Bugatti Centodieci gets heat-tested in Arizona deserts

Bugatti has reported a successful conclusion to testing its road-legal Centodieci hypercar in blazing hot Arizona, USA.

The temperature averaged out at +45°C (+113°F) during the testing period, which is not as extreme as the +50°C (+122°F) that area is known for having, but still very uncomfortable for both people and equipment. As such, it makes a perfect test environment for automakers willing to take the endurance of their cars.

The Centodieci has traveled around 800 km (500 miles) at an altitude of 2.8 kilometers (9,200 feet) above sea level. It traversed bad roads, inched its way forward in bad traffic jams with the AC working on max all the time, and accelerated to 322 km/h (200 miles per hour). Two hundred sensors gathered telemetry from all principal units and components for Wolfsburg HQ to analyze and act upon. The engineering crew was the most interested in finding out how well the 8.0-liter W16 rated at 1,600 PS (1,578 hp / 1,177 kW) would fare in such extreme conditions.

The next goal is 30,000 kilometers (18,600 miles) of tests on European roads. Only when all the test data gathered is reviewed by an expert crew will Bugatti start the production of the 10 cars planned. Each will be sold at €8,000,000, with the first delivery set for 2022.

The Centodieci debuted more than two years ago (watch the video if you would like a reminder).