What's the news?
What's the last thing the remarkable Bugatti Chiron needed? More speed? Well, that's kind of what it has got, courtesy of the Chiron Sport that was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show.
Nothing has changed with the Chiron's absolutely tremendous 8.0-litre, W16-cylinder, quad-turbocharged engine, which still delivers frankly mind-bending numbers of 1,500hp and 1,600Nm. But the Sport has slightly less weight - its mass trimmed by 18kg - and a firmer suspension set-up, engaged in 'Handling Mode', which makes the ultimate Chiron even more taut and focused on track.
You'll spot a Sport courtesy of a set of lighter, special design alloy wheels, the number '16' on its grille (to remind you of its piston count), carbon-fibre windscreen wipers that trim weight and also have been designed to eradicate an articulated joint to make them more aerodynamic, and a set of four exhausts that are mounted centrally at the rear of the car. There's also a new Perspex screen over the intercooler in the engine bay.
It's much of this stuff that accounts for the 18kg, which is a less-than-one-per-cent decrease on the normal Chiron's 1,996kg kerb weight - so it's not like the Sport is quicker because of any featherweight status. Instead, revised control programmes for the dampers and settings for the rear diff, plus a torque-vectoring function, ensure the Chiron Sport is nimbler and 'more emotional' for its driver, according to Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann.
Inside, anodised black switches and unique Chiron Sport stitching in the leather and Alcantara upholstery further mark out the newcomer.
Anything else?
No word yet on build numbers for the Chiron Sport but as the 'regular' car has been limited to 500 units, the Sport is unlikely to be what you'd call common. Also, its price of €2.76 million (plus local taxes) is a fair old whack more than the €2.44 million for a normal Chiron.