2023 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Road Test

Here we are, the final production run for the Bugatti Chiron. This car has been produced since 2018, but 2023 is the last year for this vehicle. And I think everyone knows this is a fairly unique vehicle in the history of the automobile. Sixteen cylinders, 8.0 liters, almost 1600 hp, and top speed on this particular one is about 261 miles an hour -- 261 miles an hour!
This one’s base price is $3.7 million, but the way it’s been spec'd it's closer to $4.3 million. It’s got all sorts of great options on it, including the Skyview roof. But I really like the front painted, rear carbon fiber effect. Look at this carbon fiber, starting here and going all the way through the back. And it’s not just on the exterior, look at these door panels of blue-tinted carbon fiber. I love it.
Again, this is the Chiron Super Sport and Bugatti‘s got really interesting plans for the next generation of these, but that doesn’t mean anytime a great iconic, historic, once-in-a-lifetime car ends production it’s still not a little sad. So, I personally feel very grateful that I actually got to drive this vehicle as it’s doing it swansong in terms of production.
So the original Chiron had narrower openings down here above the bumper, but the Pure Sport that preceded the Super Sport had larger openings, basically the same size and shape, and it maintained those on the Super Sport version. So you’ve got kind of a hybrid between the Pure Sport front end, and that longer tail rear end with the additional diffusing and aerodynamics going on back there for the higher top speed.
So what's it like driving a $4.3 million car? Well, it's a little nerve-racking honestly. It should be at least. The truth is, like most of these cars, once you’ve been in it for about 15 minutes you realize it’s just another car. It's just another expensive car, but it's still just another car.
Steering on this car is incredibly good. Great, tight on-center feel, with nice build up off-center. Stupid throttle response, of course. As someone who started with a 1969 Plymouth GTX with 440 in it, I’m used to the idea that most cars don’t really feel that fast to me. The Dodge Demon feels fast to me, and this car feels fast to me. I have to be very careful with throttle application, more so than I would’ve imagined. So it’s an extremely fast capable car, as it’s supposed to be, but it’s also an extremely livable, drivable car. And if you can get the $3 million, $4 million price tags out of your head, it’s pretty easy to enjoy it.
What's really interesting to me about a car like this, is that when this car came out the idea of a multi-million dollar specialized high-speed vehicle was pretty unique. Truthfully, we’re in Monterey right now -- there’s multi-million dollar limited production cars all over the place. So really, what unique now, is Bugatti‘s nameplate and their history, and how they keep pushing forward. Which they’re going to do in their next generation car, and how they’re going to design an engineer that with modern powertrain technology. But there was this really magical moment in time, for about 10 years, when Veyrons and Chirons were kind of in this class by themselves, and didn’t have much to compete with. And I think it will always be a special time for these kind of cars, and I’m glad that I got to drive one.

[@smarternu]

Makes me want to put a poster of it up on the wall and I ain't done that in years.

[@WillCollette]

Ultimate Hypercar 😎😎

[@KarlBrauerCars]

The few times I floored it during our shooting I could only do it for about 1 second. Need a salt flat to really experience it. 😁

[@Anour-rf3yf]

Model Bugatti Chiron:😀

[@mikeobrien3744]

Always sexy looking cars

[@KarlBrauerCars]

They managed to make a large, heavy car look sleek and purposeful.