Bugatti's speed record could spark interest in its seven-digit Supercars

When you sell a car with a starting price of less than $ 3 million, a car already considered the most powerful and expensive sports car in the world, does a higher speed really add to the package? ? Without a rarefied air source in which to draw, this author can only assume that the right to boast becomes more and more important as a person wins. Why, if not, do wealthy people climb Everest only to die on its icy slopes without oxygen?

For Bugatti, the manufacturer of the 1500-horsepower 16-cylinder Chiron, a speed record crushed under the wheels of a prototype "close to production" last month only serves to add pomp, even useless, to the nec more ultra halo cars.

With the Bugatti test driver and former Mans champion Andy Wallace driving, the automaker took a more valuable variant of the Chiron at 304.77 mph on a track in Lower Saxony on August 2nd. The automaker praised this achievement as being the first time that a vehicle close to production exceeds 300 mph.

It should be noted that this speed is only 7 mph less than the cruising speed of a 1950s Douglas DC-6 airliner, or 451 feet per second. After adding this feat to her resume, Bugatti said she would now "pull out of the competition to produce the fastest production cars."

"Our goal was to be the first builder to reach the magic bar of 300 miles per hour. We did it – we are extremely proud of ourselves, the entire team and myself, "said Stephan Winkelmann, president of Bugatti, in a statement. "We have shown repeatedly that we are building the fastest cars in the world. In the future, we will focus on other areas. "

The feat of Bugatti is remarkable, but the threshold of 300 km / h was crossed for the first time by a wheeled car a long time ago, in 1935, after Sir Malcolm Campbell had flown his car. Blue Bird at 301 mph on the Bonneville saltworks. This custom car used a 36.7 liter turbocharged Rolls-Royce aircraft for motivation.

Bugatti did not detail the future hypercar, but it revealed changes to the Chiron variant, including the addition of aero so that the thing stays planted, a safety cell for the pilot and a Michelin Pilot Sport Cup reinforced (but still legal). 2 high speed tires. The automaker rules the current Chiron at a mere 261 mph. Wallace claims that he climbed the car in 50-km / h increments after reaching the 300-mph mark (186 mph).

Overall, the Bugatti record means even less for the average consumer than to hear that a slightly more producible production vehicle just broke a record time for its Nürburgring segment. Even if you have managed to collect the necessary parts to buy a Chiron, you will not be able to reach the top speed of the vehicle without worrying about a lifetime ban and potential death. Of course, Bugatti has no interest in entertaining normal car buyers.

If you are the prince's prince's son soaked in oil, this may be news you can use.

[Images: Bugatti]

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