Bugatti has high hopes for its new Chiron, which the automaker has been parading around at major motorsports events like the Goodwood Hillclimb, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Now, the Volkswagen-owned French automaker says that it is aiming to best the current production car top speed record, something that may not be a huge challenge given the Chiron's 1,480 horsepower rating.
The existing top speed record—268 mph—is held by the Chiron's predecessor, the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport.
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"We will try to lock in a new world speed record," Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer told Autocar. "I know the Chiron will be faster, but we don’t how fast. We have the calculations from our simulations, but it is always different to sit in the car and actually do it.”
The Chiron has almost 300 more horsepower than the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. Officially, Bugatti says that the Chiron is limited to 261 mph, but the automaker removed the Veyron's speed limiter for its attempt.
Rumors early on suggested that the Chiron is projected to hit 288 mph, but, as Dürheimer said, that is based on calculations and modeling, not an actual run on a closed course.
Bugatti hasn't announced just when the attempt will occur, so stay tuned.