Peter Palmer: Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport: When Less Is More & 16 Is The Magic Number

Weight reduction was the central theme behind the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport.
Bugatti’s engineers also wanted the supercar to have more grip on the track.
New wheels, tires, and a rear spoiler are among the performance treatments.

The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is a perfect example of the “less is more” mantra. Bugatti has released multiple iterations of the Chiron since its debut in 2016, but the Pur Sport is the lightest, most track-focused Chiron to date.

The new Chiron Pur Sport is not the most expensive Chiron ever made. Now, that honor belongs to the one-of-a-kind Bugatti La Voiture Noire with an $18.7 million price tag. Nor is it the most extreme-looking Chiron either, as the glorious Centodieci has that covered.

And the Pur Sport is not the fastest Bugatti Chiron either! That distinction belongs to the Chiron Super Sport 300+, which broke all existing production speed records by reaching a bewildering 304.7 mph at the Ehra-Lessien high-speed test track in Germany.

In short, with the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, you get less of everything. And this makes it the best Chiron in our book. But how did Bugatti do it?

Back To Basics

Turns out, the Chiron Pur Sport is perfectly fine with not being honored as the ultimate speed king. And besides, it has other priorities in mind like grand touring comfort (even over a regular Chiron) and excellent handling – the latter of which is not exactly intertwined with the Chiron’s many talents.

However, Bugatti was able to create a track-tuned Chiron by shedding weight. Lots of it. You see, a stock Chiron is still unbelievable no matter the case, but it’s not exactly a light vehicle. The Chiron tips the scales at around 4,400 lbs., so it’s clear something needed to happen to make the Pur Sport a more nimble and agile performer around the racetrack.

“All of the modifications make the Pur Sport’s handling more accurate, direct, and predictable,” said Jachin Schwalbe, Head of Bugatti Chassis Development.

16 is a magic number for the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport. The supercar features a W16 engine, while 16 kilograms of weight were cut from the wheels via new designs. Photo: Bugatti.

Less Weight = Better Handling

Bugatti engineers focused on the essentials. For instance, the Chiron Pur Sport has new, aerodynamically-enhanced magnesium wheels with aero blades. Those blades are neatly arranged in a ring formation and ventilate the brakes while also improving airflow. The new wheels are 35 lbs. lighter than the Chiron’s regular wheels.

“Lower unsprung masses result in improved grip because the wheel maintains contact with the road surface more easily,” Schwalbe added.

Meanwhile, the exhaust tips are now crafted from 3D-printed titanium. The same goes for the base panels for the brake pads, also now made from titanium. With newer and lighter brake pads, along with a lighter set of discs, Bugatti’s engineers cut another 6.6 lbs.

Further weight-saving measures were employed by deleting the magnificent but hopelessly complicated active rear wing on the regular Chiron. Instead, the Pur Sport receives a massive fixed rear wing. And since there are no hydraulics to lift or lower the wing, it saves another 22 lbs. If you do the math, the Chiron Pur Sport is 110 lbs. lighter overall than a regular Chiron. “Anyone behind the wheel will immediately feel its lightweight character through bends,” Schwalbe added.

A split paintwork design is optional for the Chiron Pur Spot. The entire bottom third of the vehicle features exposed carbon fiber to make it appear lower. — A split paintwork design is optional for the Chiron Pur Spot. The bottom third of the vehicle is exposed carbon fiber to make it appear lower. Photo: Bugatti.

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport: Getting a Grip!

After shedding some crucial pounds, it was time to fiddle with the suspension. Bugatti installed a new set of firmer coil springs (65 and 35 percent firmer at the front and back, respectively) to tame the body around corners. To increase both lateral acceleration and handing through those corners, The Chiron Pur Sport is rolling on bespoke Michelin/Bugatti Sport Cup 2 R tires.

Alongside firmer springs and custom tires, Bugatti re-calibrated the adaptive dampers and modified the camber values by minus 2.5 degrees. “This setup makes the Chiron Pur Sport steer more directly and accurately through bends and maintains the grip levels for a very long time – even at high speeds,” Schwalbe explained.

Related: An introduction to the Legends of Bugatti.

Functional & Focused Design

Whereas a regular Chiron is all about aero efficiency, the Pur Sport is no different. But now, more emphasis was placed on increasing downforce. The Pur Sport has a larger and more prominent horseshoe grille along with wider air inlets. The exaggerated front splitter simultaneously generates more downforce and gives the vehicle a wider stance.

“We focused particularly on the agility of the Chiron Pur Sport,” revealed Frank Heyl, Head of Exterior Design and Deputy Head Designer at Bugatti. “The vehicle generates more downforce at the rear axle while the large front splitter, air inlets, and wheel-arch vents feature optimized air outlets.”

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport. Photo: Bugatti

Same W16 Engine, Different Transmission

We can’t help but wonder how Bugatti resisted the urge to tweak the engine, but it’s not as if the 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W16 motor is lacking anything. Producing 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft. of torque, the Pur Sport still has enough to jump start a dying planet.

The engine is now connected to a heavily-revised, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. According to Bugatti, the transmission is 80 percent new and has 15 percent closer gear ratios. “We reconfigured each gear and calibrated new ratios despite this iconic engine boasting an abundance of power,” said Gregor Gries, Head of Major Assemblies at Bugatti. “The gears are closer together now to enable shorter gear jumps and also benefit performance.”

The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport has a top speed of 218 mph, and is savage enough to go from 37 mph to 75 mph a full two seconds faster than a stock Chiron. “Most of all, when coming out of corners, the Chiron Pur Sport accelerates even more aggressively with the added grip and more direct chassis and suspension,” Gries added.

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport interior layout. Special patterns have been laser-etched into the Alcantara door trim panels, which feature contrasting highlights that give off a "metal look." — Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport interior layout. Special patterns have been laser-etched into the Alcantara door trim panels, which feature contrasting highlights that give off a “metal look.” Photo: Bugatti.

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport: Pricing & Availability

The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is limited to only 60 units globally with prices starting at around $3.35 million. Production starts in the second half of this year, with the first deliveries arriving in late 2020 and early 2021.

Alvin Reyes is the Associate Editor of Automoblog. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.