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Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport: born to speed (and drift) through the twisties

Bugatti made automotive history in 2019 when it built a long-tail variant of the Chiron that was still accelerating when it smashed through the 300-mph barrier. With the speed record broken and set, the French company wants to prove it also knows a thing or two about handling with a new Chiron version named Pur Sport. "It's a lot of little details that add up to a very different driving experience. You immediately feel the car is nimbler and more agile," explained Frank Heyl, the company's deputy design director, in an interview with Autoblog. Heyl's team worked directly with Bugatti's engineering department to create a front fascia with wider air intakes, a redesigned splitter, and a bigger grille. Out back, it's impossible to miss the 74-inch long wing that unlocks quicker cornering speeds by adding downforce. Below it, a pair of exhaust tips 3D-printed in titanium are integrated into a taller air diffuser made with carbon fiber. There's no way to miss the Pur Sport if it passes you on the highway. The rear wing is fixed, and its mounts form an X-shaped insert. Heyl told us Bugatti deliberately sent the Chiron's hydraulically-operated spoiler back to the parts bin to save as much weight as possible. It shaved a total of 110 pounds, which is far more impressive than it sounds. "You have to consider this: we've done everything we could to save weight on the base Chiron. We've put the most expensive materials inside this car, and used the most expensive solutions already. To gain another [110 pounds] was quite a challenge," he pointed out. The wheels received attention, too, and we're not just talking about the design or the -2.5 camber angle. "[The two rings] suck air from the inside of the wheel to the outside, which creates downforce and improves the brake cooling by increasing airflow through the wheel," Heyl explained. The 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels are made of magnesium to reduce unsprung mass by 35 pounds, and they're wrapped by Bugatti-exclusive Michelin Sport Cup 2 R tires manufactured with a stickier compound. All told, the tweaks made at the Chiron's four corners increase its lateral acceleration by 10%. Heyl's equation is beginning to add up. Alcantara upholstery largely replaces leather in the cabin. It's lighter, and it does a better job of ensuring the driver's butt doesn't slide around when racing up a mountain road.

Here's how to cook a Christmas dinner like Ettore Bugatti

Ettore Bugatti is primarily known for building championship-winning race cars, such as the Type 35, but his interests extended far beyond the automotive industry. He developed airplanes, he sketched boats, and he experimented with various gadgets, including a pasta machine he designed himself. He was also an excellent cook, and Bugatti has cracked open its archives department to share some of its founder's favorite recipes. When he wasn't in his workshop, or selling electric runabouts to the world's elite, Bugatti liked to spend time in his kitchen fine-tuning recipes. He tested different ingredients, and he also mapped out the exact way each meal's table needed to be set; he notably replaced flowers with baskets of exotic fruits, and he created his own cutlery set. Highly accurate sketches (pictured) were handed out to members of his staff to convey his instructions. He served the folks he invited for Christmas the same dinner each year: minestrone as a starter, blazed duck breast with truffle puree and cassis sauce as a main course, and strawberry gratin for dessert. Bugatti listed the ingredients and the instructions in a post published on its media site. It's certainly not a quick and easy meal to make for novice cooks, but it's a lot faster and simpler than building a Chiron, which takes several weeks. Enthusiasts who want to dive deeper into Bugatti's ties to food need to travel to the Alsace region of France, the company's historic home. Although he never operated his own restaurant, he convinced three of his friends to create an establishment called Clos Saint Odile in Obernai, a picturesque town about 15 minutes away from Molsheim and surrounded by vineyards, so that his customers would have a suitably upmarket place to dine in. It still exists today, though it's called La Fourchette des Ducs, and it was awarded two stars in the Michelin Guide. Keep your ears peeled. You may hear a W16 engine roaring to life in the nearby Atelier. Related Video:

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ limited to 30 units worldwide

Bugatti announced plans to end its record-chasing career on a high note by turning the 304-mph, long-tail Chiron into a limited-edition model. Named Chiron Super Sports 300+, it's an evolution of the standard car that promises to let buyers who find a long enough stretch of tarmac channel their inner Andy Wallace. The 300+ is all but identical to the Chiron that Wallace bravely piloted to 304 mph on Volkswagen's Ehra-Lessien test track in Germany in August 2019. Keeping it planted on its four wheels as it approaches speeds airplanes normally take off at required redesigning its aerodynamic profile. The 9.8 inches of carbon fiber added to the rear end immediately reveal it's not a standard Chiron, but the 300+ also receives tweaks to its front end (including vents chiseled above the wheels), and a reshaped rear diffuser for added downforce. The rear wing is notably fixed to reduce drag. While Wallace hit 304-mph in a stripped-out cabin loaded to the gills with electronic equipment, the version buyers will be able to add to their collection will come with a variant of the Chiron's interior made with model-specific materials. As always, customization will be the name of the game. Collectors will have the chance to work directly with Bugatti to create a one-of-a-kind car. The 300+ uses a 1,600-horsepower evolution of the Chiron's 1,500-horsepower, quad-turbocharged W16. This mammoth of an engine channels its power to all four wheels via a seven-speed, dual-clutch all-wheel drive system. The sprint from zero to 60 mph takes under 2.4 seconds, while its true official top speed hasn't been explored yet. Its Michelin tires were bench-tested at up to 317 mph. Bugatti will make 30 examples of the Chiron Super Sports 300+, and pricing starts at $3.5 million before taxes and options elbow their way into the equation. All things considered, that's a surprisingly reasonable sum; the standard Chiron carries a $3 million price tag. Bugatti began taking orders for the model after displaying Wallace's record-breaking car during a reveal event attended by clients all over the world, and several units were spoken for before dessert arrived. "They will be gone in the blink of an eye," company boss Stephan Winkelmann told Autoblog.