Bugatti just officially became the first manufacturer to unveil a hyper car that can drive past at speeds more than 300 mph.

On August 2, 2019, a tuned Bugatti Chiron, driven by British racer Andy Wallace, recorded a top speed of 304.77 mph (490.47 km/h) at a German test track, beating the last record by 27 mph.

To put that into perspective, it means the hyper car can cover a distance of 136 meters, that’s more than a standard football pitch, in just one second.

Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann called the achievement a ‘milestone for eternity.’ The car manufacturer has held the record twice before this, making it their third time.

Bugatti remained the fastest car manufacturer from 2010 to 2017, and previously from 2005 to 2007. Both of the times, it was the Veyron model that held the top speed record.

Two years ago, in 2017, the company remained slower than the Koenigsegg Agera RS that was recorded traveling at 277.87 mph.

The recent record test was conducted at a top secret test facility owned by Volkswagen, the parent company of Bugatti. Situated near Wolfsburg, the track is known as Ehra-Lessien test track.

The modified version of the latest Bugatti Chiron model managed to register a top speed of 304.77 mph, making it 26.9 mph faster than the Agera.

A number of competing brands like Hennessey, Koenigsegg, and SSC have unofficially claimed to be capable of driving faster than 300 mph.

However, Bugatti is officially the first car manufacturer to cross the 300 mph landmark. The record-breaking speed has been certified by TUV, the Technical Inspection Association of Germany.

Bugatti President gave an official statement about the breakthrough on the company’s website, reading: “What a record! We’re overjoyed to be the first manufacturer ever to have achieved a speed of more than 300 miles per hour.

“It’s a milestone for eternity. I would like to thank the whole team and driver Andy Wallace for this outstanding performance.”

Winkelmann added: “Bugatti has once again shown what it’s capable of.

“With this new record of the Chiron we enter again uncharted territory. Never before has a series manufacturer reached this high speed.”

Bugatti put in six months of hard work to achieve this title.

The aerodynamic characteristics of the car are enhanced to make the car safer and faster. The carbon-fiber body is now 25 cm longer and the car is equipped with laser-aided ride height adjustment system.

This system makes sure that the car is as low to the ground as possible without scratching the bottom, when the car is going at high speeds.

Another change made to enhance the performance of the car is the changed tailpipes. These shotgun style tailpipes were extended to adjust the longer body of the car.

The rear spoiler, that previously acted as an air break too, is now replaced by a rigid one that sits on the edge of the elongated rear end of the vehicle.

The graceful interior is totally stripped and there’s just one safety seat in there for the driver. To make the car safe for the test driver, the cabin is reinforced by roll cage.

According to Top Gear, Bugatti worked in collaboration with leading tire makers Michelin and top-of-the-line chassis experts Dallara to make a car capable of breaking the records of safety as well as performance.

The car is powered by the standard Chiron engine. The eight-liter W-16 with quad turbo set up produces 1,578 bhp, about 500 bhp more than Mercedes’ latest Formula One.

The rest of the drive train, that’s the 7-speed dual clutch automatic gear box and 4-wheel drive, are also from the stock Bugatti Chiron.

People are speculating that Bugatti might introduce a customer version of the modified long-tail model. However, it would carry a lucrative price tag, because it is a Bugatti that performs better than a $3 million Bugatti.

Speaking of the breakthrough achievement, test driver Wallace said: “I think most people have been 150mph some time during their life. If you then add just another 30 to make it 180, that’s a whole different world.

“Then when you get to 200 it’s a lot faster than 180. So when you’re talking about 300, it’s a massive, massive step.”

 

 

Recommended Video For You!

“Bizarre Images Of Super-Car ‘Graveyard’ Where The World’s Most Expensive Cars Sit Gathering Dust”

[rumble video_id=v562vh domain_id=u7nb2]