Bugatti's heavily modified Chiron torn down the Ehra-Lessies track in Germany and peaked at a speed of 304.7 mph. The car, whose price starts at $3.3 million, was driven by Bugatti's chief test pilot Andy Wallace. He could break the 300-mph barrier after repeated test runs on the longest track in the world.

In an interview with Car and Driver, Wallace said that the Chiron was going so fast during the run that its electronic systems couldn't keep up. For a short period of time, only Wallace knew that the car broke 300 mph. Then speed engineers analyzed the data and confirmed it.

The Main Changes That Made The Run Possible

Bugatti Chiron
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Speed is defined by two factors: engine power and aerodynamic efficiency. Unsurprisingly, the Chiron got a very special engine. The 8.0L quad-turbo W16 unit called Thor produces 1,578 bhp. The all-wheel-drive system and the gearbox remain standard, as a testament to Bugatti's brilliant engineering.

The Chiron was modified with a lowered ride height, stretched body, new vents in the fenders, and other smart tweaks to help reduce lift and improve aerodynamics. The engine was tuned to deliver an extra 78 horsepower.

In the cabin, the passenger seat was removed and many electronic systems were added to monitor performance. Major modifications included the installation of a roll cage and new tires. Bugatti said that it was difficult to find the ones that can handle the rotational velocities at 300+ mph. The company asked Michelin to create the tires that could survive the G-force. The task was so complex that each tire was X-rayed before it was installed.

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The Day It Actually Happened

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Racer and test driver Andy Wallace had spent several days at the circuit in Germany prior to the important day. He is also the one who set a record of 243 mph in a McLaren F1. According to him, he knew that if something went wrong at that speed, it would have had severe consequences.

After one lap to condition the car, Wallace accelerated out of the curve to reach the top speed on the 8.8 km straight. At a previously agreed braking point, he decelerated the car back to drive through another curve. He only had a distance of 2 kilometers to do so. The new record-holder says that "I went at full throttle from the start for approximately 70 seconds. It was important for me to be out of the bend at 200 km/h in order to reach top speed on the straight. That required the very highest level of concentration." The speed was so insane that the car covered 136 meters in one second.

The Chiron ran perfectly and the weather conditions couldn't be any better. The whole team did a great job. The news was reported by Top Gear that states that the velocity was verified by Germany’s Technical Inspection Association. Therefore, Bugatti could beat the speed record of 284.55 mph set by Koenigsegg in 2017.

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