Bugatti breaks 300mph speed barrier

[Jeff V.]

Wow. Just...wow.



Back when Koenigsegg did their 278 mph run, Michelin was saying they couldn't guarantee the tires would hold together much past that. I don't know if something changed, or if Bugatti was just willing to take the risk. Whatever it was, it's pretty damned impressive to see in a 'production' car.

[mjannusch]

I can't imagine going that fast in a car.

[Jeff V.]

It'd be scary enough doing it with the technical resources of VW and Michelin behind you. I can't believe how some of these guys are doing crazy high speeds at private runway events using cars that some tuner threw together. Or that they built themselves.

[aaronatstate]

I honestly would like to know what is different about the tires on this compared to a tire that can go 270mph. Seems to me there wouldn't be much difference.

[DCIV]

So how do the tires do the 600mph plus on the salt flats?


Coop

[Jeff V.]

It's probably the same tire. It's just that Michelin couldn't guarantee or predict how they'd perform much past 270. If I'm not mistaken, they had to test them on aircraft landing gear dynos to even get close to those speeds to begin with.

So how do the tires do the 600mph plus on the salt flats?

I think those are usually just a solid rubber donut, if they even have tires at all.

[ChargerX3]

Just imagine a tire blowout.

[Jeff V.]

According to Car and Driver, they were custom Michelin Pilot Cup 2s. The car itself wasn't quite a stock Chiron, but might but end up being the prototype for a Super Sport version.

https://jalopnik.com/the-bugatti-chiron ... 1837811754

Bugatti also announced they're retiring from the speed record game.

[aaronatstate]

Sounds like they did something with the bands in the tire. Probably just lots of extra labor and made special in a prototype cell to get the bands not to touch is my guess.

[alienviking]

I just can't get myself to care about things like this anymore. The amount of horsepower and top mph just come across as stupid to me on a road car.

[Jeff V.]

Eh. It's purely about bragging rights. You can't even brag about buying a $3M car any more, because there are a half dozen of those now. But for the moment, there's only one 300 mph car.

I respect the technical achievement, but I agree...it's silly on a street car.

[ChargerX3]

Where could you even safely drive a car like that. Like the slightest bump in an interstate would destroy you. Ever see the lambo vid a few years back with the two guys filming?

[Jeff V.]

Nope.

I was pretty impressed Koenigsegg was able to do their 278 mph run out in Arizona. But I expect they walked every inch of that stretch of highway looking for potential problems.

I'd be curious to know what Koenigsegg could achieve if they had access to VWs Ehra-Lessien track.