Ehra-Lessien, Germany - Bugatti has become the first car company in the world to reach the 300-mile-an-hour mark, with a modified Chiron recently achieving a velocity of 304.773mph (or 490.484km/h) on a track in Lower Saxony, with racing driver Andy Wallace at the wheel.
Bearing in mind that this won’t hold water as a production car record - this Chiron has been given a working over that includes a unique aerodynamic package complete with a redesigned ‘long tail’ rear end, modified exhaust system and purpose-designed tyres. Some ECU mods were also in order as the standard Chiron has an electronically limited top speed of 420km/h.
The ‘stock’ Chiron is powered by an 8-litre, quad-turbo W16 engine that produces 1103kW and 1600Nm.
"What a record! We're overjoyed to be the first manufacturer ever to have achieved a speed of more than 300 miles per hour. It’s a milestone for eternity. I would like to thank the whole team and driver Andy Wallace for this outstanding performance,” said Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann.
Deputy design director Frank Heyl added: “The biggest challenge was to get the overall package right, so that means not only design, not only aerodynamics, not only engine, not only tyres, it’s to get everything together and working in one car.”
Any challengers?