The $3.7 million Bugatti Chiron has set one of the most extreme records any road car has ever attempted – to accelerate from a standstill to 400km/h before slamming on the anchors in the quickest possible time.
In fact, it’s actually the first car to attempt that run (publically at least), partly due to the fact you could count the number of production cars capable of hitting 400km/h on one hand.
To set the record Bugatti needed someone as mad as that task sounds, and they found that person in ex-F1 driver, Columbian Juan Pablo Montoya.
Behind the wheel of the 8-litre, quad-turbocharged, 1103kW super coupe Montoya hit the 400km/h mark in 32.6 seconds and 2,621 metres.
On-board telemetry showed that Montoya applied the brake 0.8 seconds after reaching target speed, generating of 2 g as the Chiron decelerated to a stop.
Once the Bugatti had come to a stop, a mere 41.9 seconds has passed, covering a distance of 3.1 kilometers - and a new world record was set.
“The Chiron is so incredibly fast it takes your breath away” And its braking is at least as impressive,” said Montoya after the run.
“And the car is just so stable and consistent. I feel honoured to be part of this project.”
A line in the press release celebrating the new record also sends an ominous message to any car maker looking to better this staggering feat, which reads: “0-400-0 record is the first step to a new world speed record for production vehicles planned by Bugatti for 2018.”
0-450-0 perhaps?
