- Bugatti claims the Bolide will pull up to 2.5G in the corners.
- Bugatti’s test driver says it can pull away from an F1 car out of a corner.
- The track-only hypercar includes advanced carbon-carbon brakes.
Bugatti has completed testing of the Bolide, its most insane production vehicle ever, and when customer deliveries begin in just a few months, owners will be able to experience performance akin to a Formula 1 car. Or so claims Bugatti test driver Andy Wallace.
The Bolide was first previewed as a concept in October 2020. At the time, many thought it was far too extreme to ever reach production, but the French carmaker took the shocking decision to actually turn the Bolide into a real, super-exclusive track car. Of course, it’s a little tamer than the concept, but it still boasts the same extraordinary styling and promises to be shockingly quick.
Watch: What Is It Like To Drive The Bugatti Bolide Special?
Like the Chiron Super Sport, the Bolide’s 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 delivers 1,578 hp. Based on a new carbon fiber composite monocoque, the Bolide is significantly lighter than a Chiron, tipping the scales at around 3,200 lbs (~1,451 kg). Bugatti’s track-only hypercar is capable of reaching 380 km/h (236 mph) flat out. But it’s the acceleration that will shock the lucky few owners, claims Wallace.
“The feeling when you come out of a corner, press the throttle, and experience that relentless surge of power is incomparable,” Wallace described. “You come out of that corner at 100 km/h, and from there to 200 km/h and then 300 km/h is an absolute revelation. In that specific scenario, the Bolide would pull away from a Formula 1 car.”
Bugatti says that the Bolide is not defined by its top speed but rather cornering, traction, and braking, making it the company’s most potent track model ever. It claims it can pull up to 2.5G in corners, thanks to the huge downforce levels, all-wheel drive, electronically controlled differentials, and Michelin Pilot Sport slick tires. It even features carbon-carbon brakes that the marque says offer stopping power to rival LMh/LMDh and F1 cars.
“Everything about the car is on a completely different level to what I have driven before,” Wallace added. “All cars are difficult to drive at their limit, but even at the limits of its capabilities, the Bugatti Bolide remains remarkably easy to drive. When you have a car with this much capability, and this much downforce, not many people would believe that is possible. Even I found myself in a state of disbelief after my initial stint driving the Bolide.”
