Bugatti Chiron

The Bugatti Chiron is the successor to the Veyron and stands as the crowning achievement of the W16 era. Debuting at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show after the Veyron redefined benchmarks with "1,000 hp and 400 km/h", the Chiron raised the stakes to 1,500 hp and 420 km/h (electronically capped at 380 km/h in road mode), delivering an even more complete take on the "Hyper Sports Car" ethos.

🏎️ Key Specifications and Performance

The Chiron is powered by a heavily reworked 8.0-litre quad-turbocharged W16 engine, with core technical figures detailed below:

The Chiron's powerplant is fitted with four turbochargers. To manage the immense thermal load, the hypercar is equipped with up to 10 radiators. Its terminal velocity cannot be accessed on demand—the driver must insert a dedicated "Speed Key" to unlock maximum top-speed capability from 380 km/h up to 420 km/h, subject to vehicle operating conditions.

⚙️ Chassis and Aerodynamics

While the Chiron shares its underlying design lineage with the Veyron, its aerodynamic packaging is markedly more sophisticated. Its active rear wing adjusts its angle automatically according to vehicle speed, generating downforce at high velocity and deploying upright as an airbrake under heavy braking.

Underneath, the chassis has been comprehensively reinforced, paired with adaptive suspension and bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres engineered specifically for speeds above 400 km/h, delivering planted stability and driver confidence at extreme velocities.

🏆 Performance Pinnacle: Chiron Super Sport 300+

The Chiron range reached its absolute zenith with the Chiron Super Sport 300+. Built to commemorate Bugatti breaching the historic 300 mph (482 km/h) barrier, this special edition was strictly limited to just 30 units worldwide.

In 2019, Le Mans winner and official Bugatti test driver Andy Wallace piloted the machine to a record-setting top speed of 490.484 km/h at Germany's Ehra-Lessien test track. The production-spec Chiron Super Sport had its output boosted to 1,600 hp, with top speed capped at 440 km/h; its extended "longtail" aero design significantly cuts high-speed drag.

💎 Production, Bespoke Customisation, and Market Value

Global production of the Chiron was strictly capped at 500 units. By February 2020, the 250th unit had rolled off the line, leaving fewer than 100 build slots. As it entered its final production phase in 2021, under 40 allocations remained, exclusively reserved for the Pur Sport or Super Sport variants.

The Chiron features extensive bespoke personalisation. Standard catalogue choices alone include 23 exterior paint options, 8 exposed carbon-fibre weave patterns, 31 leather upholstery trims, and 11 seatbelt shades, with Bugatti offering one-to-one tailored customisation for bespoke customer commissions.

In the collector car market, values of rare Chiron editions have substantially outpaced their original list prices. In January 2026, a one-off Chiron Super Sport “Éléphant Blanc” (White Elephant edition, paying homage to the Type 41 Royale) crossed the block at a Bonhams auction for RM5,065,000 with only 2,750 miles on the odometer. In May of the same year, another 2022 Super Sport hammered for RM4,400,000 on Bring a Trailer, surpassing its original base price of around RM3,000,000.

📊 Historical Legacy

The Chiron represents the final, defining chapter of Bugatti's W16 legacy. Rather than redefining the formula from a clean slate like the Veyron, it operated within the established "ultimate performance meets ultimate luxury" paradigm, pushing every metric to the absolute mechanical limit of the W16 architecture. From the 1,500 hp standard model to the 1,600 hp Super Sport, and up to the 490 km/h-busting 300+, the Chiron completed Bugatti's definitive swansong for the pure internal combustion engine across its 500-unit run. With its successor, the Tourbillon, transitioning to a naturally aspirated V16 hybrid powertrain, the Chiron stands as the ultimate, irreplaceable milestone of the W16 era.