Bugatti Chiron Super Sport officially revealed

Bugatti has announced a new addition to its hypercar line-up in the form of the Chiron Super Sport, a slightly-tamed version of the record-smashing 300+.

CEO Stephan Winkelmann officially unveiled the Super Sport in a YouTube premiere this week.

“There’s a wide range of performance,” states Winkelmann in the video. “So we decided to develop the Chiron into the two extremes of the spectrum.”

He points out 2020’s Chiron Pur Sport was developed for “maximum lateral acceleration,” placing focus on cornering manners. Conversely, the Chiron SS has been designed for “maximum longitudinal acceleration” - in other words, straight-line speed above all else.

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The new car is essentially a more luxurious version of the Chiron SS 300+, a stripped-down speed machine limited to just 30 units. The 300+ hit 490.484km/h at Volkswagen’s Ehra Lessien test facility after being revealed in 2019. However, this run was only made in one direction, meaning the ‘fastest production car’ title is not official under Guinness World Records’ rules.

The SS moniker continues Bugatti's 80-year naming tradition for its highest-performance models, including the EB 110 SS of the 1990s. The Veyron SS hit 431km/h in 2010, breaking contemporary production car speed records.

“We couldn’t leave the Chiron family without a Super Sport, so we set ourselves the task to develop a car next to the limited edition world record car,” says Winkelmann.

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The same 8-litre W16 from the 300+ will power the ‘standard’ SS. This engine has a redline raised to 7100rpm, a 300rpm gain over the regular Chiron. Output is the same as the 300+ at 1177kW/1600Nm, though top speed is now electronically limited to 439km/h.

Top gear in the 7-speed DCT has also been made 3.6 per cent longer for more comfortable high-speed cruising, with stiffer rear dampers to enhance stability. Bugatti says a 200km/h sprint will take 5.8 seconds in the new car, or 12.1 to 300km/h.

Much of the 300+’s visual design has also been carried over to the SS. Perhaps most notable is the aerodynamic ‘longtail’ rear end, which adds 25cm of length over the regular Chiron. This treatment also features a twin-stacked exhaust layout to maximise space for the rear diffuser.

Other additions to the SS include a redesigned front bar with large ‘air curtains’ for over-wheel airflow, and circular guard vents that both control downforce and pay homage to the iconic EB 110.

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The SS has not been listed as a ‘Special Edition’ on Bugatti’s site, meaning production numbers may be somewhat higher than the 30 300+ cars built. Ultimately, only 500 Chirons are scheduled to ever see the light of day, the majority of which have already been built.

Prices are expected to begin at around €3.5million (AU$5.4m), with the first cars to be delivered in early 2022.