Maserati vs Bugatti – An Incredibly Unexpected Comparison (4 Models Compared)
There are French carmakers and then there are Italian carmakers. While the distinction might not feel too big, to the buyer it is. You might not think it’s fair to compare a Citroen to a Maserati and it’s not. That’s why we’d we’re going all the way to the top for a Maserati vs Bugatti comparison as it’s the best they have to offer.
Italian carmakers have an aura of sophistication and class around them. They make cars that are not only fast and luxurious but also have a distinct sound. The latter is what entices buyers the most. Cars are all about the sound and the speed they produce and nobody combines that better than the Italians in the eyes of most people.
The flattery that Italian cars received was not welcomed by other manufacturers across Europe. One of them took notice, a French automaker. They decided to make cars that would rival the Italians in every way possible. Did they succeed? In many ways, but to truly find out we shall compare them. Every auto enthusiast can’t help but draw comparisons.
So, it is no surprise that today, by popular demand, we shall put two heavyweights of the car making industry against each other, Maserati vs Bugatti, even though it makes almost no sense.
Bugatti
Bugatti has a rather torrid history in the world of automobiles. It has been around for over a century and yet has seen its identity change multiple times. It has also moved its bases many times. It started in France, then moved to Germany, and now operates out of Italy. While the company has had a rather bizarre history, they make some of the most iconic cars in the world. Their name and status are far more prestigious than virtually almost every other carmaker in the world.
Maserati
In terms of matching heritage and pedigree, the Maserati brand stands head and shoulders above almost every carmaker in the world. They started by participating in Racing and now make some of the most refined and gorgeous cars in the world. They have been a mainstay in the world of luxury automobiles. But the question is, does it have what it takes to compete against a hyper carmaker like Bugatti? Let’s take a look.
Maserati vs Bugatti
Before we begin the Maserati vs Bugatti head to head, it is important to understand the sort of comparison we have painted here. Both carmakers are in completely different niches. Despite that, we feel that it is a fresh way to compare two giants of the industry. Their names are synonymous with class, speed, luxury, and exclusivity, which is probably the only way this kind of makes sense. Anyway, read on and see how we’ve compared similar types of cars from each brand and the years they were first produced.
Maserati vs Bugatti Veyron
The Bugatti Veyron is the gold standard in the Hypercar industry. It held the world record for the fastest top speed in a production car when it touched a whopping 253 mph! How did it touch this mind-boggling number? The answer may lie in the gigantic 16 cylinder engine that produces an absolutely astonishing 1001 brake horsepower. The sheer power generated by the engine is enough to bring the power to weight ratio down to a sizeable figure. The car weighs over 4000 pounds due to a myriad of components.
Despite its heft, the car was aerodynamically sound and managed to put up a zero to sixty time of 2.5 seconds. The speed and the power meant that it also guzzles gas, giving you a measly 5.82 mpg. It is also expensive, very expensive. The starting price of the Bugatti Veyron was an eye-popping 1.4 million dollars!
Maserati on the other hand does not produce a car that costs more than approximately 200,000 dollars. They are a brand that aims to deliver performance in a leather and sometimes alcantara wrapped package. We feel that the GranTurismo is the best car suited for comparison.
The GranTurismo is lighter, wider, economical, and can fit more people. It is also more luxurious than a Bugatti Veyron. You get a similar classy feeling from the car, but the Veyron simply has more appeal. The GranTurismo is behind the Veyron in terms of speed and performance but it is no slouch. The GranTurismo has a top speed of 177mph and the MC Stradale variant can do a 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds.
In terms of size, the Bugatti Veyron is much wider, at 1,998mm compared to 1,847mm. Although it’s not longer, at 4,462mm compared to 4,881mm. It is also lower, at 1,204mm versus 1,353mm. The Veyron feels low and extremely sporty with a massive touch of elegance, yet the Maserati is more assertive and imposing with it’s on road presence. These are completely different cars, the Veyrons wider track and lower stance help optimize it for extreme speeds and handling whereas the Granturismo is in a completely different ball park and is quite frankly not even comparable.
Maserati vs Bugatti Chiron
The successor to the legendary Veyron is the Bugatti Chiron. The car still uses a 16 cylinder 8.0-liter engine with four turbochargers. The result is an engine output of 1500 brake horsepower, staggering. The pure and unadulterated power delivery helps propel the car to incredible top speeds and acceleration times.
You get a 260 mph top speed on the standard model and it goes all the way up to 273 mph on the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. Its 0-60mph times are even faster as the car can do it under a stunning 2.4 seconds! The Bugatti Chiron remains the only car to have a 16 cylinder engine with a power output of 1500 brake horsepower. These unique factors, the improvement of performance, the design, and the exclusivity all make the Bugatti Chiron a very expensive car. It costs an unbelievable $2.9 million!
Compare that to the top end Maserati, which costs a little over $200,000 and you will see the vast difference in terms of what the cars are.
I was reading some other articles around the web and some people are trying to compare the the Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo, but that’s honestly probably the worst comparison you could make. Even though it’s still a far reach, let’s take a look at the Maserati MC20, the company’s most powerful offering and see if it can come anywhere close to a Bugatti Chiron.
There is a 621hp 3.0-liter V6 Twin-Turbo engine under the hood. You get a 2.9 second 0-60mph time and the impressive top speed of over 200 mph. The interiors are not completely stripped back as you’d expect with a Maserati bearing the Maserati Corsa name and it has all the creature comforts you’d expect in any modern car.
Regardless of this, the Bugatti Chiron, takes this to a whole new level, with a 2.4 second 0-60mph sprint and an unbelievable top speed of 273mph. It does this with the most stunning exterior and gorgeously well appointed interior with all the creature comforts you could imagine. The Bugatti Chiron, is just simply just in a complete different league to Maserati and you can hardly compare the two for a Maserati vs Bugatti head to head. I must say though, the 0-60mph time on the Maserati MC20 isn’t too bad, but it’s not all about that these days, if it was the Tesla P100D Plaid would be the best car on the planet with a 0-60mph time of 1.98 seconds.
You could argue that the biggest differentiating factor is the Maserati vs Bugatti price. Both cars are leagues apart and it shows in the price with a gap of over $2.7 million!
Beyond Comparison
So, we have taken a closer look at two of Bugatti’s offerings and determined why they cost so much. The reason is simple, it is a car meant for the richest of the rich and what they expect is the best of the best. Maserati caters to those that want utility, exclusivity and I guess you could even say ‘bang for your buck’ when compared to a Bugatti.
But really there’s no comparison here when looking at Maserati vs Bugatti, the Bugatti brand completely destroys Maserati and most other brands in its wake, this includes the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren. You’d have to start looking at the likes of Koenigsegg or Pagani to create a fair comparison.
