron Pur Sport’s ability through curves come from its chassis and tyres. Spring rates climb 65 per cent at the front and 33 per cent at the rear, the adaptive dampers have been fettled, and there’s more negative camber for extra bite from the front end.
And because there’s a 19kg reduction in unsprung weight (16kg for the wheels, 2kg for brake pads, 1kg for discs) those tweaked dampers should have less work to do to keep rubber in contact with road.
Ultra-aggressive Michelin Cup 2 R tyres (20s up front, 21s at the rear) are said to increase lateral acceleration by 10 per cent, meaning cornering speeds are higher. Fancy your chances breezing past those limits? There’s also a new Sport+ drive mode, which undoes the stability control’s top shirt button. So unless you routinely flash your lights in 217mph queues, this all promises to make the Chiron a better car full stop. Bugatti has made its point: it can build very fast cars. Now it’s doing something much more interesting: making them handle.
SHARPER CHASSIS
Springs are 65 per cent stiffer front, 33 per cent rear, dampers re-tuned, plus there’s more negative camber. Tyres are grippy Michelin Cup 2 R
RIMS WITH RINGS
New magnesium wheels available with optional aero rings designed to draw hot air from the brakes, and tidy airflow down the flanks
TRIM THE FLAB
Weight falls 50kg, helped by a titanium exhaust, a fixed rear wing and 19kg pruned from the unsprung mass. The total is, however, still a hefty 1945kg
GEARED UP FOR FUN
Quad-turbo W16 still makes 1479bhp and 1180lb ft, but rev ceiling is now 200rpm higher at 6900rpm. Gear ratios more closely stacked
You like alcantara? You’re in luck
