Bugatti Chiron: Form Follows Performance
Take a very good look at the back end of the Bugatti Chiron. It is, perhaps, the best glance most will have of this dramatic hypercar devouring the road via the passing lane. Bugatti’s dedicated team again tested the laws of physics, as they so often do. With a complete review and design of the W16 engine, each piece was examined for improvement. The result is the Chiron’s 16 cylinder W configuration eightliter displacement engine with four two-stage turbochargers, capable of accelerating from 0 to 62 mph under 2.5 seconds, with a top speed of 261 mph/420 km/h. That is equivalent to a 25 percent increase when making the inevitable comparison with the Bugatti Veyron. This speed queen actually needs the gauge reading up to 300 mph/500 km/h.
The motto for this ultrahigh performance sports car, Form Follows Performance, may explain the unusual scoop that embraces the door with a stylized “C,” also nuanced in the Chiron logo. Named for legendary racing driver Louis Chiron, the imagery could be coincidental tribute, paying homage to the man who won all major grands prix for Bugatti in the 1920s and 1930s. It could mimic the design in its first appearance as the focus of a popular video racing game. Most likely, however, there is purpose in this form that defines the profile, performing aerodynamic tasks as air intakes that channel the flow to the engine. The C is also reminiscent of 1930sera Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic
The headlights, placing four square LED lamps on each side, are assigned an additional function as air intakes, bathing the front brakes with air. The LED taillight sparks a single beam across the rear end of the car without interruption, accomplishing what others before Bugatti have failed to deliver to market due to a United Nations Economic Commission for Europe requirement. Suffice it to say that Bugatti designed to the legal specifications, enabling the chic monolight in production. The effect is sleek, sophisticated and unique.
