Bugatti is moving in a different direction under the stewardship of Stephan Winkelmann. His predecessor, Wolfgang Durheimer, took a more traditional approach, such as building one-off Veyrons for China. Winkelmann, however, came from Lamborghini and Audi Sport where he learned that adding testosterone to an already powerful car is what's necessary to expand the brand. One example is last year's Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, the current top speed production car record holder. While it was designed for outright straight-line speed, the 2021 Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is about both speed and track performance.
Bugatti spoke with its loyal customers and learned they desired a vehicle capable of dynamic cornering coupled with blistering acceleration. The new Chiron Pur Sport is Bugatti's answer. It's lighter, has a modified chassis, and yet produces the same output as the regular Chiron.
Yes, That Massive Rear Wing Is Functional
The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport may look a lot like a standard Chiron, but there are several noticeable differences. Up front there are wide air inlets and an enlarged horseshoe panel acting as radiator air outlets. There's also a front splitter that generates downforce and, at the same, makes the car look wider. Out back is that massive rear spoiler. It measures a total of 74-inches and it's there specifically to generate huge amounts of downforce. It also happens to look pretty amazing. Below it is a diffuser to help further improve aerodynamics and agility. Also notice that the rear wing mounts and diffuser jointly form an X-shaped design.
The new temperature-resistant tailpipe is actually made from 3D-printed titanium. A set of magnesium wheels wrapped in Michelin Sport Cup 2 R tires with optional aero blades were chosen, specifically to improve airflow across the car. There's also an optional split paintwork design, but all Chiron Pur Sports have exposed carbon fiber covering the entire bottom third of the exterior.
A Stunning Interior, As Always
The Bugatti Chiron interior layout is already a masterpiece, so why mess with a good thing? However, Bugatti realized additional weight had to be removed and the interior was yet another place it could be done. The Chiron Pur Sport's interior is somewhat stripped-back, featuring Alcantara in place of leather on the door trim panels and steering wheel. Every single trim and control component is made of either black anodized aluminum or titanium.
Like with any special edition Bugatti, the Chiron Pur Sport has its named embroidered in the headrests. But with the exception of Alcantara and those other lightweight elements, this Chiron's interior is totally familiar. We're not at all complaining.
Power, Performance, And Handling: Leaner, Tighter, Quicker
The Chiron Pur Sport is powered by the same 8.0-liter W16 engine as the regular Chiron, producing a total of 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft of torque. The automatic transmission, however, has been recalibrated to have 15 percent closer gear ratios to improve power distribution. The engine speed has also been increased by 200 rpm to 6,900 rpm. Bugatti claims acceleration from 37 to 74 mph is nearly two seconds faster than the standard Chiron.
But remember, the Chiron Pur Sport's goal is attacking corners and twisty roads, not all-out straight-line acceleration. As such, chassis improvements such as 65 percent firmer springs up front and 33 percent at the rear were added, along with an adaptive damping control strategy. Engineers also added carbon fiber stabilizers front and rear to reduce body roll. Thanks to the aforementioned lighter wheels and newly added titanium brake pad base panels, 4.4 pounds have been shed. The brake discs shave off another 2.2 pounds. All told, Bugatti managed to reduce weight by an impressive 41.8 pounds. To help show off that weight loss, a new Sport+ driving mode has been added with the objective of delaying the activations of the traction control on dry race tracks.
Pricing And Competition: Don't Ask
First thing's first: only 60 examples are planned, though that's actually a fair amount for any special edition Bugatti. We're told production will get underway in the second half of this year. Each Chiron Pur Sport will be priced from $3.55 million - and that's without any additional customization options.
Its competition? The list is extremely short. The also just revealed Pagani Imola is, perhaps, its most direct competitor. We also shouldn't rule out the Koenigsegg Jesko and upcoming Aston Martin Valkyrie, which is set to be even more extreme when it comes to track-handling capabilities. Once anyone is shopping at this level and price point, the competition means far less; wealthy customers can simply buy whatever they want.