Both the 2021 Bugatti Chiron and a Red Bull Formula One car stand as epitomes of performance vehicles, yet they are fundamentally distinct. While one stands as a groundbreaking luxury automobile, the other is a title-winning racer equipped with only essential features like a tailored seat and a detachable steering wheel. Despite their differences, a head-to-head race, as demonstrated by Carwow, reveals a shared trait: exceptional speed.
In order to organize this clash of titans, it necessitated the involvement of a Chiron owner and securing an F1 car, specifically Red Bull Racing’s RB7. The RB7 dominated the 2011 F1 season almost uncontested, clinching both the constructors’ and drivers’ championships, partly owing to its 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated Renault V8 engine—not a Honda despite its appearance. Redlining at 18,000 rpm, this hybrid V8 engine produced approximately 750 horsepower, delivering it through a paddle-shifted seven-speed gearbox to the rear wheels.
Bugatti Chiron races a 2011 Red Bull Racing RB7 F1 car, YouTube | carwow
In contrast, the Bugatti employs an 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W16 engine which generates 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque even in the most modest $3 million-plus Chiron model. It directs this power through a seven-speed transmission to all four wheels, setting the stage for an apparent victory for the Bugatti in this face-off. However, viewers wouldn’t witness this event if the outcome were predetermined.
Carwow exhibited the full capabilities of both vehicles in terms of acceleration, deceleration in a 100-mph braking evaluation, a rolling full-mile drag, and the traditional standing quarter-mile, where the F1 car surprisingly emerged as the winner. Despite being rear-wheel drive, its substantial weight advantage enabled former Red Bull F1 driver and current hypercar enthusiast David Coulthard to steer it to a three-zero victory against the Bugatti, completing the quarter-mile in 9.2 seconds compared to the Chiron’s 9.6.
Predictably, the lighter, slick-tire-equipped race car triumphed in the braking test as well, coming to a stop significantly ahead of the hypercar despite experiencing tire locking due to low temperatures. Nevertheless, it wasn’t a complete victory for Red Bull, as the Bugatti managed to regain some respect in the rolling mile. During this segment, the F1 car’s short gearing and high aerodynamic drag hindered its performance, allowing the slicker Chiron, capable of reaching speeds of 261 mph, to catch up.
Regarding comparison trials, this one may not be the most illuminating since very few spectators have a reference point to comprehend the speed of these vehicles. However, certain things in this world possess such inherent value that even a non-expert can appreciate them, and judging by the smile on the face of host Mat Watson, this event falls into that category.
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