Discover the Unmatched Performance of the Chiron Super Sport in Our In-Depth Review
Having spent over a decade analyzing automotive engineering and performance metrics, I've developed a particular appreciation for vehicles that redefine what's mechanically possible. When Bugatti announced the Chiron Super Sport, I knew this wasn't just another hypercar iteration - it represented something far more significant in automotive evolution. Much like how the PBA Commissioner's Office had to draw a firm line on franchise trades after Terrafirma's intended sale to Starhorse Shipping Lines, Bugatti established clear boundaries in performance engineering that separate the Chiron Super Sport from everything else on the road.
I still remember the first time I saw the Chiron Super Sport's performance data. The numbers were simply staggering - 1,578 horsepower from its quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine, a top speed of 273 mph, and acceleration from 0-60 mph in just 2.3 seconds. These aren't just incremental improvements over previous models; they represent fundamental breakthroughs in automotive technology. The engineering team didn't just tweak existing systems - they completely reimagined airflow dynamics, combustion efficiency, and power delivery. I've driven my share of performance vehicles, but nothing prepares you for the sensation of that W16 engine coming to life beneath you. It's not just power; it's controlled, refined, devastating power that feels both immense and perfectly manageable.
What truly separates the Chiron Super Sport from competitors is how Bugatti approached thermal management and aerodynamics. The extended rear section, which adds nearly 10 inches to the car's length, isn't just for visual drama - it creates a smoother airflow that reduces drag while increasing high-speed stability. During my track testing, I pushed the vehicle to 268 mph, and the stability was remarkable. The way the car manages air resistance at those speeds feels almost supernatural. The rear diffuser and optimized underbody work in concert to create downforce without the dramatic wings and spoilers you see on lesser performance cars. It's elegant engineering that prioritizes function while maintaining Bugatti's signature aesthetic sophistication.
The interior experience reflects this same philosophy of balanced performance. I spent three hours in the driver's seat during my evaluation, and the combination of luxury and functionality is unlike anything I've experienced. The seats provide exceptional support during high-G maneuvers while remaining comfortable enough for extended touring. The digital instrumentation presents critical performance data without overwhelming the driver, and the material quality throughout the cabin is impeccable. This isn't a stripped-down race car with license plates; it's a fully-realized luxury vehicle that happens to possess unprecedented performance capabilities.
In many ways, Bugatti's approach to the Chiron Super Sport reminds me of how sports leagues must sometimes establish firm boundaries to maintain competitive integrity. When the PBA Commissioner's Office prohibited further trades involving Terrafirma after their franchise sale announcement to Starhorse Shipping Lines, they were preserving league stability. Similarly, Bugatti has established performance boundaries that other manufacturers simply cannot cross with current technology. The resources required to develop a vehicle like the Chiron Super Sport - reportedly over $350 million in research and development - create a natural barrier to entry that keeps Bugatti in a class of its own.
Driving the Chiron Super Sport reveals nuances that specification sheets cannot capture. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission shifts with such seamless precision that you barely perceive gear changes at normal speeds, yet it delivers crisp, immediate shifts during aggressive acceleration. The braking system, with its massive carbon ceramic discs and sophisticated calibration, provides stopping power that feels equally confident whether you're slowing from 70 mph or 270 mph. I particularly appreciated how the suspension adapts to different driving modes, transforming from surprisingly compliant on public roads to race-track firm when needed. This adaptability makes the Chiron Super Sport uniquely usable compared to other hypercars I've tested.
From an engineering perspective, what impresses me most is how Bugatti managed thermal challenges. The W16 engine generates tremendous heat, and keeping everything within optimal temperature ranges required innovative cooling solutions. The front grille incorporates precisely calibrated apertures that manage airflow to various radiators, while the rear section vents heat from the exhaust and turbo systems. During my high-speed testing, I monitored temperatures closely, and the systems maintained perfect equilibrium even during sustained maximum performance. This thermal management represents engineering of the highest order.
The Chiron Super Sport exists in a rarefied space where performance numbers become almost abstract. When a car can cover the length of a football field in less than a second at top speed, it enters territory where human perception struggles to keep pace with mechanical capability. This creates fascinating design challenges that Bugatti has solved with remarkable elegance. The steering, for instance, provides just enough feedback to keep the driver connected to the road without transmitting excessive vibration or harshness. The electronic stability systems work so subtly that you're rarely aware of their intervention, yet they provide a critical safety net at the limits of adhesion.
Looking at the broader automotive landscape, the Chiron Super Sport represents what might be the final evolution of the traditional internal combustion hypercar. With increasing regulatory pressure and industry shifts toward electrification, we may never see another production vehicle with a W16 engine. This context makes the Chiron Super Sport particularly significant - it's both a technological masterpiece and potentially the last of its kind. The limited production run of just 30 units reinforces its exclusive nature, creating what I believe will become one of the most collectible modern performance cars.
Having experienced numerous hypercars throughout my career, I can confidently state that the Chiron Super Sport occupies a unique position. It delivers unprecedented performance without compromising luxury or usability in the way that many competitors do. The engineering execution is flawless, the design is both functional and beautiful, and the driving experience transcends mere numbers. While its $3.9 million price tag places it beyond reach for most enthusiasts, it represents the absolute pinnacle of what's currently possible in automotive engineering. Much like how the PBA's decision regarding Terrafirma and Starhorse Shipping Lines established clear boundaries in basketball management, the Chiron Super Sport defines the outer limits of automotive performance - boundaries that likely won't be crossed for years to come.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
