FAST
Such a funny idea. I traveled to Florida to attempt to drive 400 kph in a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. That’s about 250 miles per hour—precisely 248.548 for the always-a-tree, never-a-forest types. But the Airbus A321 I flew to Orlando on has a cruising speed of 544 mph. Earth rotates faster than 1,000 mph at the equator. Our planet travels through space while orbiting the sun at more than 67,000 mph. As Einstein might well have explained, fast is relative.
What matters is that Bugatti lined up a space shuttle runway so I had a little more than 2 miles of acceleration space and then 4,000 feet to whoa down the car from what would be, should be, the fastest I’d ever driven. Before this outing, I’d topped 200 mph a handful of times, my best being an indicated 207 mph in a Lamborghini Huracán Performante on the other space shuttle runway, in California. This Bugatti run would be much faster, reaching speeds only a handful of people have ever done.
The Chiron Super Sport produces 1,578 horsepower from its tried, true, and still awesome 8.0-liter quad-turbo W-16 engine. Plus 1,180 lb-ft of torque. Had we been on a longer runway, it might have been possible to aim for the Super Sport’s top speed of 273 mph. True, Bugatti makes an even faster car, the Chiron Super Sport 300+, which British legend Andy Wallace drove to nearly 305 mph.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
2023 GMC Canyon
MC, the luxe-truck division of General Motors, has long struggled to differentiate its products from mechanically similar Chevrolets.
2023 Ford F-Series Super Duty
The heavy-duty truck world moves more slowly than other pickup classes, and progress comes in spurts. Take the Ford F-Series Super Duty, whose recent refresh included softer-edged styling, a new entry-level gas-fed V-8, a new high-output 6.7-liter turbodiesel V-8, and myriad small improvements like new bedside steps. Is it still basically the same truck as before? Absolutely, but it’s also a better Super Duty, however incrementally.
2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD
When Chevrolet unveiled its all-new 2020 Silverado HD lineup, it set the truck world ablaze, and not in a good way.
THE CHEVROLET COLORADO IS THE 2024 MOTORTREND TRUCK OF THE YEAR
A BROAD LINEUP DELIVERS AN IMPRESSIVE RANGE OF OFF-ROAD CAPABILITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE TO EVERYDAY LIVABILITY
HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE THE 80?!
THE FIRST-GENERATION NISSAN PATHFINDER IS AN SUV THROWBACK TO A TOTALLY RAD TIME, FOR SURE
BAVARIAN ECONS 2002te
THIS ELECTRIC BMW RESTOMOD LOSES ITS ENGINE BUT NOT ITS SOUL
2023 PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS FIRST TEST
PORSCHE'S MOST FOCUSED 911 OF ALL TIME MUST BE EXPERIENCED AT ITS LIMITS TO BE UNDERSTOOD
2024 TRUCK OF THE YEAR MADE IN MICHIGAN
AFTER DECADES IN THE WEST, TRUCK OF THE YEAR MOVES TO MICHIGAN
YOUR ICON OF ICONS: CHEVROLET CORVETTE
Was there ever any doubt? MotorTrend readers are largely American, and as much as we love Jeeps, Mustangs, and F-150s in this country, the Corvette has been “America’s sports car” for nearly as long as this publication has existed. That’s why you chose it via our online vote as the most iconic car of the past 75 years.
MOTORTREND CELEBRATES 75 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
The 10 Most Iconic Vehicles of Our Time and Much More