Do You Guys Realize the Meaning Behind the Name "Chiron?"

"willkinton247" (willkinton247) 03/10/2016 at 10:59 • Filed to: Bugatti Chiron

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As you undoubtedly know already, Bugatti has released the Veyron’s replacement: the Chiron. It’s faster, more powerful, and more refined than its predecessor, which was the fastest, most powerful, and refined hypercar when it came out. But Bugatti is making another statement with the Chiron, and it’s all in the origins of the name.

In Greek mythology, centaurs were half-horse, half-man creatures that were known for being complete expressions of the id. They lived life to excess, drank heavily, gave into sexual urges freely with or without the consent of the other party, and were prone to violence. Centaurs were wild, uncivilized, brash, and not exactly fun to live with.

A depiction of Chiron in The Education of Achilles by Eugene Delacroix

On the other hand, there was Chiron. Chiron was a centaur, but unlike other centaurs, he was smart, civilized, and kind. He certainly looked like the other centaurs, but he was much more refined, and was welcomed among gods and men.

In other words, Chiron was a cut above other centaurs, even though they looked very similar. Are you seeing the brilliant metaphor that Bugatti is pushing here?

I touched on this briefly in !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! but by calling their new hypercar “Chiron,” Bugatti is comparing every other hypercar to a centaur. This is actually a great metaphor, because many hypercars have forsaken refinement in the pursuit of speed. A McLaren P1 is incredibly fast, but that interior is pure function, with zero luxury or refinement.

McLaren P1

Other hypercars follow the same formula. Really, the only hypercars that could be called luxurious with a straight face are the Pagani Zonda and Huayra, but even those are so over the top that it borders on tacky. I have a deep appreciation for both the functional interiors of the McLaren, Porsche and Ferrari hypercars and the wacky Paganis, but Bugatti certainly isn’t wrong in calling them centaurs.

The Chiron, is a hypercar and therefore a centaur, but it is operating on a completely different level. The Chiron is refined and comparatively understated. It’s interior is absolutely luxurious, and no expense has been spared making it a wonderful place to sit.

The Chiron promises to be a hypercar you can effortlessly drive across the country (even if they won’t be), and still be the fastest production car you can buy. It is the centaur Chiron as a car. It’s a hypercar that is civilized for the car collector who is civilized.

It’s amazing how Bugatti said all of this with the Chiron’s name, and nothing else. I’m genuinely impressed.

The official word from Bugatti is that it is named after Louis Chiron, a Bugatti racing driver from the early days of Formula 1, but this metaphor is just too perfect.

Did you notice this?

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 11:02

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I didn’t notice this. But that’s genius.

willkinton247 > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 03/10/2016 at 11:03

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It blew my mind when I first figured it out. They didn’t even so much as hint about it in any press releases, but it’s all right there in the name.

TheHondaBro > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 11:03

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Chiron was the name of a failed Bugatti racecar driver from way back.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Chi…

willkinton247 > TheHondaBro 03/10/2016 at 11:05

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Well that’s interesting.

Maybe it’s a double meaning?

CalzoneGolem > TheHondaBro 03/10/2016 at 11:06

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rekt

TheHondaBro > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 11:07

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Considering the Veyron was named after Pierre Veyron, another Bugatti race car driver, I’d think they intended to name it after Louis Chiron.

X37.9XXS > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 11:09

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With a slight shift in pronunciation:

The Ferryman of the dead across the Styx

Nisman > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 11:10

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As if I needed another reason to want.

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 11:10

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As much as I would like this to be where that name came from, it’s actually a Bugatti racecar driver, as they did with the Veyron

JGrabowMSt > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 11:11

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I definitely noticed it, but I’m not sure the P1 is the car to compare it to. Sure, they’re both batshit insane supercars, but the P1 has to be able to compete with it’s older brother, the F1. Did anyone say that the F1 was an uncivilized supercar because it didn’t have much in the way of creature comforts? Nope.

Lamborghinis, Ferraris and other Italian supercars I can agree with the comparison and it makes complete sense. I just don’t think the P1 is in the same performance bracket. It’s not a GT car. You’re not supposed to be comfortable, listening to music or cruising down the PCH to catch a sunset in. The P1 wants to rip your face off just like the F1, and the P1 is not trying to hide it.

That’s the way I view the P1. In a sense, the P1 is stripped down for the same reason the Chiron is so completely wrapped in luxury. It’s a statement of “this is what the ultimate car is like.” They each pursue a common goal, but in two separate fields. The P1 belongs on a track, the Chiron belongs parked in front of your fountain.

Wheelerguy > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 11:13

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This makes perfect sense. That said, I think the 918 is a Chironian hypercar, and the F70 is a unique anomaly of laser-focused performance, sexiness, majesty, and civility... even if technically you sit on the floor of the car. Not Chironian, but still no ordinary centaur.

Otherwise... it all makes sense, what you said. It’s uncanny how anyone missed it, though it’s because there was a man indeed named Louis Chiron that Bugatti always touts.

Dusty Ventures > JGrabowMSt 03/10/2016 at 11:38

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Actually I remember a Road & Track article from the late 90's that called the F1 uncivilized. I remember in particular the writer talking about how brutal the car was in the Texas heat because the AC was effectively useless and only the bottom portion of the window opened.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 11:57

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The new Bugatti is a refined horse’s ass. Duly noted.

AuthiCooper1300 > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 12:17

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Well, after having gone all mythological, you did not mention that Chiron is one of the symbols of medicine (or rather, surgery... for centuries surgeons were despised by doctors). The Greek stem chir- is related to “hand” (compare with “chiropractor”) and surgery (compare “chirurgical”, an archaic way of saying “surgical”, again, related to the use of hands, instead of potions or herbs).

Germany used to be the cradle of the best scholars in Greek and Latin (and comparative linguistics, starting with the Brothers Grimm - yes, those ones) so I suppose some of the better learned members of VAG’s marketing department did realise there is another way of reading “Chiron”. In fact, if one had no idea of who Louis Chiron was, reading “Chiron” in German would sound exactly the same as the mythical centaur, albeit with the “Latinised” spelling, instead of the proper Greek transliteration (Cheiron).

I wouldn’t read too much into it, to be honest. There was a Louis Chiron, who used to race Bugatti cars (and helped kick-start the Monaco GP), and that is the main reason.

JGrabowMSt > Dusty Ventures 03/10/2016 at 12:24

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Yes, but when you think about it, was the F1 the kind of car you were going to worry about having working AC in, realistically?

Dusty Ventures > JGrabowMSt 03/10/2016 at 13:43

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In Texas and with the mileage I think I remember the article saying the car had, probably honestly. I do get what you're saying though, and I don't disagree with your overall point

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > willkinton247 03/10/2016 at 14:35

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Eh. I disagree. Honestly, the interior is far inferior to a dedicated luxury first car. And pagani huayra is both better looking and has more gadgets and stuff. It is the true “Chiron” of sorts. This will be an incredible machine, but it lacks the luster of the veyron. And hypercars have always had some more civilized bretheren. Ever since the Porsche 959 vs. Ferrari F40 battle in the 80s, there has been the “Last word in tech and refinement” vs. “Speed above all else” at the very top.

Oh and agree with hondabro - Bugatti concepts and cars are now named after their heritage, not mythology. This was some good research into mythology, but no, I don’t think Bugatti meant to do this.

wafflesnfalafel > willkinton247 03/11/2016 at 01:04

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I agree - clearly the name implies more than just a historic driver. You buy this car and you are welcomed by the gods.

Nauraushaun > willkinton247 03/11/2016 at 16:55

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This is glorious, they really nailed it.

vato_loco > willkinton247 05/02/2016 at 12:03

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I resent that, good sir. I’ll have you pick up that glove I just threw at you.

MattKSebV205 > willkinton247 06/08/2016 at 00:03

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I disagree with this entirely! I for one HATE luxury cars, I mean why do you need a rolling penthouse. This is why I hate Bugattis. I love that they produce over 1000 horsepower and go over 250 miles per hour, but the interior is a HUGE turnoff. I don’t want to drive in leather seats going down the highway, let alone going 200+ miles per hour. I applaud McLaren, Porsche, and Ferrari on their interiors, and to me, what they’ve done is refinement at it’s finest. The McLaren P1 comes with a 5-point safety belt. How much more refined can you get?!? If I want to shell millions of dollars out on a hypercar, I want it to be a racecar that I can legally drive down the interstate, not a 25o mile an hour Rolls Royce. A hypercar should focus on two things and two things only: speed and handling. Anyone discussing luxury in a hypercar meeting should be kicked out and never seen again. I for one hate every single Rolls Royce ever made, they are nothing more than a carriage for people who are rich and want to make sure that you know that. They only difference between a Rolls Royce and a Bugatti is that a Bugatti is a little more areodynamic and has a whole lot more power, other than that and the one less row of seats, there are no differences between a Rolls Royce and a Bugatti!

negajun > willkinton247 05/13/2017 at 16:26

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“Who is you Chiron?”

ShillyDevane > TheHondaBro 05/13/2017 at 16:33

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It’s also the name of a graphic system for broadcast television.

Lebult > willkinton247 05/13/2017 at 17:40

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They should have named it ‘Charon’

Because it’s going to ferry you to the other side at 261mph

Eustache Dauger > willkinton247 05/13/2017 at 18:10

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Chiron was also headmaster to a young Hercules.

WayDude > willkinton247 05/13/2017 at 18:42

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Oh, and it’s pronounced with a hard K sound, think “Ky-ron’ and not “Cheer-on”

Lowkei > TheHondaBro 05/16/2017 at 18:05

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I don’t know about “failed”. From your link, he won multiple Grands Prix, the 1954 Monte Carlo Rally, and is the oldest driver to have competed in a Formula 1 race!