New Bugatti on the block shows the old guard who rules the roost.
The crew at Car Advicerecently shared a video from the Turnpike Racing League YouTube channel that showcases old and new Bugatti hypercars going head-to-head in a pair of dig races. Not surprisingly, the newer, more-powerful car is the quicker of the two, but this video shows the real world difference in a venue that we can all understand.
Old and New Bugatti Battle
The video above showcases a pair of drag races between the Bugatti Veryon Super Sport and the newer Bugatti Chiron. Both cars are powered by an 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged W16 engine, but the Chiron offers 1,479 horsepower while the Veyron “only” packs 1,183 horsepower. The newer car also has an advantage in torque, but with figures of 1,180 and 1,106 lb-ft, the Chiron doesn’t have as big of a lead in twist.
Also, while both cars have a curb weight of well over 4,000 pounds and advanced all-wheel-drive systems, the Chiron has a newer 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission while the Veyron has an 8-speed dual clutch automatic. It should also be noted that when new, the Super Sport cost around $2.4-million while the Chiron costs $2.8-million in US funds.
Of course, with similar curb weights, similar drivetrain configurations (thus similar traction) and a big power advantage, you would expect that the Chiron would be the quicker of the two Bugatti hypercars, but just how much quicker?
$5,200,000 Drag Race
The video above shows a pair of drag races between the Veyron and Chiron, with the two Bugatti hypercars leaving on the flagman’s signal.
In the first race, neither car seems to launch very hard and early on, the Veyron appears to have the lead, but the Chiron pulls ahead and gets on the breaks first on the top end. It is close, but the newer Bugatti appears to get the win after the slow start.
In the second race, the two hypercars switch lanes and this time, the Chiron owner gets away from the starting line much better. Even though both drivers take a second to react to the starting flag, the newer car ends up handing out a beating with the better launch.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
