Bugatti Chiron is Every Bit as Bonkers and Wonderful As It Seems

Popular YouTuber takes the 1,500-horsepower Chiron hypercar out for a spin and discovers all of the things that make it so special – including its AC.

There are a lot of different types of therapy out there. If you have a backache, your therapy can be as simple as downing a couple of Aleve. Some people swear by acupuncture as the best way to treat their pain. But what do you do if you’re suffering from the agony of your McLaren Senna going up in flames? You could just do what Alejandro Salomon, the man behind the popular YouTube channel Salomondrin has been doing: test-driving megacars, such as the Bugatti Chiron, to see which of them will be the next one you put in your garage.

In the video above, Salomon heads to Prestige Imports in Miami, Florida to conduct his – and we use this term loosely – research. There’s nothing cut and dry or boring about driving a Chiron. Judging by Salomon’s footage and feedback, the 1,500-horsepower flagship-of-flagships is just as badass as it seems from a distance.

It all starts with its exterior design. Like many Bugattis, the Chiron Salomon drives is a two-tone collection of curves wrapped around a massive, exotic, outrageously power engine. “To me, this is one of the most gorgeous cars on Earth,” Salomon said.

The Chiron only seems to get better on the inside. Everything is made out of carbon fiber, leather, or metal and tastefully understated (as understated as anything in a $3.5-million car can be, at least). Salomon admires the simplicity of the Chiron’s cockpit, especially its graceful strip of HVAC controls. “It doesn’t have a million things hanging from it, it doesn’t need all of the extra bullshit that some other manufacturers put in the car to give you the feel of … a higher-end car.”

ALSO SEE: Bugatti Chiron Driven! 1,500 Horsepower of Engineering Excellence

Of course, the mystique of the Chiron’s 8.0-liter W16 is not lost on Salomondrin. Its sheer acceleration is stunning. At one point, he hits 10…er…let’s just say a high speed “in, like, two milliseconds.” But Salomon seems most impressed and excited by the four turbos that make that manic rush possible. He sums up the way they sound when they’re spooled up and the way they feel when he puts his right foot down with one simple, clear word: “Wow.”

The Chiron is more than just powerful, though. It’s comfortable like a Bentley Continental GT and nimble for a car of its size and weight, thanks in particular to its rear-wheel steering. Salomon goes so far as mentioning the Chiron in the same sentence as a Lamborghini Huracan Performante. In fact, he goes beyond that and likens the Chiron’s knack for changing directions to a shark’s ability to cut and thrust through the water.

There are plenty of other high-dollar, ultra-powerful cars out there for Salomondrin to evaluate in his search for his next vehicle, but don’t be surprised if you see a shiny new Chiron on his channel in the near future. We certainly won’t be.

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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