The Slowest Version Of The Bugatti Chiron Was The Best

Nearly every Bugatti model from the French automaker is distinguished by its astonishing top speeds, which have resulted in a few close calls here and there. From the first hypercar ever to the first car in history to command a four-figure power output to the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ that stood at the forefront of the race to set the production car top speed record, Bugatti’s models’ party trick has been achieving high speeds.

However, not every Bugatti is built to reach ludicrous speeds and has set records. One such example is the Bugatti Chiron model, which has the lowest top speed but an affinity for twists and turns unmatched by the rest of its stablemates. Going one step further, there’s a Chiron offshoot called the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport which is arguably the best version of the Bugatti Chiron.

The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport

Extreme top speeds are one of the most well-known aspects of the French hypercar series, and while they are no slouches in any performance metric, twists and turns are not what the often 4,587-lbs hypercar is best at. Most Chiron models’ long, wide, and heavy physiques can generate impressive forward momentum, making them more adept at straight-line sprints than carving through winding canyon roads. However, not all Bugatti Chiron models can set record top speeds with their top down. Some are different, like the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport.

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Bugatti reached out to its customers, and feedback revealed to the French automaker that a more athletic offering was needed, one that could handle corners better and commanded a greater degree of agility than the existing Bugatti Chiron variants offered. In the words of Stephen Winkelmann, the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport (at the time) was an “unadulterated, uncompromising driving machine”.

Honed, Refined, And Track-Obsessed

The efforts to mold Chiron and birth a more agile and capable version were apparent, first and foremost, in its design. Bugatti’s design development department aimed to create a design that exudes confidence, the result of this intent being a revised front fascia with exaggerated features like wide air inlets and a larger horseshoe panel. The large splitter undercutting the revised front end is a significant contributor to downforce generation, alongside the 6.2-foot wing eclipsing on the Pur Sport’s rear, which is punctuated by a distinct angled wing mount that resembles a large X that houses the extremely light 3D-printed titanium tailpipes.

Overall, the exterior is a more aggressive rendition of Bugatti’s modern design language, characterized by a shapely, ultimately functional physique that generates more downforce at the rear axle. At the same time, the car also rides lower than its siblings. Like some Chiron offshoots, the Pur Sport features a bespoke wheel and tire configuration. The wheels, the handiwork of Frank Heyl and Bugatti’s Technical Development department, are magnesium and characterized by optional aero blades arranged in a ring. Lighter than the standard Bugatti Chiron’s wheels and aerodynamically optimized, these wheels were wrapped in exclusive Bugatti Sport Cup 2 R tires, the rear outfitted with a pair of 355/25 R21 tires and the front wearing 285/30 R20 tires.

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Looking better, greater efforts were made to revise and improve the Chiron’s chassis. The Pur Sport is founded on a bespoke chassis and suspension configuration to improve the track-focused model’s ability to attack winding roads. Some of the improvements to its chassis and suspension include:

• Its chassis was enhanced by making the springs firmer by 65% at the front and 35% at the rear.
• The adaptive dampers were revised for optimized performance.
• Camber values were changed to achieve more dynamic handling and agility in corners.
• The suspension system also featured carbon-fiber stabilizers at both ends.
• Compared to the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, the Pur Sport was lighter, more poised, featuring a drive mode for maximum performance, and more agile. The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport was the most athletic incarnation of the French hypercar series.
• Ultimately, it is 110 lbs lighter than the standard Bugatti Chiron.

One of the final renditions of the W16

Its powertrain wasn’t left undisturbed. Improvements were made to the hallowed 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 power unit to muster less power than the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport; however, this was necessary because of the increased downforce generated by the new large rear spoiler. Although lesser-powered than the Super Sport, the Pur Sport’s W16 offers peak output earlier in the rpm range and is paired with the Pur Sport’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission improvements.

Almost 80% of the Pur Sport’s transmission was revised to include four shafts and seven forward gears, which were reconfigured and calibrated with new ratios to improve performance. Compared to the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, the Pur Sport could go from 37–74 mph two seconds quicker due to the track-focused model’s revised gear ratios and power band. These changes satisfied the French automaker’s customers’ demand for a more agile and track-capable version of the Bugatti Chiron. A special edition version wears a unique livery and is built to celebrate the automaker’s history in motorsport, but has no additional mechanical hardware compared to the base version.

$4 Million And Some Change

Only 60 examples of the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport were planned for production, doubling the number of Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ models. Although incapable of reaching the top speed of the Super Sport 300+, the Pur Sport is the most athletic version of the Chiron series and demanded $3,599,000 when it debuted. However, as it was a limited-run series, the value of the Pur Sport on the used market has increased.

According to Classic.com, the average selling price of the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, of which only a handful have made it to several auction platforms, is roughly $4 million. An example of the 2022 model year finished in a white and black color scheme with a bright orange interior and only 5,000 miles sold for $4,100,000—another example of the 2022 model year with only 393 miles sold for $4,047,500. Compared to the standard Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, an example of the standard Bugatti Chiron is listed for $3,899,998.

There’s Always A Bigger Fish

While the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is the most athletic interpretation of the Chiron formula, it is far from the ultimate expression of Bugatti’s engineering capabilities. That honor goes to the astounding Bugatti Bolide, which is, in nearly every fiber of its being, inspired by the peak of modern motorsport and capable of beating the race lap times around Le Mans by eight seconds.

It is, in essence, an unrestricted Le Mans hypercar that stands as the final application of the hallowed quad-turbocharged W16 engine that has been in service for decades. It’s so extreme that when learning to drive it, customers are given a Porsche 911 GT3 RS as training wheels.

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In this form, that massive power unit drives a radical and visually imposing design akin to hypercars like the Apollo Intensa Emozione. It is far above the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport in terms of performance and pedigree. However, Bugatti has entered a new era, and with its Turbillon possibly needing very little to achieve a record-setting top speed, we can only hope for a spiritual successor of the Pur Sport in Bugatti’s new lineup.

Sources: Bugatti, Classic.com, BringATrailer