Bugatti Destroys Record Book With 0-400KM/H-0 Run

What is the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the name Bugatti? For most they think of the Veyron and its maximum overdrive top speed performance, which combined with the insane luxury that Bugatti is famous for, has shaped their brand over the last decade. When the Veyron ceased production in 2015, a new monster was born; the Bugatti Chiron.

The Chiron now stands where in the Veyron’s place, and Bugatti continues to look for insane performance. In August, professional racing driver Juan Pablo Montoya took the 1500 horsepower Chiron from 0-400-0 KM/H in just under 42 seconds. That’s 0-248-0 MPH for those of us that don’t use the metric system.

Helping get the Chiron off the line is an 8.0-liter W16 engine with four turbochargers, you read that right, four. A specially tuned traction control system allows it the car to launch without any wheel spin while applying the maximum amount of torque. Michelin and Bugatti worked together to create a tire that can handle the insane loads of force that driving at 400 KM/H creates, and within 32.6 seconds the car has already hit that speed from a standing start.

Bringing the car back to a stop is a massive wing that adjusts to a 49-degree angle when it senses the brakes are being used, creating a massive air brake that generates 900 kilograms of downforce, for comparison that’s the curb weight of a standard VW golf. In the mechanical braking department is a system specifically made for the Chiron. Using 420 and 400 millimeter brake rotors front and rear, as well as brake calipers with eight titanium pistons up front and six in the rear, allows the car to stop from that incredible speed in a mind-boggling 9.2 seconds.

The run was monitored and certified by SGS-TUV Saar, utilizing a GPS measurement system that gives the company all of the data it needs to confirm that the car is in fact doing what Bugatti claims.

Bugatti says more records are coming, so be sure to keep your eyes on Grip The Wheel for all of the Chiron news you can handle.