2016 Bugatti Chiron 8.0 W16 (1,500 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After Volkswagen bought Bugatti, the evolution of the French brand was astonishing, starting with the introduction of the Veyron in 2005. But after eleven years, the car manufacturer brought its successor: the 2016 Chiron. It was a marvelous piece of engineering that stunned the world with its caped top speed of 420 kph (261 MPH). The automaker didn’t limit that speed there because the engine couldn’t do more but because there were no tires in the world to withstand more than that without ripping apart.

When an automaker decides to create a vehicle that’s gonna replace a successful model, it faces many challenges. So, when Bugatti decided to replace the Veyron, its successor had to be even better. That meant more power, a more elaborate design, and a cabin that could be better in any way than its predecessor, which, by all means, was on top of the world in all aspects.

The result was the Chiron. Bugatti unveiled it at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, but it was preceded by several other concept cars, such as the Vision Gran Turismo, which had its premiere just six months before the release of the final product. The vehicle’s front end was dominated by the shoe-horse shape of the radiator that took center stage. It resembled the same element from the pre-WWII Bugatti vehicles built at Molsheim in France. It was flanked by the narrow, LED headlights that featured four distinctive lamps on each side. On the lower side, in the bumper, the automaker placed two broad air intakes that increased downforce and cooled the front brakes. From its profile, the Chiron was unmistakable with its two-tone paint job, where the front sported a color and the rear, usually black. But, of course, customers with hugely deep pockets could order the vehicle in any color they desired. At the back, the rear quarter panels were huge, featuring broad shoulders over the fat rear tires. They started with a C-shaped line that resembled the mighty Bugatti Atlantic from the ’30s. Finally, at the rear, the automaker placed the taillights on a light strip that crossed the car from side to side and, underneath them, a bumper fitted with two center-mounted, massive exhausts. Yet, those were not the only ones. The automaker included another two round pipes in the car’s rear diffuser.

But Bugatti has always been a luxury brand, so it couldn’t let the interior look mundane. As a result, the Chiron boasted a lavish leather-wrapped cabin where the carmaker installed a pair of high-bolstered sports seats. Between them, a tall center console created the impression of two individual sections: one for driving and one for relaxation. Moreover, a C-shaped element ran on the headliner to the rear cabin’s panel only to reach the center console in a harmonious arch, amplifying the sensation of separation between the driver and the passenger area. Fronting the driver was a part-digital instrument cluster with an analog, center-mounted speedometer flanked by two LCDs that showed various information about the car, including the tachometer.

But the magic happened behind the cabin, in the engine compartment. Bugatti installed a W16 eight-liter powerplant. It was helped by four turbochargers to get a maximum power of 1500 PS (1480 HP), which were delivered in all corners via a seven-speed automatic (dual-clutch) transmission using a Haldex center differential.