The top speed craze is officially finished as manufacturers have decided not to chase new land-speed records for production cars. With that said, one of the most vivid car manufacturers in this regard is the French automaker, Bugatti. The company was founded back in 1909 by Italian, Ettore Bugatti, in Molshem, France, where it is still headquartered to this day.
Over the years, the company has changed ownership a few times. It was officially defunct in 1960, only to be reborn three years later, by Hispano Suiza. From 1987 to 1995, the company was owned by Italian entrepreneur, Romano Artioli, and in 1998, Volkswagen bought the supercar manufacturer. Since November 2021, Bugatti is under the ownership of Rimac, and about to usher in a new age of electrified, high-performance vehicles.
With that said, the company has been at the forefront of performance, for the majority of its existence. Since the 1930s, the French carmaker has been building some of the most capable road-going vehicles in history, and these 10 are the fastest Bugattis ever made.
10 2020 Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport: 217 Mph
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is what happens when you want Bugatti’s hyper-grand-tourer in a more track-focused guise. In 2020, the company obliged and gave us a version of the Chiron with revised aerodynamics that increase downforce. New aerodynamic wheels, closer gear ratios, 200 RPM higher-revving engine, 110 pounds (50 kg0 weight reduction and more Alcantara in the cabin are what sets the Pur Sport apart.
There’s also a tall, fixed rear spoiler. Although the Chiron Pur Sport still packs 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet (1,600 Nm), its top speed has been reduced to 217 mph (350 km/h). The 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) takes a mind-blowing, 2.2 seconds.
9 1992 Bugatti EB110 SS: 221 Mph
One year after the Bugatti EB110 GT made its debut, the company released a lighter, more powerful version called the EB110 SS. Visually, the car stood apart from the milder EB110 GT with different wheels and a fixed rear wing. A more extensive use of carbon fiber resulted in a weight reduction from the GT’s 3,571 pounds (1,620 kg) to 3,126 pounds (1,418 kg) for the SS.
The 3.5-liter, quad-turbo V-12 was also massaged for 612 horsepower while the familiar, six-speed manual sent power to both axles. The 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) was dealt with in 3.2 seconds on to a top speed of 221 mph (355 km/h), making it the fastest production car, for a brief time. Before VW’s acquisition of Bugatti, Dauber bought the remaining EB110 parts, producing a 230-mph (370 km/h) version.
8 2020 Bugatti Divo: 236 Mph
Bugatti Chiron came in 2018 as the successor to the Veyron. The Chiron was the basis for many limited-edition versions, among which is the Bugatti Divo. It is a track-focused version, built as a homage to Albert Divo – a racing driver who raced for Bugatti in the 1920s (hence the name). Unlike the Chiron, the Divo was not solely about speed.
Although it packs the same, 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W-16 as the Chiron, with 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet (1,600 Nm), its top speed is limited to “just” 236 mph (380 km/h). Power still went to all four wheels through an eight-speed DCT. The Divo’s production ended with 40 examples, built between 2019 and 2021.
7 2020 Bugatti Centodieci: 236 Mph
Bugatti
Last Centodieci front view
In 2022, Bugatti celebrated 110 years of its existence with a neo-retro-styled Chiron-based model, dubbed the Centodieci – Italian for “110”. The Chiron’s bones were veiled in a body, inspired by the Bugatti EB110. In this case, the 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W-16 produced 1,600 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet (1,600 Nm).
With all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic, the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) sprint took 2.3 seconds. Despite having extra 100 horsepower than the Divo, the Centodieci’s top speed is limited to the same 236 mph (380 km/h). The EB110-inspired Bugatti Centodieci was produced only for 2022, with production ending after just 10 examples were built.
6 2005 Bugatti Veyron 16.4: 253 Mph
In 2005, Bugatti took back the world speed record for a road-going car. Bugatti Veyron demolished McLaren F1’s long-standing record for the fastest, production car, although it did so with a much bigger engine and four turbochargers. In its original guise, the 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W-16 produced 1,001 horsepower and 922 pound-feet (1,250 Nm).
The massive powerplant was complimente by an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic and all-wheel drive, resulting in a 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 2.4 seconds and a top speed of 253 mph (407 km/h). The Veyron, effectively, restarted the speed war in the automotive industry, with companies like SSC, Koenigsegg, and Bugatti, exchanging the title multiple times.
5 2018 Bugatti Chiron/Chiron Sport: 261 Mph
Bugatti’s W-16 hypercar has always been about speed. In 2018, the Veyron was succeeded by the even more bonkers Chiron. The new car brought more sophistication and more power from the same quad-turbo W-16 – now 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet (1,600 Nm). As with all Veyrons and Chirons, power was managed through an eight-speed DCT and all-wheel drive.
Naturally, the Chiron was faster than the Veyron, with the top speed now being 261 mph (420 km/h) instead of 253 mph (407 km/h). The Chiron’s fuel tank would be empty after 11 minutes of flat-out driving. The more track-oriented Chiron Sport was introduced shortly after with identical performance specs. The main difference was slightly more carbon fiber, resulting in 40 pounds (18 kg) less weight and stiffer suspension.
4 2023 Bugatti Mistral: 261 Mph
Bugatti Mistral is one of the many versions, based on the Chiron. The company describes it as “the ultimate roadster” and the 1,500-horsepower, 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W-16 is certainly a strong argument for that. The rest of the Chiron’s hardware, among which the eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, are also a direct carry-over.
The Mistral’s production is to commence this year with deliveries expected in 2024. Production is limited to 99 units and with a top speed of 261 mph (420 km/h), the Mistral is one of the fastest roadsters, with only the Venom F5 and Koenigsegg Agera RS Roadster being faster.
3 2010 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport: 268 Mph
After the American SSC Ultimate Aero stole the Veyron’s top speed record, the French company decided to reclaim it. It did so with the 2010 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport – a more powerful version of the W-16 hypercar with 1,200 horsepower and 1,106 pound-feet (1,500 Nm).
Volkswagen's Ehra-Lessien test track, the Veyron Super Sport managed an average top speed (from three runs) of 268 mph (431 km/h), which was enough for a Guinness World Record. On its first run, the Veyron SS managed 270 mph (434 km/h). Only 48 production versions of the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport were produced. All cars sold to the public were limited to 258 mph (415 km/h).
2 2019 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+: 304.8 Mph
The Chiron Super Sport 300++ was when Bugatti decided to take the gloves off. As the name suggests, the target was 300 mph (483 km/h). The ultimate Chiron relied on a 1,600-horsepower version of the quad-turbo W-16, dubbed Thor – the same version of the 8.0-liter lump also powered the Centodieci.
The Super Sport 300++ was also 248.9 mm (9.8 inches) longer in order to be more stable at high speeds. Naturally, the top speed run was executed at Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien test track, in August 2019, where the Chiron SS 300++ managed 304.774 mph (490.486 km/h). Just 30 production copies were built.
1 2023 Bugatti Bolide: 311 Mph
When we first learnt of the Bugatti Bolide, we thought the closet it would get to production is the concept stage. However, the company started production back in 2021 with the promise that the first batch of cars would reach its owners in 2024. Bolide means race car, so you can expect this to be a track-focused version. However, this time, racetrack prowess will not come at the cost of a lower top speed.
Bugatti promises that the Bolide will be capable of 311 mph (500 km/h) when it arrives. This is, partially, thanks to a version of the 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W-16 that makes 1,850 horsepower and 1,364 pound-feet (1,849 Nm). As always, power goes to all four wheels through a seven-speed DCT. Production is limited to 40 units.