Well, 2020 sure feels like a long time ago, doesn’t it? We’re pretty sure we can safely say it’s been a weird few years for all of us. So weird, in fact, that some of you may have forgotten that way back in 2020, Bugatti unveiled a concept for a brand-new hyper sports car: the Bolide.
It started out as simply a “thought experiment,” in the words of the famed French automakers. Since then, the idea has taken on a life of its own. Now, just a few short years later, Bolide officially made its debut at the 100th anniversary of the world-renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
To celebrate the momentous occasion, let’s look at what makes the Bolide one of the fastest racing car in the world.
The Most Outrageous New Fast Car Yet
The production Bolide is currently rated to put out 1,600 PS. For our fellow non-metric users, PS stands for pferdestärke, which is basically just a direct German translation of “horsepower.” It isn’t an exact one-to-one ratio, though; 1 PS is equivalent to 0.98632 horsepower. This means that the official figure for the Bugatti Bolide’s horsepower is 1,578.
That’s a lot of horsies. (For comparison, the average Formula One racer puts out around 1000 hp, depending on the car.)
For this, we have to thank the almighty Bugatti quad-turbo 8.0L W16 engine, a one-of-a-kind sixteen-cylinder masterpiece that has commanded the utmost respect since it was first announced in 2005. The motor has been responsible for propelling other Bugatti hypercars to greatness over the years, including the Chiron. Rumor has it that the Bolide may be one of the last production cars to ever feature this legendary engine.
Utilizing the Bugatti W16, the Bolide is sure to be one of the fastest sports cars to ever hit the track, with a reported top speed of over 300 MPH. In extensive simulated drag tests, the Bugatti Bolide went from 0 to 60 in about 2.17 seconds.
Intense Engineering
Here’s another metric conversion for Americans out there: the Bugatti Bolide’s dry weight is reported to be 1,450 kg, meaning it weighs just shy of 3197 lbs.
A ton-and-a-half is quite a lot of weight by everyday standards, but when we’re talking about one of the fastest racing cars on the planet, it’s practically nothing. If your everyday commuter car were able to accelerate as quickly as the Bolide, the force of the air would tear it off the pavement like a hurricane ripping up a rickety toolshed.
Still, racecars need to be as lightweight as possible, because heavy equals slow. So, the engineers at Bugatti have been hard at work for the last couple of years designing the perfect body schematics to ensure maximum aerodynamics and downforce.
Having the proper amount of downforce is absolutely crucial. Every subtle contour of the Bolide’s frame has been tweaked down to the millimeter to ensure the most efficient use of airflow. The front splitter is paired with a specially designed three-layer diffuser to effectively suck the car to the pavement, providing unbelievable stability at high speeds. These, in combination with bespoke winglets, air curtains, and rear wing allow the Bolide to achieve a downforce of almost double its weight. This allows the Bolide to be driven confidently in even the most extreme road course conditions, from straight-and-narrows to hairpin curves.
In addition to its incredible design, the best performance parts have been used to support its speed. Engineers designed specialized heat-regulating calipers to ensure that the professional-grade brakes maintain the ideal temperature, especially during technical drives where braking and cornering is mandatory. In partnership with Michelin, the Bolide is also equipped with 400mm rear slick tires found only on LMDh racers.
The Bugatti Bolide: Releasing 2024
Now that we’ve gotten a taste and seen one of the coolest fast cars perform, we can’t wait to see more.
Andy Wallace—1988 Le Mans winner and the new Bugatti’s driver at the centennial event—said that the Bolide is “breathtaking in every sense.” Considering he’s a Triple Crown winner, we’re inclined to take his word for it.
The Bugatti Bolide price will be 4 million euros a pop. We’ll let you do the conversion to dollars yourself.
Currently, only 40 models are slated for production, so it may be some time still before you get to try one out. In the meantime, you can try the next best thing. If you’re looking for a Bugatti for sale, look up your Miami sports car dealer: none other than Braman Bugatti Miami. Give us a call at (786) 577-5216 to learn how you can own your very own hypercar today.