Volkswagen Group-controlled Bugatti looks forward to delivering the first examples of the mighty Bolide, a track-only machine that differs in many respects from the road-going Chiron. Prior to the start of customer deliveries, the Molsheim-based automaker took to the track to test the very first customer cars.
Bolide is racing car in French, but on the other hand, this fellow isn't going to line up against Ferrari's 499P and Cadillac's V-Series.R racing prototypes at Le Mans. You can think of the 2024 Bugatti Bolide as the Volkswagen Group's take on the XX program at Ferrari.
Only 40 such vehicles are to be produced, with prices kicking off at four million euros. That was August 2021, though, meaning that it's closer to 4.7 million adjusted for inflation. The Bolide and W16 Mistral, which is marketed as the fastest production roadster in the world, mark the bitter end of the quad-turbo W16 that premiered nearly two decades ago with 1,001 pferdestarke or 987 horsepower to its name.
The Chiron-replacing Tourbillon switched to a naturally aspirated V16 augmented by a plug-in setup comprising three motors for a combined 1,800 chevaux or 1,775 horsepower. On its own, the 8.3-liter mill belts out 1,000 metric ponies and 900 Nm (664 pound-feet).
As far as the W16 is concerned, Bugatti has extracted up to 1,600 ps (1,578 hp) and 1,600 Nm (1,180 lb-ft) in road-going attire. It's kind of curious that the downforce-heavy Bolide makes similar power and torque as the Chiron Super Sport and the Chiron Super Sport 300+, but there is a reason for the self-imposed cap.
Photo: Bugatti
As it happens, the folks at Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. decided to change from the concept's 110-octane racing fuel to gasoline with a research octane number of 98 because it's much easier to source. With the spicier dino juice in the fuel tank, Bolide originally promised 1,850 pferdestarke or 1,825 mechanical horses.
Clad in carbon fiber and capable of generating nearly 3,000 kilograms (6,614 pounds) of downforce, Bugatti's track-only monster is much obliged to reach 380 kilometers per hour (236 miles per hour) in low-drag configuration. By comparison, the Chiron Super Sport 300+ has been proven to 490.484 kph (304.773 mph), with customer vehicles limited to 440 kph (273 mph) due to safety reasons.
Bugatti quotes a dry weight of 1,450 kilograms (3,917 pounds) for its track toy, which is less than both the Chiron and the Veyron. Considering the amount of carbon and 3D-printed components that go into each and every vehicle, the minimalist interior with exhaust pipe-shaped air conditioning vents, and the center-lock wheels mounted with Michelin-supplied slicks, the declared weight is hardly surprising.
Bolide and W16 Mistral deliveries will continue well into 2025, and probably extend into 2026. That's when the all-new Tourbillon is expected to enter production at the Atelier in Molsheim, which is gearing up to produce 250 examples of the breed at 3.8 million euros (around 4.1 million dollars) before options.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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