Bugatti Chiron: from 0 to 400 km/h and back to a standstill in just over 40 seconds

Supercars are plentiful, but cars capable of shattering the most demanding records are not so common. One of those standout cars, not only for its presence but for its capabilities, is the Bugatti Chiron, a hypercar that enjoys leaving the competition behind in many respects. Its latest feat was a record for the time taken to accelerate from 0 to 400 km/h and back to a standstill. This achievement was accomplished with Juan Pablo Montoya behind the wheel.

The driver, who has the Monaco GP, two wins at the Indy 500 and three more at the 24 Hours of Daytona to his name, completed this feat in 41.96 seconds, an impressive figure that propelled this extraordinary machine to that speed in a truly short time. The complexity is considerable, as one must reach top speed and brake in the shortest possible time.

The 16-cylinder engine, which delivers a maximum power of 1,500 CV thanks to its four two-stage turbos, allowed it to reach 400 km/h in just 32.6 seconds and within 2,621 metres, with the remaining time spent decelerating until it came to a complete stop. In total, the Bugatti Chiron covered 3,112 metres, just over three kilometres.

To exceed 380 km/h, the Chiron uses the Top Speed Key, which, combined with the Launch Control, allowed the driver to keep control of the car, something that is quite complex at those speeds due to the various forces acting on it. This meant the tyres also had to be built to withstand the tremendous centrifugal force the vehicle endured. The Michelin tyres were subjected to an increase in weight due to speed, so that every gram at rest becomes 3.6 kilos in motion.

This is the first step in Bugatti’s strategy to take on new records, such as that of the fastest production car, currently held by the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, at 431.072 mph, a record it hopes to achieve in 2018. Of the 500 Bugatti Chirons planned for production, 300 have already been sold, which is truly remarkable considering their price of 2.4 million euros. Although, of course, with such capabilities, who wouldn’t fall in love with it.