Much like the Veyron before it, the Chiron has spawned numerous special editions. Some were only limited to visual changes while others brought more significant tweaks by featuring hardware upgrades. It's easy to forget the Pur Sport since the Divo, Centodieci, Super Sport 300+, and the one-off La Voiture Noire made the headlines more often than the track-focused derivative.
The corner-devouring W16 coupe is quite "slow" judging by its 218-mph top speed compared to an uncorked Super Sport 300+ that can hit 304 mph. That's because it has been reconfigured for quicker acceleration with 15-percent closer gear ratios at the expense of top speed. We can see the Pur Sport's blistering performance on a circuit by tackling Circuit Paul Ricard located near Marseille in France.
Gallery: 2020 Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport
It’s not the acceleration from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) that impresses us, not even the sprint to 124 mph (200 km/h) or 186 mph (300 km/h). The quad-turbo 8.0-liter engine appears to have endless resources as it keeps on pulling even after 186 mph. Shot by Paul Englert, this one-of-60 Pur Sport hypercars is an absolute rocket after exiting a corner and should handle better than a base Chiron after dropping 50 kilograms (110 pounds).
With acceleration being far more important than outright top speed, the engine’s redline has been pushed further by 200 rpm, at 6,900 rpm. It’s still an extremely heavy car by weighing just under two metric tons, but the video goes to show Bugatti has done a remarkable job at neutralizing some of the bulk. With bespoke Michelin Sport Cup 2 R and a stiffer suspension (+65 percent front and +33 percent rear), it’s the most agile Chiron of them all.
How many owners will actually take their Pur Sports to a race track and give it the proverbial beans? We'd wager not a lot, which is a real shame since it appears to be a real hoot in the right hands. Even though it weighs nearly the same as a fullsize SUV, the more focused Chiron seems playful on the 3.6-mile Circuit Paul Ricard with its 15 corners. Of course, it hit 217 mph (350 km/h) on the 1.1-mile Mistral Straight.
