#10 - The Incessant and Irrelevant Pursuit of Top Speed

The motoring world was ablaze earlier this week with a smorgasbord of pictures and stories showcasing Bugatti’s successful attempt to break the Holy Grail 300mph mark in a Chiron. Piloted by Le Mans winner, test pilot extraordinaire and all round good guy Andy Wallace (who by no coincidence was also responsible for setting the McLaren F1 top speed record of 240.1mph back in 1998), the lightly modified Chiron achieved a momentous 304.773mph top speed and with that the Production Car Top Speed World Record at VW’s Ehra-Lessien high speed test track in Germany. While without a question of a doubt a hugely impressive milestone, we couldn’t help but keep thinking……what’s the point?

The issue we have is that while the speeds achievable by even the most humble modern day supercars continues to climb (let alone hypercars), the driving environment in which we are using them is shrinking and become increasingly more constrained by the day. And we are not just talking about speed limits…..it has long been the case that the German Autobahn has provided the only public road in the world available to legally stretch the legs of your car as close to the manufacturers prescribed limits as your cohones will allow. No, there are many other issues. Cars are getting larger and faster but the roads we drive them on are not evolving at anywhere near the same pace. Furthermore, the barometer of a drivers “ability” to handle cars of this speed is continuing to be measured by the depth of their wallet and not their experience or training. The end result is a more dangerous and ultimately more unforgiving driving environment.  

Back to the 300mph Chiron… Bugatti will inevitably make a production version to celebrate the success that will predictably end up in the hands of their wealthiest and most loyal customers. If we were betting people, the vast majority of these cars will be lucky enough to experience 2/3rds of what they are actually capable of in their lifetime…..and frankly god help us if anyone even attempts to test the actual limits. So ultimately, their sole function is to be used by their owners to flaunt and brag about in front of their equally opulent friends……seems a bit of a waste.

So what’s the solution…….the cure for the Top Speed FOMO that is currently engulfing the motoring world? Maybe its regression. I bet that doing 150mph in a Jaguar E-type not only requires more skill but is infinitely more exhilarating. Or maybe its hooning a Caterham 620R around Goodwood in the wet?

Our point is that the Top Speed Arms Race manufacturers currently find themselves jockeying for control over is a fruitless exercise given the modern day driving environment we find ourselves in. So why don’t Bugatti stop making overweight hypercars for an overindulged market and start making 1000kg, 500bhp drivers cars that can actually be enjoyed by their owners.

Happy Motoring,

 CC’s Investment Team