The Chiron's time as the speed king may be numbered.
Bugatti has said chasing speed records is not a priority for the company. But this didn't stop the automaker from being the first to crack the 300 mph barrier. A Bugatti Chiron recently achieved 304.773 mph at Volkswagen Group's Ehra-Lessien test track, setting a new world record in the process. There will be some debate over the validity of the record because the Chiron used in the test was far from stock. The 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 was tuned to produce 1,578 horsepower, the length was increased while the height was decreased, and the Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires were reinforced to handle the immense speed.
While the Chiron used was not exactly the same as a customer car, the achievement is still impressive. So much so, in fact, Hennessey reached out to Bugatti via Instagram to congratulate the company on its new record - and send them a message.
Hennessey's message reads, "Congrats to our friends at Bugatti on your 304 mph run! Such a massive achievement and we accept the challenge!" Of course, Hennessey is expected to shoot for its own top speed record with its upcoming hypercar, the Venom F5. The top speed run is expected to take place in Texas, possibly before the end of 2019. Hennessey's previous car, the Venom GT, once held the top speed record at 270 mph, so the American company knows a thing or two about how to achieve a speed record. The Venom F5 will produce even more power than the Chiron courtesy of a 7.6-liter twin-turbo V8 rated at 1,600 hp and 1,300 lb-ft of torque, meaning it could have enough guts to beat the Bugatti.
Breaking 300 mph in a production car is no simple task but if anyone can take on the challenge, it's Hennessey. VW's track has a 5.4-mile straight but Hennessey's home state of Texas has its fair share of runways to use for a top speed attempt. Bugatti should enjoy its top speed record for now but Hennessey won't rest until it steals it back.
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