Here’s what makes the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport so darn capable – CNET

How does a company that created a car that goes 300 mph keep on improving its line of supercars? In one word, technology.

That’s the short answer. The long answer is a little more complex. Luckily, on Tuesday, Bugatti detailed some of the changes the Chiron underwent to become a far different beast as the Chiron Pur Sport.

The word “changes” is sort of mild, though. Bugatti described them as “complex technical modifications” and I’d call that a totally fair assessment. It starts with the chassis, which features new suspension joints to allow for a negative camber. Not only did it need to accomodate the negative camber, it needed to work perfectly with the car’s package of tires, springs and the actual body. In the end, simulations ran 17 variations that led to one final setup that’s stiff when needed, but remains comfortable. That’s not to say a computer picked the winner; Bugatti still ran 31,000 miles of testing to ensure the setup performed as needed.

Moving into the drivetrain, the transmission features shortened gears to accelerate more quickly. How much more? Going from 38 mph to 75 mph takes just 4.4 seconds, compared with 7.4 seconds in the regular Chiron. The engine revs faster and engineers spent a year and a half fine tuning shift points to try and find supercar perfection. The engine also revs higher: Redline is now 6,900 rpm for the massive quad-turbocharged W-16 engine, up from 6,700 rpm. Drivers will take notice when the nearly 1,500 horsepower sticks around for a longer period of time when pushing the Chiron Pur Sport.

And all of that power needs to find traction if it’s to be of any use. Bugatti turned to Michelin to develop tires for the Chiron Pur Sport that measure 285/50 up front and 355/25 at the rear. The special tires wrap new aero wheels to boost, well, aerodynamics, as the name implies. They also produce more downforce as the ring pattern sucks air into the wheel, and they weigh 35 pounds less than the Chiron’s wheels. In total, the Pur Sport weighs about 110 pounds less.

Each of these “complex technical modifications” wraps into the ESC Sport-Plus mode, which lets drivers unleash the Chiron Pur Sport. The electronic stability control intervenes later, allows for more slip and lets the Bugatti’s hair down from its already loose ponytail for some sideways drifting action.

All the engineering wonderment comes at the low, low price of $3.6 million. Complex modifications have their cost, of course.

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