Bugatti Chiron hypercar sets astonishing 0-249-0mph speed record
The 1,478bhp Chiron accelerated from a standstill to 249mph and then decelerated back to 0mph in under 42 seconds
The Bugatti Chiron has set a new production car speed record by going from 0-249mph and back to 0mph in just 41.96 seconds.
It marks the fastest time ever reached and recorded for this particular driving manoeuvre by a production car. The time was certified by testing, inspection and verification company SGS-TÜV Saar at Volkswagen Group’s proving grounds in Ehra-Lessien, Germany.
The 249mph top speed is equivalent to 400kph.
Former Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya was behind the wheel of the hypercar for the record-breaking run, which only required a distance of 1.934 miles.
“The Chiron is so incredibly fast it takes your breath away. And its braking is at least as impressive,” he said.
“It really was incredible to see that you didn’t need the complex preparations we have to make in racing for the 0-400-0 drive.
“With the Chiron, it was all quite easy. Just get in and drive off. Incredible.”
Wolfgang Dürheimer, president of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., said: “Bugatti is the first car brand that not only calculates how fast a car can go from zero to 400 to zero on a computer, we actually drove it. Where others are satisfied with theory, we validate our data with real-life values, just like we did with the Chiron.
“Our customers want the best of the best. This truly impressive performance further confirms that the Chiron is the world’s best super-sports car.”
Three hundred of the limited series of 500 Chiron have been sold already.
The Bugatti Chiron is powered by an eight-litre, quad-turbocharged W16 engine that produces 1,478bhp and 1,600Nm of torque. This immense power allows the hypercar to complete the sprint from 0-60mph in just 2.4 seconds, while 0-190mph takes 13.6 seconds.
As far as top speed is concerned, Bugatti is aiming to set a new top speed record in 2018 that is higher than the 268mph figure recorded by the Chiron’s predecessor – the Veyron Super Sport.
The record-setting Chiron will be on display at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, which is open to the public from September 16 to 24.
