Bugatti unveils 490km/h Chiron Super Sport

BUGATTI has unleashed its ultra-exclusive Chiron Super Sport 300+ hypercar that claims the title of world’s fastest production car after a test run returned a mammoth top speed of 304.773 miles per hour (490.484km/h).

Limited to just 30 units and commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the company’s foundation, the Chiron Super Sport achieved its landmark speed with a combination of enhanced aerodynamics and more power from the 8.0-litre quad-turbocharged W16 petrol engine.

Power from the mammoth engine is up 73kW, from 1103kW to 1176kW, while torque remains steady at 1600Nm.

Like the regular Chiron, power is channelled to all four wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission.

The clearest defining element of the Chiron Super Sport is its aerodynamically enhanced styling and unique decals, starting at the front with air curtains on the front corners to guide air pressure to the side of the car.

The air outlets on the wheelarchs and behind the front wheels help to remove excess pressure from the wheel wells to create a small amount of negative lift and to reduce drag.

The most obvious visual change is at the rear where the Chiron Super Sport gets an elongated ‘long-tail’ for high-speed performance. This tail allows the laminar flow to pass over the vehicle for longer, reducing aerodynamic stall by more than 40 per cent.

The Chiron’s exhaust tailpipe has been modified to allow the central rear diffuser to produce enough negative lift to do away with an adjustable rear spoiler that would create additional drag.

Jet-black exposed carbon-fibre is used for the exterior body construction, with Jet Orange racing stripes running over the bonnet and roof.

Carbon is also used for the black mid-mounted engine cover and windscreen wiper, while further differentiation is seen at the front with Bugatti’s ‘Macaron’ logo finished in silver and black.

A ‘Nocturne’ finish is applied to a number of trim elements, including the super-light magnesium wheels.

Stepping into the cabin, occupants are greeted with LED lighting spelling out ‘Super Sport 300+’ on the door sills, while the exterior theme continues inside with black carbon, leather and Alcanatara trims accented by Jet Orange highlights.

The headrests, knee support and double-stitched seams are all finished in orange, while a black anodised finish is applied to different trim elements.

Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann said the Super Sport was a perfect testament to the brand’s engineering and craftsmanship.

“After the incredible speed record of more than 300 miles per hour, which we were the first series manufacturer to achieve, we're now offering our customers the Super Sport 300+ – a very special edition model and the fastest Bugatti ever,” he said.

“But the Chiron Super Sport 300+ is more than just the fastest series-production sports car in the world. It is a testimony to Bugatti's technical refinement, masterly workmanship and enormous attention to detail.”

The Super Sport is the latest of a number of special-edition Bugattis, including the Centodieci, La Voiture Noir and Divo.

Deliveries of the Chiron Super Sport 300+ will begin in mid-2021, with customers having to fork out an eye-watering €3.5 million ($A5.6m) for the privilege of owning the world’s fastest production car.