Known for oil changes that cost $20,000 (not a typo) and the world’s most expensive car, Bugatti is synonymous with excess. The brand is also known for fast cars — speed-of-sound fast. And the Bugatti Chiron is definitely speedy. In fact, it’s one of the fastest cars in the world.

Bugatti was apparently not satisfied with that, though. The carmaker must’ve thought the world needed an even faster, more expensive car with the awful fuel efficiency of about 10 mpg (again, not a typo). Enter the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, a sportier version of the Chiron. It’ll cost you a cool $3.9 million (still not a typo). 

The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+

The Chiron Super Sport 300+ packs Bugatti’s quad-turbocharged W16 engine that harnesses an incredible 1,578 hp. With a seven-speed, dual-clutch all-wheel-drive system, this beast tested at more than 300 mph, and the engine earned the nickname “Thor”. It seems appropriate since he is the strongest Avenger (at least in this writer’s humble opinion).

Besides boasting an engine with performance chops worthy of a Norse god, the Super Sport 300+ offers little else. Because this model is supposedly street-legal, it includes a passenger seat along with the driver’s seat in matched leather. The exterior is basically carbon fiber. Even the sport Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires unique to this model have a carbon-fiber layer reinforcing them. The Super Sport 300+ doesn’t come with a standard roll cage, though you could probably add one if flipping your $3.9 million Bugatti is on your agenda.   

It’s a rare hypercar

Only 1 percent of automobiles can be designated hypercars, the world’s top high-performance vehicles. Bugatti’s Super Sport 300+ is easily a hypercar. In fact, most of the manufacturer’s vehicles can be defined as hypercars, though Car and Driver calls the Veyron a mere supercar.

Hypercars make up the top 1 percent of supercars. One of the hallmarks of a hypercar is rareness. And because only 30 Chiron Super Sport 300+ cars will be produced, this vehicle is definitely a rarity. A seven-figure price tag and over-the-top performance are also musts. Costing $3.9 million and clocking speeds of 300-plus mph, the aptly named Super Sport 300+ easily meets hypercar qualifications.

Design and appearance are also important. But this category might be the one most open to interpretation. After all, one person’s trash is another’s person’s treasure.

Need vs. want

Do we need cars that can go over 300 mph? It’s not as if you could drive it at that speed on the freeway or use it to ensure you’re first in line at the gas station (because you’d be making frequent trips there). These hypercars are the definition of excess. Besides the fact that you can’t really make use of the ability to drive 300 mph, the fuel efficiency is irresponsible and expensive. Not to mention, if you bought a $3.9 million car, would you ever take it out of the garage? You wouldn’t want to drive it to work or the supermarket unless you didn’t care about possible damage or theft.

Why, then, do cars such as the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ exist? The answer is simple: People buy them. Sure, these cars might end up sitting in garages for most of their lives. But many collectors appreciate these automobiles for their engineering and artistry. This phenomenon isn’t unique to cars either. People buy all kinds of expensive, impractical products. Take, for instance, shoes: A rare pair of, say, Air Jordans might satisfy a sneakerhead because they’re highly sought-after collectibles — super-expensive, impractical collectibles. The reasoning behind the desire to covet hypercars is a whole other discussion worthy of its own article.