Bugatti’s first-ever track-only hypercar is powered by a quad-turbo W16 and weighs a mere 1450kg.
Meet the Bugatti Chiron’s evil twin: the Bolide. It might look like a rejected batmobile concept, or the product of a freaky one night stand between the B-2 stealth bomber and a Le Mans prototype race car, but it is in fact Bugatti’s first attempt at a track car.
What started out as an experimental hypercar concept has become reality, with 40 examples of the Bugatti Bolide being made. The design is almost unchanged from the concept, with the Bolide’s body designed to fit as closely as possible around the brand’s legendary quad-turbo 8.0-litre W16 engine, with the car’s bespoke monocoque that’s even stronger and stiffer than the Chiron’s, and is made from carbon fibre composites primarily used in Formula 1 and Le Mans race cars.
The result is a dry weight of just 1450kg – half a tonne less than the Chiron – and with the engine producing 177kW and 1600Nm of torque, meaning the Bolide has a slightly intimidating power-to-weight ratio of 811kW per tonne.
No performance figures for the Bolide have been revealed, but Bugatti has said the car can generate almost 3000kg of downforce at speed, and up to 2.5 G of lateral force when cornering, which is only 0.5 G off the amount astronauts on the space shuttle experience at lift-off.
Despite the fact this is a hardcore track car, Bugatti has still influenced the Bolide’s cabin with a sense of luxury and craftsmanship, with every element of the interior created specifically for it. Among them is the ‘X-theme’ steering wheel, designed using feedback from Bugatti’s test drivers who wanted a more compact and ergonomic wheel than the original concept’s, with eight buttons and switches added to control key functions.
Bugatti says the wheel can also be detached easily, not to help with entry or because the team was inspired by quick driver changes at Le Mans. Instead, the brand envisions owners taking the steering wheel and using it to “creatively enhance a space in which the Bolide owner sees fit, such as a high-level business boardroom.” Not sure we’d do that though, in case we lost it behind the sofa or something.
The Bolide’s new monocoque also allowed for a more race car-like seating position, one that leans backwards more, with the driver’s heels raised slightly. The multi-pad seats are layered directly onto the monocoque, with four seat options available, including one that’s tailored to the owner’s body. Buyers can also choose from numerous upholstery options, including leather, suede and Alcantara.
Both the driver and passenger get an FIA-approved six-point harness system to keep them in place, and for even greater safety, the Bolide’s cockpit is compatible with the motorsport-proven HANS (Head And Neck Support) system.
First customer deliveries of the Bolide will commence in 2024, although we don’t expect you’ll be seeing one at your local track day.