Bugatti made its fastest supercar slower because customers wanted one that handles better. The result is the new $3.3 million Chiron Pur Sport.
Bugatti, the company that made its name building wildly fast supercars with seven-figure price tags, unveiled a new, unexpected version of its Chiron supercar on March 3.
Last year, Bugatti built a version of the Chiron to break the 300 mph barrier — that model was dubbed the Chiron Super Sport 300+.
But Bugatti's latest Chiron-based creation — the Chiron Pur Sport — emphasizes handling rather than outright speed. That's not something you'd expect from the company that's constantly trying to make the fastest cars around.
Bugatti made several tweaks to the Chiron to make it better suited for spirited driving in the twisties — first off, the Pur Sport weighs roughly 110 pounds less than the standard Chiron, which should make it more nimble, Bugatti says.
Bugatti shaved off weight partially by replacing the existing exhaust system with a lightweight, 3D-printed, titanium tailpipe.
The car also gets new magnesium wheels that offer roughly 35-pound weight savings.
The rims can be outfitted with optional "aero blades" that draw air away from the wheel and push it down the side of the car, helping with aerodynamics.
For better cornering, Bugatti reworked the Chiron's suspension ...
... introducing 65% firmer springs in the front and 33% stiffer springs in the rear.
Lest we forget the elephant in the room: that massive, six-foot spoiler on the car's back that produces oodles of downforce.
By fixing the wing in place rather than employing the same retractable one that's found on the standard car, Bugatti shaved 22 pounds from the Chiron Pur Sport.
Working in tandem with the rear wing to keep the Pur Sport planted to the road is a dramatic front splitter.
But don't let the handling-focused nature of the Pur Sport fool you. It's still very much a Bugatti, so it's absurdly powerful and quick.
The Pur Sport shares the same engine with the standard Chiron — a 16-cylinder, quad-turbocharged unit rated at an astonishing 1,500 horsepower and 1,181 pound-feet of torque.
In the Pur Sport, that massive powerplant allows for an electronically-limited top speed of roughly 217 mph, Bugatti says. That's not quite the 261-mph top speed of the standard Chiron, but it's blisteringly fast nonetheless.
The Chiron Pur Sport can be purchased for around $3.3 million (before Value Added Tax), but only 60 will be built. Production is scheduled to start in the latter half of 2020, so you'd better start saving up now.
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