Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is their most dynamic yet

Every single Bugatti model since the Veyron debuted back in 2005 has been capable of topping 400 kph. So, it might seem a regressive step for the hypercar purveyor to roll out an extravagantly priced low-volume offering with a v-max of just 350 kph.

However, the brand-new Chiron Pur Sport – limited to 60 units only, priced from 3 million euros (Dhs 12.3 million) plus taxes – has allegedly been honed to cater to clients asking for a Bugatti that could devour sinuous country roads, even if that meant making a sacrifice in top speed.

“We spoke to customers and realised they wanted a vehicle that is geared even more towards agility and dynamic cornering. A hypersports car that yearns for country roads with as many bends as possible,” says Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann.

A weight saving of 50 kg versus the regular Chiron is the starting point for the Pur Sport, but undoubtedly the most significant change is that the newcomer ditches its sibling’s hydraulic active rear spoiler in favour of a fixed rear wing that spans 1.9 metres from end to end.

Apart from generating massive downforce, the other benefit the fixed wing brings is that the weight of the hydraulics (10 kg) is removed from the rear extremity of the car. The other key alteration at the rear is the addition of an aggressive diffuser with a central oval cutout for the duo of drainpipe-sized exhausts.

There’s been aero fettling at the front, too, as the sharp-edged front splitter juts further forward and lower than that of the standard car, and the trademark horseshoe grille is flanked by significantly enlarged air intakes to boost cooling efficiency.

The Pur Sport gets the 1,500 hp version of the 8.0-litre quad-turbo engine, rather than the 1,600 hp unit stuffed into the ultra-exclusive Centodieci and one-off La Voiture Noire, but the redline of the W16 unit has been raised by 200 rpm to 6,900 rpm. More significantly, the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission has been revamped to stack the ratios 15 per cent closer overall.

The Pur Sport is claimed to leap from 60 to 120 kph almost two seconds faster than the already lightning-fast Chiron, while its overall elasticity is said to be 40 per cent better than its standard stablemate.

“We reconfigured each gear and calibrated new ratios despite this iconic engine boasting an abundance of power. The gears are closer together now to enable shorter gear jumps and also benefit performance. Most of all, when coming out of corners the Chiron Pur Sport accelerates even more aggressively in conjunction with the added grip as well as the more direct chassis and suspension”, says Gregor Gries, Head of Major Assemblies at Bugatti.

The titanic quad-turbo engine spits spent gases out of bespoke exhaust system made of 3D-printed titanium. Bugatti says this production method gives the components very thin walls, contributing to the weight-saving agenda.

Further aiding in the weight-loss department (by 16 kg) are newly designed magnesium wheels, which feature 10 spokes that span outwards across a pair of optional aero blades (arranged in a ring) that extract air outwards from the wheel. Deputy design director Frank Heyl says these rims prevent adverse turbulence in the wheel area and improve the airflow across the side of the vehicle.

In addition to the wheels’ weight reduction, titanium brake pad base panels cut the vehicle’s mass by a further 2 kg while bespoke brake discs strike yet another kilo off the total weight. Meanwhile, the Pur Sport’s minimalistic cabin is trimmed largely in Alcantara to pare further grams from the car’s girth.

The Pur Sport’s new chassis setup features 65 per cent firmer springs at the front and 33 per cent firmer springs at the rear. There’s also a more aggressive adaptive damping control strategy, as well as modified camber values (minus 2.5 degrees) plus carbonfibre stabilisers at the front and rear that are said to minimise roll.

Apart from the four familiar EB, Motorway, Handling and Sport drive modes, the Chiron Pur Sport features a new Sport + drive mode to make its enhanced dynamics more tangible. The traction control system kicks in at a significantly threshold in the new mode, enabling highly skilled drivers to get more out of the car or even indulge in some drifting hooliganism.

The Pur Sport’s contact patches to the tarmac come in the form of new Bugatti-specific Michelin Sport Cup 2 R tyres – measuring 285/30 R20 at the front and 355/25 R21 at the rear. The company claims this tyre’s modified structure and unique rubber mix contributes to a 10 per cent improvement to cornering speed.

Production of the Chiron Pur Sport starts in the second half of 2020.