Mat Watson of CarWow wanted to conduct a hypercar drag race that put all others to shame. So, he pit a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport against the Chiron Pur Sport against each other in the Arabian desert. More specifically, Al Ain, UAE, on a sandy desert track, which impacted traction due to fine dust acting like “microscopic ball bearings.”
Both cars share the same 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, but they’re tuned differently. The 4,400 lb Chiron Super Sport makes 1,578 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque, enabling it to hit 60 mph in 2.4 seconds. At 4,300 lbs, the Chiron Pur Sport is 100 lbs lighter, making 1,479 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque, helping it accelerate from 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds.
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The desert surface caused traction issues, especially for the Pur Sport, which struggled with wheel spin in the first two races. Both cars are all-wheel drive, but the Pur Sport’s shorter gear ratios were designed to give it an edge in acceleration, critical for a quarter-mile sprint.
The Pur Sport’s shorter gear setup and 0.1-second quicker 0-60 mph time gave it a possible edge in a straight-line race, but the sandy track made it hard to start fast at first. On the other hand, the Super Sport’s extra 100 horsepower and focus on going super fast weren’t as helpful for the short quarter-mile race, especially since both cars struggled to grip the sand, making things more even.
Even with the desert’s slippery track, the Pur Sport’s faster takeoff stood out, showing it’s better for quick dashes, while the Super Sport’s big power couldn’t fully kick in on the sandy ground.
