Bugatti increases Chiron performance with $3.9M Super Sport version

The latest exotic from the House of Volkswagen Group's Bugatti brand is a stunner on the track in the form of the Chiron Super Sport.

The 3.2 million-euro ($3.9 million) coupe is the latest iteration of the Chiron family line that includes the Chiron, the Chiron Sport, the Chiron Pur Sport, and the Chiron Super Sport 300+, which hit a record-breaking speed of 304.773 mph (490 kph) in 2019. 

Bugatti will no longer go after such land speed records, a company spokesperson said. The brand declined to say whether this will be the last iteration of the gasoline-powered Chiron family that started in 2016.

The brand's CEO, Stephan Winkelmann, said in March 2019 that Bugatti will probably make electric supercars eventually.

The new Chiron Super Sport nonetheless includes performance boosts, compared to its siblings: The 8.0-liter W-16 engine produces 1,600 horsepower --121 hp more than the Pur Sport, thanks in part to larger, more efficient turbochargers. The seven-gear, dual-clutch transmission has longer and quicker gears, and the car weighs 50 pounds (22.7 kg) less than its predecessors.

The brand does not release 0 to 60 mph (0-97 kph) figures, but 0 to 125 mph takes just over 5.8 seconds, with a top speed electronically limited to 273 mph (439 kph).

At a glance, it will be difficult to distinguish the Super Sport from previous Chirons, but the car does offer some subtle exterior changes. The rear is nearly 10 inches (254 mm) bigger, and the diffuser wider and higher, while the four tailpipes have been shifted to the sides and aligned in vertical pairs. Inside, the car remains largely unchanged.

Nine air holes on each fender are a nod to those originally found on the Bugatti EB 110 Super Sport of the mid-1990s--but they are functional, too. They release air pressure from the front wheel wells, streamlining downforce at the front axle. Additional air outlets behind the front wheel arches help balance aerodynamics across the car.

New aluminum wheels in a five-Y-spoke design (also available in a diamond-cut option) are available exclusively for the Chiron Super Sport. Its Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires have been optimized for top speed--an essential factor in high-speed driving. According to Bugatti, these are the only production tires that can consistently drive at up to 500 kilometers per hour (310 mph).

The announcement of the Chiron Super Sport comes amid rumors that the 112-year-old French brand could undergo a change in ownership. In March, Porsche said it would increase its stake in Croatian automaker Rimac, a move that could pave the way for parent company Volkswagen Group to sell Bugatti to the electric automaker.

In March, VW CEO Herbert Diess also indicated that Bugatti would become a subsidiary of Porsche.

Bugatti, which delivered fewer than 100 vehicles globally in 2020, is a holdout among VW brands, with Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche  having  announced plans to go electric.

The French brand has a number of internal-combustion-engine models far more expensive than the Chiron Super Sport. In 2020, the brand presented the $5.8 million Divo, which will be limited to just 40 buyers. In May, it sold the $13.4 million final edition of its La Voiture Noire coachbuilt supercar. 

Bugatti has produced "Super Sport" variants since it debuted the Type 55 Super Sport at the Paris Motor Show in 1931. It later produced the EB 110 Super Sport in 1993 and the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport in 2010.

Delivery of the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport will begin in early 2022.