Whether it's the Veyron, the Chiron, or a limited-edition vehicles based on any of them, modern Bugattis are insanely powerful and fast. But I always thought that they sound rather mundane given the monstrous W16 engines under their hoods. It's been 16 years since Bugatti introduced its first production car with that twin-turbo 8.0-liter monster and I can finally take that back. All thanks to the Bugatti Bolide.
A track-focused version of the Chiron, the Bolide is the most extreme hypercar Bugatti has built to date. And even though it's part of the Chiron lineage, it's actually a unique creation. A production version of the Bugatti Le Mans Vision concept, if you will. But not only it looks like the French has decided to tackle the LMP1 racing class, it also sounds unlike any other Bugatti developed until now.
Thanks to its beefed-up 8.0-liter W16 and straight pipe layout, the Bolide packs a thunderous roar that puts V8 and V12 race cars to shame. This thing sounds mean while idling, but a cold start could scare the hell out of you. It happened to a few bystanders that were checking out the Bolide being loaded into a truck at the MIMO Milano Monza Motor Show.
Seemingly unprepared for what was about to happen, they all jump as the W16 mill comes to life. That cold start sounds like the crack of thunder, so I'm not surprised that people got scared for a second there. You can check it out at the 36-second mark in the video below, but if you really want to test the Bolide's effect on you, hit play, crank up the volume, and wait for it without watching the video.
How's your heart rate doing now?
Anyway, the Bolide is going into production this year with a whopping 1,824 horsepower and 1,364 pound-feet (1,850 Nm) of torque on tap. Not only more potent than the Chiron Super Sport 300+, the Bolide is also lighter and generates notably more downforce.
Its performance figures are based on simulation as of this writing, but Bugatti claims that it will be able to reach 60 mph (97 kph) in just 2.2 seconds, on its way to a top speed of more than 311 mph. Bugatti also claims an insane Nurburgring lap of only 5:23.1 minutes, but it remains to be seen if the Bolide is indeed only four seconds slower than the current record holder, the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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