The Bugatti Chiron debuted last year in front of a Geneva Motor Show crowd of eager onlookers. A year after that big debut, Bugatti delivered the very first examples in Europe and the Middle East. Now, the Chiron has officially made its way to North America, a vibrant yellow-and-black model having been delivered to its owner at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this past weekend. US roadways now have a little extra raw hypercar horsepower and speed.
Following Europe, North America is Bugatti's second most important market and has accounted for close to 30 percent of the more than 250 Chiron orders thus far. Bugatti plans a total global production run of just 500 examples, selling the car for $2,998,000 in the US.
The first Chiron delivered in North America was undoubtedly successful at turning some heads at Pebble Beach, even in a sea of colorful, freshly polished supercars and classics from all eras. The car features a two-tone color scheme with bright yellow up front and deep-black "Nocturne" in back, a rather fitting combination to behold on a Monday that has the US' attention focused on the solar eclipse. The bright yellow "Classique" wheels add some extra pop.
The yellow-black scheme flows inside the doors, where bright yellow leather wraps the seat interiors, door trims, console armrest and C-shaped passenger compartment border. Beluga Black leather covers the remainder of the interior.
The Chiron picks right up where the Veyron left off, its quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 engine promising 25 percent more performance than its predecessor. In hard numbers, that means 1,479 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque.
Expect the car's performance numbers to firm up over time, but for now Bugatti claims a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) of under 2.5 seconds and a top speed in the "twilight zone somewhere beyond the 400 km/h (249 mph) mark." That top speed number falls in at 260 mph (420 km/h) for road use, but where it lies on the track remains to be seen ... perhaps in a world record reset.
Whether or not the Chiron uses all its 16-cylinder might to follow the Veyron to the speed record books, the car seems to have its path all laid out for one title. The 2018 Chiron's 11 mpg (21 l/100km) combined is lower than any of the vehicles on the EPA's 2017 "Worst Fuel Economy" list, making it a clear leader for the top spot on the 2018 list.
Source: Bugatti
