Review: 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport hyperactivates the hypercar expertise

They say you always remember your first. In this case, my first is a hypercar and it’s a doozy. It boasts an 8.0-liter engine with 16 cylinders and 4 turbochargers, a price ticket of greater than 4 million {dollars}, and a prime pace of 273 mph. Yep, my first hypercar drive is within the 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport.

The Super Sport matches in the midst of the Chiron vary, although there’s nothing middle-of-the-road about it. With extra energy than the bottom Chiron, it’s quicker, but it surely doesn’t have the bonkers prime pace of the Super Sport 300+, which reached 304.773 mph. The Pur Sport is the Bugatti for dynamic dealing with, and this Super Sport features extra as a grand touring automobile. You know, a 1,578-hp GT. Sounds good for a soothing drive up the coast.

Approaching the automobile I’m fairly anxious. I don’t have the sort of insurance coverage that can cowl me if I $#%* up this stunning automobile. The lengthy tail means it can take up 10 extra inches of linear house in collectors’ palatial garages than the usual Chiron, but it surely maintains the identical width, top, and wheelbase. There is loads of carbon fiber right here, and I can’t recover from the rear finish. I really like the cut up rear window, modern wing, and stacked quad tailpipes. It’s a butt I wish to get pleasant with.

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, photograph by Emme Hall

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, photograph by Emme Hall

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, photograph by Emme Hall

The acquainted horse collar Bugatti grille up entrance is flanked by jeweled LED headlights with giant intakes beneath. Above the entrance fenders sit enticing air vents that include 9 holes on both sides in units of three. They harken again to the EB110 Super Sport, but additionally present high-speed stability because the automobile approaches 250 mph. 

I’m shocked the Super Sport doesn’t have millionaire doorways—you understand, the type that open upward. It’s straightforward to get in to, no climbing over a large door sill is critical, and as soon as in my rear matches snuggly right into a well-bolstered, if flippantly cushioned, seat.

The cabin is fairly sparse, particularly contemplating the value. It lacks high-tech screens and gee-gaw options. Instead, 4 configurable digital dials stacked vertically on the sprint show both HVAC controls or driving knowledge like max energy used, g-forces, and the like. A small shifter sits beneath. The flat-bottom steering wheel has audio controls and some buttons to entry info within the gauge cluster. More importantly, that is the place the drive modes are positioned, in addition to the beginning button.

I take a deep breath and push that button. Immediately, a rumble fills the cabin like nothing I’ve ever heard, and heads flip to see what’s making that wonderful noise. It is I, queen of all the pieces, about to embark on the luckiest two hours of my life.

Any delusions of wringing this factor out are put to relaxation as quickly as I pull out into site visitors. It’s 3:00 pm in Los Angeles and I’m in bumper-to-bumper site visitors on Pacific Coast Highway. Remarkably, this hypercar isn’t begging me to go, properly, hyperspeed. It’s completely completely happy toddling together with the circulation of site visitors, be it 20 mph or 55 mph. I really feel an often thunk because the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox shifts into first gear when rolling to a cease, however I by no means really feel just like the automobile is begging me to tear round a Toyota Corolla, center finger prolonged yelling, “I’m in a Bugatti, suckaaaaaas!”

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport

Not that I’d ever carry out any overly aggressive strikes with all these vehicles round. Driving a Bugatti in site visitors means protecting your senses on excessive alert. I go away an excellent six toes in entrance of me at cease lights and I’m always different drivers, admonishing them to remain of their lanes. At one level a motorbike rips by me on the shoulder, cellular phone out and livestreaming to the Tok Tiks or regardless of the youngsters are utilizing at present. I hope it was price it buddy since you gave me a little bit of a code brown. 

The Chiron Super Sport has three drive modes. I keep on with EB, the Bugatti equal of Normal mode, however there’s additionally an Autobahn mode that lowers the entrance finish and sharpens all the pieces for high-speed cruising, plus a Handling mode that’s finest left to people driving on a monitor with a lot of insurance coverage. 

Even in EB mode, the suspension feels impressively stiff, sufficient that I’m wondering how bone-shattering a Pur Sport could be. In the Super Sport I can really feel each pebble and discover myself avoiding even the smallest imperfection on the street.

The Super Sport doesn’t have any superior driver aids like adaptive cruise management or lively lane management and, frankly, I’m effective with that. I wish to drive this automobile, not be topic to the whims of some pc. However, I do want for blind-spot screens because the visibility is restricted. 

After 45 minutes or so of cruising in site visitors, my babysitter, er, Bugatti consultant tells me to show off PCH and onto a curvy street. There continues to be a variety of rush hour site visitors, but it surely offers me the possibility to place the hammer down a number of occasions and expertise all 1,180 lb-ft of torque.

Holy shit is all I’ve to say. I’ve been in loads of high-torque electrical automobiles and this can be a fully completely different expertise. It takes a scorching second for the turbos to spool up, however then the Chiron Super Sport roars to life, forsaking it’s pussycat GT demeanor and remodeling right into a imply feral tomcat that’s simply escaped the loss of life needle on the pound. Seemingly infinite quantities of energy rushes to the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, 355/25ZR21 within the rear, 285/30ZR20 in entrance. I instantly begin to scream/chuckle as my tummy does flip flops and my thoughts tells me what an fool I’m. I’m pinned in a Bugatti, and I’m ruler of all of it!

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, photograph by Emme Hall

The Chiron Super Sport weighs in at a heavy 4,400 lb or so, however with the mighty W-16 rearward of the cabin placing all that energy all the way down to all 4 wheels, it hardly issues. Bugatti says the Super Sport can rocket from 0 to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds, hit 124 mph in 5.8 seconds, go to 186 mph in 12.1 seconds, and attain all the way in which as much as 249 mph in 28.6 seconds. It tops out at 273 mph.

I’m rapidly approaching a BMW X5, so I hit the pedal to interact the big carbon-ceramic brakes and the automobile slows confidently. I’m undecided of my prime pace, however I can inform you that once I hit the brakes and look down the speedometer says 85 mph and I’m in second gear. Close to the restrict of the automobile? Uh, no, however three or 4 seconds of thrills are higher than no thrills in any respect.

I get to take care of a little bit of pace round some sweepers and discover the steering to be properly weighted and correct. I don’t anticipate to make any mid-corner corrections and I’m proper. That would possibly change when on a monitor, however, alas, that isn’t for me to seek out out. It’s time to go again down PCH and provides the Bugatti again. 

Round-trip my drive is about 50 miles and I’m so giddy I neglect to verify my gas economic system. However, the EPA offers the Bugatti an effectivity ranking of 8 mpg metropolis, 11 freeway, 9 mixed. My fast little journey probably burned six or seven gallons of gas. Further, the Chiron Super Sport runs on 93 octane, which isn’t accessible in California or many elements of the nation. The Bugatti staff had to make use of specifically bought 101 octane for my joyride. Of course, once you’re shopping for a automobile that begins at $3.825 million, you’re probably not apprehensive about gasoline costs, amirite?

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport

My tester’s choices price twice as a lot as my home and embody a $222,500 paint job, a $62,000 glass roof, $12,500 for the consolation seats—they don’t have a lot padding however are surprisingly comfortable—and $2,500 for one thing known as Hidden Delights. I don’t know what they’re. They had been, apparently, very properly hidden.

All instructed you’re $4,301,450 for the 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. While I definitely didn’t get to expertise the automobile’s peak efficiency, I really feel fortunate that my first hypercar expertise delivered somewhat little bit of mayhem on the behest of my proper foot. Very fortunate certainly. 

—Emme Hall