For years, we have seen how Bugatti and speed records have been almost synonymous. Last decade, the manufacturer left us a continuous fight with Koenigsegg and Hennessey to break records of all kinds, from top speed to the famous 0-400-0. That is, the fastest car to reach 400 km/h from a standstill and stop the hypercar completely again.
But in 2019, Bugatti surprised by saying that it was withdrawing from the speed records. He expressed this intention just when his Bugatti Chiron Super Sport achieved a maximum speed of 490.484 km/h. This speed record has its origins as it was certified by TÜV but not by Guinness World Record.
This last agency did certify the 460.43 km/h achieved by the SSC Tuatara, which, however, claimed in 2020 that it had reached 532 km/h. The problem is that errors in the record measurements were subsequently discovered, which invalidated this figure.
Since then, the 500 km/h barrier keep resisting. So far, no one has managed to take it down. And at Bugatti, despite the fact that five years ago they said they had retired from the race, they believe they have the key to achieving a new record.
Bugatti Tourbillon and the 500 km/h
However, Bugatti’s interest in speed records is something that, everything indicates, is changing. In November 2021, Mate Rimac, the owner of the Rimac Group that has its electric hypercar in the Nevera, reached an agreement with Porsche to control, between them, 55% and 45% of Bugatti, respectively.
Since then, Mate Rimac is the visible head of Bugatti-Rimacthe name received from the new address in which Porsche also has two other seats. And Rimac does seem to be more interested in speed records. In fact, the best example is the one beaten by Bugatti itself just a few days ago.
At the request of a client, the brand tuned a 14 million euro Bugatti Mistral to try to achieve the highest top speed ever achieved in a production vehicle without a roof. As of a few days ago, the highest speed ever achieved by a convertible is 454 km/h.
In this event, they explain in DiariomotorRimac was discovered speaking with some of Michelin’s top managers. The French tire brand exclusively manufactures its rubber for hypercars. At a rate of 35,000 euros per tire (in the case of the Bugatti Chiron) which, if the rim is added, we are talking about a Price of 60,000 euros. Something that had to be done, according to the company, every three tire changes to keep the car in the best possible condition.
Shortly after, Rimac was interviewed by Top Gear who clearly asked about breaking the magic figure of 500 km/h. “That was exactly our discussion. I realized that the guys that are here are actually responsible for these types of performance and racing tires. And I’m like, ‘Can you do this? Can you do that?’ Where is the limit?”
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At this time, the Bugatti Tourbillon, the latest gem that the company has released and for which it does not sit down and talk for less than 3.8 million euros, reaches a maximum speed of 445 km/h. It achieves this thanks to a brutal 8.3 V16 naturally aspirated engine that generates 1,000 HP that is combined with three other electric motors to raise the figure to 1,800 HP.
The arrival of hybrid engines with wild figures has brought down the cost of launching vehicles at outrageous figures, leaving that job to other companies like Michelin. They collect in Autonotion that to deliver the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 that the Bugatti Veyron mounted on its top speed recordthe company carried out tests on the machine designed to fine-tune the tires of the Space Shuttle, reaching speeds of 510 km/h.
A tire stressed at that speed has to deal with an extreme increase in internal temperature and withstand extreme deformations. Likewise, the pressure in the rubber increases significantly and, therefore, the risk of suffering a burst in the middle of the test increases.
Of course, Bugatti is sure of being able to achieve the desired figure.
And he has put the ball in Michelin’s court.
Photo | Bugatti
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