Bugatti customers chase 250mph at Kennedy Space Centre

Where once Space Shuttles launched on the back of Boeing 747s, or came in to land, Bugatti and 18 of its nearest and dearest clients turned up for a battle against physics of their own. Or at least, for what once, not so long ago, was a battle against physics. 20 years ago, 400kph was a dream for Ferdinand Piech and his seminal hypercar, that required months of preparation and precaution to achieve.

Now, the Chiron, the Veyron’s successor which itself is being put out to pasture, can crack 400kph as a matter of course. That’s what this ‘Finding 400’ event was all about, channelling Piech’s envelope-pushing ambition, in cars now capable of doing so safely in the hands of customers.

Obviously, nudging 250mph is still insane in terms of physics. Some numbers for some context: a 44g tyre pressure sensor weighs more like 132kg (or the same as a rather large human being) spinning at those speeds. The tyres themselves are withstanding around five tons of outward pressure. At 400kmh, the cars are covering more than an American football field every second.

There are of course the problems of perception – focusing is difficult with the world passing by so fast – and the way the car behaves at such speeds. It’s natural for instance, for the car to wander around on the road slightly. The instinct is to hold it tightly in position, though it’s best to gently guide it and let it breathe with the road. All drivers no matter their experience of fast cars, were given some crucial guidance in piloting their cars safely at these speeds, before venturing out for their runs.

 “Just a few years ago achieving 400kmph required months of careful preparation, the very best motorsport drivers and the most favorable conditions,” said Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti Automobiles.

“For a very long time no production car could get anywhere near that speed, even for a moment. But today, in the world of our meticulously engineered and designed Bugatti hyper sportscars, we opened up this performance to our customers in absolute safety and allow them something that very few people will ever have, and most of them even had a chance to experience this with their own car. This kind of moment is part of the incomparable magic of Bugatti.”

For once, press release hyperbole holds up. This really is the kind of customer experience you’ll only get with Bugatti. Koenigsegg, Hennessey, et al, your move…

With the end of the event, each participant left as one of the fastest drivers on Earth, in-hand their tailored Bugatti race suit with a custom embroidered name and a helmet with the speed they achieved engraved on it. We know c/£2million is a lot but we’re not sure it’s ever been more evident, that the price of the car buys you more than the car.