The Bugatti Chiron Sport was the model’s first variant. It debuted at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show with several upgrades over the standard version, and a new video captures its run up the gorgeous Oberalp Pass in Switzerland.
It’s a public road, so the driver keeps things under control, but that sound of the engine is still magnificent. Bugatti didn’t upgrade the powertrain over the standard Chiron, instead making other improvements to the vehicle, like a new dynamic handling package, a revised suspension, and stiffer shock absorbers – perfect for this kind of road.
It was also 40 pounds lighter. Bugatti used carbon fiber to reduce the weight, using the material for the wheels and intercooler cover. The company even used the stuff to produce the windshield wiper, which is 77 percent lighter than a conventional one. Other weight-saving measures included using lighter rear window glass and a lighter exhaust deflector.
While the Chiron Sport has no more power than the regular Chiron, Bugatti claimed it was five seconds quicker around its Nardo test track than the base car, with recorded cornering speeds of over 124 miles per hour. The Chiron Sport packs the same quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine making 1,479 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of twist.
When Bugatti launched the Chiron Sport, it said it made the model for customers who wanted “an even sportier driving experience” with “improved lateral dynamics on winding roads,” making this mountain pass a perfect place to drive the hypercar. The Bugatti looks surprisingly subdued on the road for a car with nearly 1,500 hp. However, the whoosh of the turbocharger and the always-present growl of the W16 engine hints at the model’s power potential.
Sadly, that whoosh and growl won’t be around forever, as Bugatti plans to replace the 8.0-liter engine with something smaller. However, we don’t know what that will be. The automaker is making the last of the Mistral roadster and track-only Bolide, which total 139 cars, and then that’s it for the engine.
The company, which merged with Rimac in 2021 to form Bugatti-Rimac, is expanding its headquarters in Molsheim with a new two-story factory that will be in operation by the end of next year. It also wants to increase its workforce by 50 percent by late 2027. We don’t know specifics about what comes after the Chiron, but CEO Mate Rimac had said it’ll still have a combustion engine with analog gauges and that it won’t share a single part with the Chiron.
