Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport – track-focused hypercar makes UK debut
Following the first customer delivery in the US, Bugatti's track-focused Chiron Pur Sport made its UK debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Despite focusing its efforts on record-breaking top speeds since the Veyron’s 2005 inception, Bugatti has also held a number of racing accolades in its 110-year history. In an attempt to prove that the Chiron’s abilities extend from the straights into the corners, the firm shaved weight from the hypercar and tweaked it for track performance, or at least twisty roads.
Following the delivery of the first customer car in the United States earlier this year, the model made its UK debut at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Though the firm was reluctant to pursue any records with its €3million hypercar, it did hit the world-famous hillclimb during the Michelin supercar run.
New lightweight components and materials are adopted for a lower kerb weight, with various chassis adjustments also included for improved dynamics. Aerodynamic magnesium wheels are the most significant item, reducing weight by 16kg overall, with titanium brake pad base panels shaving a further 2kg of unsprung mass. Various other adjustments take total weight savings to a not-insignificant 50kg.
The most notable addition on the Chiron Pur Sport over the standard car is its new wing, spanning 1.9 metres across the car’s rear end. This fixed unit ditches heavy hydraulic componentry for weight savings, and helps to provide lower-speed downforce alongside the new diffuser and front splitter. Also new is the Super Sport 300+-esque front bumper, with wider, larger air intakes for additional cooling.
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Despite the model’s increase in downforce, Bugatti has revealed that it features a brand new ‘ESC Sport+’ drive mode, absent from the standard car, which will allow drivers to push the Pur Sport into a controlled drift should they desire. Well, if it’s good enough for the M division and AMG…
At the heart of the car is the same 1479bhp, 1180lb ft 8-litre quad-turbocharged W16 as in the standard model. Despite an identical power output, top speed is limited to a mere 217mph due to revised gearing. The marque claims that 80 percent of the transmission has been altered, with gearing 15 percent closer together for a 60-120kph time almost 2 seconds faster than standard.
Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann said: ‘By cutting the weight by 50 kilograms while simultaneously boosting the downforce and configuring an uncompromising, sporty chassis as well as a suspension set-up, the Chiron Pur Sport boasts incredible grip, sensational acceleration and extraordinarily accurate handling. It’s the most uncompromising yet agile Bugatti of recent times.’
This being a model designed for corners, its springs are now 65 percent stiffer at the front, 33 percent at the rear, and thanks to a partnership with Michelin, it also receives bespoke ‘Bugatti Sport Cup 2 R’ tyres (285-section front, 355 rear) for better cornering abilities.
The price? €3million (approximately £2.7million), and even if you have the cash, you’ll likely require a previous history with Bugatti to get on the list. Just 60 units will be produced in total.
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