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2017 Bugatti Chiron Lets Its Quad-Turbocharged W16 Loose

For some odd reason, Bugatti decided not to jump on the hybrid or electric supercharger bandwagons when designing the 2017 Chiron, opting instead to upgrade the engine found in the Veyron.
2017 Bugatti Chiron 74 photos
Photo: Bugatti
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That said, the Chiron's 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 engine delivers no less than 1,500 hp and 1,600 Nm (1,180 lb-ft) of torque to all four wheels thanks to a “two-stage turbocharging system.” As it happens, instead of borrowing the “electric supercharging” system from its VAG brothers at Audi, Bugatti engineers went for a sequential turbocharging system to minimize throttle lag.

The trickery is achieved by only two of the turbos providing boost until 3,800 rpm, after which all four of them take over to keep the maximum torque figures available approximately 70 percent across the powerplant's entire operating range (2,000 rpm to 6,000 rpm).

Also rehashed from the Veyron is the seven-speed, dual clutch transmission, which has been modified to handle the extra torque.

Thanks to the extra grunt, the 2017 Bugatti Chiron can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in around 2.4 seconds. More impressive is probably the 0-200 km/h (0-124 mph) sprint, which takes less than 6.5 seconds, or the 0-300 km/h (0-186 mph) one, which is said to take less than 13.6 seconds if the proper conditions are met.

Its top speed has been electronically limited to 420 km/h (261 mph), but there are reports saying that Bugatti is pushing to test the car at over 435 km/h (270 mph) and once again enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

Underneath the arguably prettier carbon fiber bodywork sits a new carbon fiber monocoque which helps to save only a couple of pounds compared to the Veyron, bringing the Chiron's curb weight to 1,995 kg (4,398 pounds).

The front luggage compartment, or frunk, as some call it, can hold 44 liters (1.5 cu ft) of the most expensive small stuff you can fit in it, or a reasonably sized backpack.

Unlike the Veyron, the latest Bugatti has an adaptive chassis and five driving modes, which can be accessed via a rotary knob on the steering wheel, a feature that seems to be all the rage nowadays. The “Lift” mode increases the ground clearance and is only available until the car hits 50 km/h (31 mph), while the “Autobahn” mode is automatically engaged at speeds over 180 km/h (112 mph).

Those wanting to play a bit more with the car will need to put it into “Handling” mode, while the electronically limited top speed can only be achieved by using a second key and ignition switch, just like its predecessor.

Only 500 units of the Bugatti Chiron will be built across a 7 or 8-year product cycle, with multiple special editions to come in at least a year from now. The starting price for one is set at €2.4 million (approx. $2.6 million), so if you have the necessary moolah you can probably still get a 2018 model.
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About the author: Alex Oagana
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Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project.
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