Could a 300-mph hypercar be on the way to production?

The Bugatti Chiron longtail from the brand's 304.773-mile-per-hour (490.484-kilometer-per-hour) run might not remain a one-off for long. The brand's announcement of topping 300 mph (483 kph) calls the machine "a pre-production vehicle of a new Chiron derivative." The company doesn't offer any details about when the vehicle arrives.

Gallery: Bugatti Chiron Sport built for top speed run

The chassis engineering experts at Dallara helped shape the long-tail Chiron's body. The changes add 9.8 inches (25 centimeters) to the vehicle's length, and the tweaks are most noticeable at the rear. To channel the airflow, there's no longer a wing or airbrake. The revised exhaust layout helps reduce drag. An overhauled suspension uses a laser-controlled system for determining ride height adjustments.

The interior of the long-tail Chiron reportedly only has a single seat. Presumably, this would apply to the production version, too. However, there's no official info from Bugatti at this time.

The vehicle uses the quad-turbo 8.0-liter engine from the recently unveiled Centodieci. It pumps out 1,578 horsepower (1,177 kilowatts) though a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to an all-wheel-drive system.

Bugatti tested the 300-mph Chiron at the Ehra-Lessien test track. It could have gone even faster elsewhere in the company's opinion. The course sits just 164 feet (50 meters) above sea level, which means the site has comparatively high aerodynamic drag than a higher altitude location with a lower air density. Bugatti figures up to 15.5-mph (25-kph) faster speeds would be possible at a site like the Nevada State Road 160 from the Koenigsegg Agera RS' record run

Source: Bugatti