Top Gear can exclusively reveal that Bugatti has smashed through the 300mph barrier. On 2 August 2019, Andy Wallace hit a vmax of 304.77mph in a go-faster Chiron at Ehra-Lessien, becoming the first hypercar to break 300mph.

The velocity is verified by the TÜV – Germany’s Technical Inspection Association – meaning Andy and the prototype Chiron supersede previous really, really fast runs from SSC (256.18mph two-way average, 2007), Hennessey (270.49mph two-way average, 2013) and Koenigsegg (284.55 vmax, 277.87 two-way average, 2017) as well as punching through the mythical 300mph target.

Over the past six months, a team of engineers from Bugatti, Michelin and chassis wizards Dallara set about creating a car that can break the 300mph barrier. And what a car. This is no ordinary Chiron. First, there’s the way it looks. At 25cm longer, this Chiron has an elegant but menacing presence. Its purposeful intent is amplified by laser-controlled ride height, set significantly lower to reduce drag, giving the impression that the car is melting into the tarmac.

At the rear, the long tail with its reduced cross section (to aid aero and minimise drag) is punctuated by a pair of over-and-under shotgun tail-pipes (first seen on the Centodieci [LINK] limited special). Objectively, these project the exhaust emissions as far from the rear as possible to reduce their effect on drag and aero. Subjectively, they add even more drama and a whole new menace and sense of purpose to the Chiron aesthetic.

To reduce drag, the rear wing and airbrake have been removed and replaced with a static unit recessed into the tail. Somehow the design team has managed to incorporate the demands for low drag and high-speed stability, while improving aesthetics to the extent that when you look at the regular car, it looks stumpy in comparison.

“The biggest challenge is to get the overall package right, not only design, not only aerodynamics, not only engine, not only tyres. It’s to get everything together and working in one car,” says Frank Heyl, the man with the most outrageous title at Bugatti – master of arts, head of exterior design.

Inside, the high-speed Chiron has been stripped of a passenger seat, replaced with myriad computer systems. There’s a full roll cage and a safety seat for the driver, and any number of visible and invisible weight-saving measures have been deployed.

Given speed is driven by two factors – aerodynamic efficiency and power – the engine powering the Chiron is rather special too. The 8.0-litre, quad-turbo W16 unit, nicknamed Thor, delivers 1,578bhp. In a testament to Bugatti’s engineering, the gearbox remains standard – as does the all-wheel-drive system.

“Bugatti has once again shown what it’s capable of. With this new record of the Chiron we enter again uncharted territory. Never before has a series manufacturer reached this high speed,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “Our goal was to be the first manufacturer ever to reach the magic 300mph mark. We have now achieved this – making ourselves, the entire team and myself, incredibly proud.” With this record, Bugatti will also withdraw from the competition to produce the fastest serial production cars. “We have shown several times that we build the fastest cars in the world. In future we will focus on other areas,” says Winkelmann.

The 300mph project will inevitably result in a production Super Sport version of the Chiron (even if Bugatti refuses to confirm it as yet) and future generations of the Chiron, each improved by the lessons learned breaking the 300mph barrier. But what will this incredible achievement do for the likes of Koenigsegg and Hennessey? Well, we’ll have to wait and see. But there’s a new watermark for going fast, everybody. And it’s really bloody fast.

Bugatti made international headlines when it became the first automaker to break the 300-mph barrier. The French firm won't return to the Ehra-Lessien track in Germany to try beating its 304-mph record, because it's done chasing speed records for good.

"This was the last time for us," affirmed company boss Stephan Winkelmann during a short speech filmed in the company's factory. "From now on, our minds and our focus will stay on different projects," he added. He stopped short of delivering details about the projects he has in mind.

Bugatti's retirement doesn't come as a surprise; the company had started to shy away from setting speed records after it released the Chiron. At the time, its lost interest came as a surprise, because it had made history on several occasions by reaching jaw-dropping speeds with the Veyron. The 267-mph Super Sport variant of the car held the coveted title of the world's fastest car for years.

The company spent much of 2019 celebrating its 110th birthday with special cars like the one-off La Voiture Noire unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, and the limited-edition Centodieci first shown at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering in California. While it won't continue releasing two special projects annually in the foreseeable future, Bugatti will keep the momentum going in the coming years.

"One thing is for sure: we will have a great future," Winkelmann concluded. Time will tell whether it involves a long-tail Chiron variant inspired by the record-breaking car, a long-rumored SUV, or something else entirely.

Bugatti retired from chasing speed records after it became the first automaker to break the 300-mph barrier with a production car. Andy Wallace, the British pilot who was behind the wheel during the record-setting run, told Autoblog the Chiron's W16 engine wasn't out of breath at 304.77 mph.

"I don't think that's the v-max of the car, because it was still accelerating. At that speed, you cover a kilometer about every seven seconds. Then, of course, at the other end you need some distance — not necessarily time, but quite a lot of distance — to get the car down to the right speed for the banking," Wallace remembered.

He added that, in hindsight, he might have been able to keep his foot on the throttle for about one more second before hitting the brakes. That wouldn't have been enough to cross the symbolic 500-kilometers-per-hour (310-mph) threshold, but it would have added about another mile per hour to his record. "We need less drag or a longer road to go faster," he explained.

Reaching speeds planes normally take off at, while keeping a car securely planted on its four wheels, is more difficult than sitting behind the wheel, buckling up, and flooring it. It requires a considerable amount of preparation. Wallace worked closely with Bugatti's engineering team, Michelin, and Dallara, among other partners, before attempting to set a speed record. Wind tunnel testing and computer simulations played a significant role in making the run possible and successful, but there are some factors the team didn't find out about until the car went around the Ehra-Lessien test track for the first time. Wind was one; another was what Wallace called a jump.

"The track is being resurfaced, and there's a joint in the road that's not quite as flat as it should be. The team was joking with me — people said, 'I can't feel it in a normal car.' Hit it at [277 mph], and it becomes a big jump. It's a ramp. The car goes completely up on its suspension, and you land with a wobble. Once you've done that and you're not in too much trouble, it gives you great encouragement to stay flat for the rest of it," he told Autoblog.

When asked how long it will take for someone to break his record, Wallace pointed out that nothing stands still these days. Michelin already revealed it tested the tires fitted to the Chiron Super Sport 300+ at up to 317 mph, so rubber isn't the limiting factor. Wallace is ready for more, too.

"You've got all the right people sitting around, and you ask where the limit is. You push it to Michelin, they say, 'It's not us.' If it comes back to me, I'm gonna say it's not me. With the right technology, and careful preparation, I'm sure you can go more. I'm also sure you can't do 600 kph [372 mph]; certainly not now," Wallace concluded.

i don't get how there aren't more billionaires who are down to just spend a few mil on making cool stuff like this happen... surely a 10 mile private straightaway can't be that hard to whip up