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In this ultimate battle between gas versus E.V., witness the performance differential between a quad-turbo Bugatti Hypercar and the Nevera
by Amrit Balraj on July 26, 2024, 06:00Two of the fastest production cars in the world go head-to-head in the latest video from the Hamilton Collection YouTube channel. Steve Hamilton, who owns the collection and his team went to great lengths to organize an epic showdown between a Bugatti Chiron and Rimac Nevera. They also needed a location for this historic race and chose the Space Coast Testing Facility, in Florida. This 3.0-mile long, 100-meter-wide stretch of pavement was originally a runway for landing space shuttles.
Unlike the classic 1/4 mile drag race, the format they decided to go for was two runs of 1.0 and 2.0 miles long, each. The individual brands also sent professional drivers for the undertaking. Jamie Morrow is the Bugatti U.S. Test Driver and the winner of several international racing events like the Nürburgring 24 Hours. For Rimac, Goran Drndak gets behind the wheel, he holds the unique world record for the fastest speed driving in reverse and 20+ other records for acceleration.
- The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport has an 8.0-liter W16 engine with an output of 1,600 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque.
- The Rimac Nevera has 4 electric motors which churn out 1,913 horsepower and 1,714 pound-feet of torque.
- The Rimac Nevera cost $2.5 million and the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport cost $4.2 million.
The Drivers Had Specific Instructions For Their Cars
The team worked hard to ensure that both cars had an even playing field and fulfilled any requests the drivers had. Jamie and Gordan requested specific Michelin Tires for the race. Jamie also requested that they fill the Chiron up with 100-octane gasoline, which the team was able to do. Both of these cars are at the pinnacle of two different drivetrain technologies. The Chiron Super Sport packs all its power thanks to its 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 engine which puts out 1,600 horsepower and 1180 pound-feet of torque. The Bugatti can hit a top speed of 304 MPH and 0-60 MPH comes up in 2.2 seconds.** The Chiron has a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission which sends power to all 4 wheels.
The Rimac Nevera is a very different car, with four carbon-sleeved permanent-magnet AC synchronous motors powering each wheel. This setup puts out 1,913 horsepower and 1714 pound-feet of torque. The Nevera can achieve a top speed of 258 MPH and hit 0-60 MPH in 1.8 seconds. This makes it significantly more powerful than the Chiron, however, it is also heavier thanks to its battery pack at 5,100 pounds compared to the Chiron’s 4,360 pounds.
| Specs | Bugatti Chiron Super Sport | Rimac Nevera |
|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP | $4.2 Million | $2.5 Million |
| Powertrain | Quad-Turbo 8.0-Liter W16 Engine | Quad Motor |
| Horsepower | 1600 HP | 1913 HP |
| Torque | 1180 Lb-Ft | 1714 Lb-Ft |
| Transmission | 7 Speed DCT | One Speed Direct Drive |
| Drive Type | AWD | AWD |
| 0 To 60 Acceleration | 2.2 seconds | 1.8 Seconds |
| Top Speed | 304 MPH | 256 MPH |
The Bugatti Chiron Gets Demolished, Twice
On the first attempt, there was a brief moment of confusion due to a false start owing to the Bugatti’s launch control malfunctioning. The Rimac shoots away at this time, while Jamie warms up his tires in the Bugatti. Gordan decided to try and hit the Nevera’s top speed on his solo run, and managed to hit 250 MPH. Tony and Tommy Gauthier, who is the Collection Manager at The Hamilton Collection are in position at the end line and joke that the battery of the Nevera was probably drained to 50% on this run. The second time the race goes without a hitch and the Bugatti Chiron gets utterly dominated by the instantaneous acceleration of the Rimac Nevera. At the start, the Chiron does experience some tire spin which could be holding it back a little. Even so, the Nevera’s acceleration is surreal, and it does the 1.0-mile race in 21.57 seconds. The Bugatti covers it in 24.87 seconds, which is not slow when compared to the competition, but 3.3 seconds is an ocean of time in the world of hypercars.
The 2.0-mile race also sees the Rimac Nevera emerge victorious again. We do not get to see what time both cars achieve due to the limitations of the Draggy GPS Performance Meter. This time around the Nevera hits the the 1.0-mile mark at 21.36 seconds and the Chiron covers the same distance in 23.18 seconds. There you have it, the answer to the question we have been wondering about for a while now - which one of these super expensive, hypercars is faster? The Rimac Nevera is the future, and the Chiron is an ode to petrol power. At the same time, both of these cars are testaments to engineering and grandeur, of what can be achieved with unlimited budgets and imagination. With both companies now collaborating to create their stunning creations under a common banner, we can expect to see more groundbreaking projects from Bugatti-Rimac in the future
Amrit Balraj
When not reading up or watching videos about obscure and rare automobiles, Amrit spends his free time planning imaginary road trips on some of the best driving roads in the world, preferably in an old truck with a motorcycle strapped to the bed. Read full bio
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