Bugatti’s 1,500HP Chiron Is The 261 MPH Successor To The Equally Outrageous Veyron

Make no mistake, the Chiron, which features a carbon fiber monocoque and body, is no doubt a clear evolution of the Veyron when it comes to styling, and we think that it’s a [mostly] successful execution. From the menacing face, to the the gorgeously arched c-pillar/air intakes, to the two-tone paint job — Bugatti has performed a masterful job with the Chiron. My eyes only begin to bug out a bit when we come around to the rear, which is mostly grille topped off with a floating light bar.

Powering the Chiron is a redesigned, quad-turbo (now with two stages of turbocharging) 8.0-liter W16 engine that produces a mind-melting 1,479hp at 6750rpm and 1,179 lb-ft of torque between 2,000rpm and 6,000rpm. Power is channeled to all four wheels using a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The multi-plate all-wheel-drive system has been upgraded to support torque-vectoring and will allow the ultra-expensive Chiron to turn into the ultimate drift machine if that’s your thing.

Preliminary performance figures show the Chiron eclipsing the Veyron’s performance, hitting 60mph in less than 2.5 seconds and crossing the 124mph mark in 6.5 seconds. It’ll reach 186mph in a breathtaking 13.6 seconds and will keep on trucking until it hits its top speed of 261mph.

"Bugatti has tested the limits of physics,” said Bugatti President Wolfgang Dürheimer. “There is no area where we have not achieved significant improvements.

"The Chiron is the quintessential ultimate super sports car: ultra-modern, incredibly fast, agile and powerful with a stylistically demanding design and the highest possible levels of comfort. This combination is not offered by any other market player and gives Bugatti its unique market position."

Bugatti will only produce 500 Chirons at a price of roughly $2.6 million each (over a third of the production has already been sold).