Watch: Bugatti smashes 300mph barrier setting hypercar record

British driver takes "slightly modified" £2.5million Bugatti Chiron to 304.77mph

Watch: Bugatti smashes 300mph barrier setting hypercar record

Bugatti has claimed a new speed record after hitting 304.77mph in a Chiron, beating the fastest production speed record of 284.55mph set by the Koenigsegg Agera RS.

British sportscar veteran, Le Mans winner and official Bugatti tester, Andy Wallace set the new record at VW Group’s secretive Ehra-Lessien test track in Germany.

Normally limited to 261mph, Bugatti “slightly modified” a Chiron to find out its true top speed.

The record-braking Chiron included an additional safety cell, aerodynamic changes and a taller seventh gear, as well as a 1578bhp version of Bugatti’s quad-turbocharged 8-litre W16 engine taken from up from the 1479bhp of the ‘standard’ car.

It’s been reported that the mechanical changes will be incorporated into a celebratory limited-edition model.

Exceeding 300mph also relied on specially constructed Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tyres designed to handle the enormous forces of such speeds; at the record velocity each was turning 4100 times a minute.

Stephan Winkelmann, president of Bugatti, said: “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.

“We have shown several times that we build the fastest cars in the world.

“In future we will focus on other areas.”

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