Bugatti has a knack of producing limited-editions of its Chiron hypercar (as you can see here). We guess that’s what you have to do to maintain buyer interest when you only produce one model and you charge a small fortune for your products. The latest derivative to be unveiled is the Chiron Super Sport.

“With the Chiron Super Sport, we are following our long-standing tradition of combining top speed with absolute luxury,” says Stephan Winkelmann, president of Bugatti. “The Chiron Super Sport stands for increased comfort and elegance coupled with even greater performance and higher speeds. With this new creation, we established another distinct personality within the Chiron family. It is the essence of what we learned and developed in recent years – the ultimate grand tourer.” 

Follow Double Apex on Facebook and Instagram, where we share more car content.

Order from our online store and take advantage of free delivery in South Africa on orders over R349.Double Apex T-shirts

Long lineage

The French-based (but German owned) manufacturer has a long line of Super Sport models that stretches to the very earliest days of its history. These include the Type 55 Super Sport of 1931, the EB110 Super Sport of 1993 and most recently the Veyron Super Sport, which set a top speed record in 2010 with a speed of 431,2 km/h. The Chiron Super Sport adds to that lineage. It was also created as a less extreme version of the record-setting Super Sport 300+. The latter was created to celebrate Bugatti’s 490 km/h top speed run at its own proving ground in 2019 (read more here).

Bugatti Super Sport family

Optimised

“Our aim was to give the vehicle a neutral setup at its top speed while also giving it as streamlined a shape as possible.” explains Frank Heyl, deputy design director at Bugatti. “The design process was therefore in particular about achieving aerodynamic efficiency”.

The Chiron Super Sport has a number of changes that help it stand out over and above a ‘regular’ Chiron (read our driving review at this link). Most notable of the changes are the revised aero package that has been optimised for a higher top speed. Easily noticeable are the revised front bumper with more pronounced splitter with air curtain-forming elements, new alloy wheels, air vents atop the front fenders, a slightly elongated tail section and a massive rear diffuser.

More revs more power

Powering the Chiron Super Sport is the firm’s ubiquitous 8,0-litre W16 engine fed by quad turbochargers. Peak power has been lifted by 74 kW to 1 176 kW. Bugatti engineers made modifications to the turbochargers, oil pump, and cylinder head with valve train, as well as to the transmission and clutch. Maximum torque of 1 600 N.m is now accessible from between 2 000 and 7 000 r/min, rather than up to 6 000 r/min.

“We increased the revolutions per minute (engine speed) for even greater longitudinal acceleration and an even more emotive driving experience,” says Michael Kodra, head of drive development at Bugatti. The engine’s rpm was increased by 300 to up to 7 100 r/min. The Chiron Super Sport accelerates from 0 to 200 km/h in 5,8 seconds and to 300 km/h in 12,1 seconds. The Chiron Super Sport accelerates from 0 to 400 km/h seven percent quicker than a Chiron. It’s top speed is limited to 440 km/h.

Just nine examples of the Chiron Super Sport will be built and they cost (excluding taxes and import duties) a few bucks shy of R53 million at today’s exchange rate.