Bugatti: The Chiron rubs tires on the ground
DRIFT IN THE AM SUN As the delivery of the 30th Chiron Pur Sport marks the completion of half of the series, Bugatti celebrates the car's performance spectrum with a drift of the C-Line, the iconic sideline inscribed in the design.
There is no wind, the asphalt is damp and glistens in the morning sun. The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is waiting in the middle of the racetrack. It's ready to execute a controlled maneuver, made possible only by plenty of drive power and perfect balance. Via all-wheel drive, the 8-liter W16 engine is said to deliver 1600 Nm and 1500 hp to the road.
Controlled cross travel with perfect arc
The challenge for Sven Bohnhorst, a senior development and chassis engineer at Bugatti, is to describe a perfect arc with the Chiron in a controlled drift that forms the famous Bugatti C-line when viewed from above. This design element has been synonymous with styling elegance for decades and can be found on the Veyron and Chiron as well as in Jean Bugatti's early Art Deco creations.
But the C Line is not just a design element. It also serves to optimize the performance parameters and originally arose from the need to improve the ventilation of Bugatti's 16-cylinder models. At window level, a clean airflow meets the Pur Sport behind the A-pillar. The C-line picks up the airflow, which is then directed through the wheel arches and exits at the rear of the vehicle.
Up to 200 km/h in just 5.9 seconds
When the driver countersteers into the turn after accelerating at the start and smoke rises from all the wheel arches, the character of the Chiron Pur Sport becomes apparent. With precise control of the steering wheel and accelerator pedal, the driver completes the drift perfectly and leaves a C-line on the asphalt.
Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti Automobiles: "The Chiron Pur Sport is one of the most agile models we have ever developed. The car is so compact that it can be driven every day, and at the same time so precise that it allows such a controlled drift. From the first attempt to the last drive at dusk, the Chiron Pur Sport successfully mastered the task."
The Pur Sport accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.3 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in 5.9 seconds. Please take a deep breath.
