2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+

Not a moment after breaking the mythical 300-mph mark, Bugatti announced that the Chiron, its latest hypercar, would receive even more attention, the result being the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+. Under the hood of the 300+ lies a massive 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 engine that produces an astonishing 1,577 horsepower. Not only does it get tons of power to reach those incredible speeds, but it also makes use of high-tech aero parts such as a longtail body design and negative lift rear diffusers, as well as lightweight magnesium wheels. Only 30 of these magnificent beasts will go on sale, so your chances of driving one will be slim to none, but those lucky enough will have to fork over in excess of $3.9 million. As for who might be able to catch you at those speeds, rivals come in the form of the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut and the forthcoming Hennessey Venom F5.

The Super Sport 300+ carries over unchanged into 2022 with the Molsheim-based manufacturer completing production of the final batch of ultra-exclusive Chirons.

First revealed in 2019 to a select group of Bugatti owners, the Super Sport 300+ is an ultra-special edition of the Chiron designed as a celebration of the company's 110th anniversary. Based on the record-breaking car that became the first series-production vehicle to surpass 300 mph with a speed just a smidge over 304 mph. It was launched as a testament to Bugatti's technical genius and craftsmanship and underwent two years of development and testing before production of the 30 units finally kicked off, with the first eight cars delivered to customers in 2021.

With an extended body and specialized aerodynamics, the Chiron Super Sport 300+ has been designed with performance in mind, but that doesn't mean it's all function over form: the exterior is still an attractive one and represents a stunning balance between low drag, downforce, and simple beauty. Besides the new front air curtains, wheel arch vents, and quad tailpipe exits, which are set in a twin vertical arrangement, the most eye-catching feature of the Super Sport 300+ has to be the exposed Jet Black carbon fiber exterior, finished off with Jet Orange racing stripes. The iconic Bugatti 'Macaron' logo is forged from pure silver. The 300+ rolls on a set of ultra-lightweight magnesium wheels painted in Nocturne Black.

The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ is long and low: it looks like something out of a comic book, especially when seen in real life. In the quest to reduce drag and balance downforce, Bugatti has extended the car by 9.8 inches. What this means is that the aerodynamic stall has been reduced by over 40 percent. The exhaust exits and the rear diffuser has been redesigned to generate negative lift. Total length comes in at 188.7 inches, width at 80.2 inches, and height at 47.7 inches. The entire package rolls on a 106.7-inch wheelbase - the same as the standard Chiron. Thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ should weigh a good deal less than the Chiron Sport's 4,360-pound curb weight.

Getting a car close to 300 mph takes not only a very slippery body design but also a serious dose of power. The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ does not lack in this department, not by a long shot. Under the engine cover of the Super Sport 300+ lies a true feat of engineering: you get eight liters of quad-turbocharged W16 power, 1,577 hp to be exact, making it 100-hp more powerful than the standard Chiron. Power is sent to all four wheels via a dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission. Power delivery is similar to the standard Chiron in the way that it feels simply endless, and will keep pushing you back into your seat way past 150 mph. It should be noted that the production car won't reach the hallowed 300 mph mark in standard form, meaning it isn't technically a record holder, and is limited instead to 273.4 mph, while the 0-60 mph sprint should take approximately the same 2.4 seconds as the regular Chiron.

Hypercars at this level are usually built for going very fast in a straight line, especially the Super Sport 300+, so when it comes to handling around a circuit or a tight set of bends, the performance isn't as well documented, but what we can say is that the base Chiron handles much better than the Veyron ever did - that's what happens when technology progresses. While only the 30 owners, and Andy Wallace, are ever likely to get behind the wheel, we expect it to handle much like the standard Chiron, planted and far livelier than its curb weight suggests. Production models will also be more comfortable than the record-setting car, too, since they will ride on an unlowered suspension.

There are no official fuel consumption figures available from the EPA, but those who actually get the chance to own one will be sure to stick to their local gas station. If the standard Chiron's figures are anything to go by, speeds of over 200 mph will see the Chiron Super Sport 300+ drain the gas tank faster than you can say "I'm doing 200 mph in a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+." The normal Super Sport will get only 8/11/9 mpg, and is fitted with a 26.4-gallon fuel tank, so the Super Sport 300+ should be able to see around 237 miles on a single fill-up if it achieves similar estimates.

The fact that the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ has been lengthened by almost ten inches won't have an effect on the interior dimensions of this speedy beast. You still get a two-seater layout that offers enough space for most adults to find a comfortable spot, and the Chiron seats offer great support. The driving position is spot on, and forward visibility is good, just don't look in your rearview mirror. The interior space of the Super Sport 300+ is dominated by black carbon fiber, Alcantara leather, and Jet Orange color highlights. The carbon door sills also feature Jet Orange lettering, as do the headrests. The knee support in the center console and double-stitched seams also feature this color. All other interior bits and pieces feature a black anodized finish, and the rearview mirror and center line are painted in Beluga Black.

Do you desperately need a bit of trunk space to carry your inflated ego, or a bag stuffed with $100 bills? Look no further than the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+. While the rear-end of this car might be stuffed with a quad-turbocharged W16 engine, there's still some space left in the front. The frunk on the 300+ offers less than two cubic feet of space, and is large enough to fit a single carry-on bag.

The Chiron Super Sport 300+ is all about going fast, and although there are a few comfort features scattered around the interior, most luxury features such as heated and ventilated seats, advanced climate control systems, and integrated Wi-Fi are not to be found. What the Super Sport 300+ does provide is a set of lightweight magnesium wheels and LED headlights on the outside, while the interior gets leather seats, multi-configurable TFT screens in the dashboard, and actual diamond membranes incorporated into the four tweeter speakers.

As you pass the 200 mph mark, your mind is so focused on keeping the car straight, that almost all sound fades into the background. When driving at legal speeds, however, the Chiron Super Sport 300+ does offer a basic infotainment system that foregoes features such as a touch screen display and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The standard Chiron gets an Accuton sound system by Thiel & Partner with specialized diamond membranes in the tweeters for excellent sound quality, but in the quest for weight saving, we suspect the Super Sport 300+ only offers you a very basic system that offers the fundamentals.

The Super Sport 300+ has no known recalls against its name, but the regular Chiron hasn't been quite as lucky. The Bugatti Chiron was recalled in the US for what the NHTSA claimed to be a faulty side airbag heat shield. This recall only affected two Chiron cars. A second recall was issued for improperly welded seat recliner brackets which affected certain 2017-2018 Chiron models. The manufacturer provides a standard four-year, unlimited mileage warranty that covers all mechanical and electrical components.

The NHTSA and IIHS have not crash-tested the Chiron Super Sport 300+, nor any Bugatti for that matter. The Super Sport 300+ is one of the most expensive cars to ever go on sale in the US, so crashing one would be somewhat of a catastrophe. In terms of safety features, the Chiron Super Sport 300+ does not get modern driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, but it does get an advanced traction control system, and a set of massive brakes.

The opportunity to own a record-breaking car such as the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ comes but only once or twice in a lifetime, which already puts it in a class above the majority of cars on the road today. And, its extremely limited run of only 30 cars means that only a select few will ever be able to experience this car. It's not mechanically identical to the record-breaking car, which means in truth, the Koenigsegg Agera RS is still the official record holder, and with the Jesko Absolut intent on breaking the record even further, owning a Chiron Super Sport 300+ is a bragging right that might not hold much weight according to Guinness World Records, but will still place you in ultra-elite company.

Even if you could afford one, you wouldn't be able to get one since all 30 of these hypercars have been allocated to some seriously lucky owners, and even if one comes up for sale, don't expect a price drop, but rather bargain on an increase. We've heard reports of these cars going for close to $4,000,000, but the official numbers are closer to $3,900,000, exchange rate dependent.

As we've mentioned before, the Bugatti Super Sport 300+ is only available in extremely limited numbers, 30 to be exact, and all of them have been sold, so you're out of luck if you're looking for a new one, and even if one should come up for sale, you'll be paying even more than the original asking price. You should buy one, if you ever get the chance, because it is a part of automotive history. There's little you could customize if you secured a build slot, too, as all cars wear the same bare carbon exterior with Jet Orange striping, and all feature the same interior with black carbon, leather, and Alcantara finishings with Jet Orange highlights.

The Jesko holds the enviable title of having the most powerful internal combustion engine ever fitted to a production vehicle. Its twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8 offers 1,603 hp and 1,160 lb-ft of torque when fueled by E85, and on regular gasoline still delivers 1,262 hp. With a nine-speed multi-clutch transmission, reduced drag, and a possible top speed of 300 mph, the Jesko has to be the closest rival to the Bugatti Super Sport 300+ for now, until the Jesko Absolut arrives on the scene with a claimed top speed of 330.5 mph. This car is more track-focused than the Bugatti and can be considered a better sports car all around, but some might say it doesn't exude the same level of drama as the Bugatti. We think they are both insane machines that deserve to be looked at on an equal footing.

The Venom GT is America's answer to the hypercar race. This proudly American machine combines V8 power with the looks of a Lotus Elise. Yes, that might sound like a backyard hotrod build, but Hennessey is serious about building word-class hypercars, and the Venom GT can proudly sit next to the Bugatti in terms of quality and performance. Under the hood of the Venom GT lies a twin-charged 7.0-liter V8, which produces 1,244 hp and 1,155 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to get it to a top speed of 270.49 mph. It might not have the same brand capital and only costs around half the price of the Bugatti, but it gives the big B a run for its money. Even rarer than the Chiron Super Sport 300+, you'd be lucky if you ever saw a Venom GT, let alone had the chance to buy one.