Bugatti test driver Andy Wallace claims that the car can outrun an F1 car on corner exit
April 12, 2024 at 10:38 am
- Bugatti claims that the Bolide will achieve up to 2.5 G in the corners.
- Bugatti test driver says he can drive away from an F1 car coming out of a corner.
- The track-only hypercar features advanced carbon-carbon brakes.
Bugatti has completed testing of the Bolide, its craziest production vehicle ever, and when deliveries to customers begin in just a few months, owners will be able to experience performance akin to a Formula 1 car. At least that’s what Bugatti test driver Andy Wallace claims.
The Bolide was first presented as a concept in October 2020. At the time, many thought it was far too extreme to ever enter production, but the French car manufacturer made the shocking decision to actually convert the Bolide into a real, super-exclusive racing car. Of course, it’s a little tamer than the concept, but it still features the same exceptional design and promises to be shockingly fast.
Watch: What’s it like to drive the Bugatti Bolide Special?
Like the Chiron Super Sport, the Bolide’s 8.0-liter four-turbocharged W16 engine produces 1,578 horsepower. Based on a new carbon fiber composite monocoque, the Bolide is significantly lighter than a Chiron and weighs around 3,200 lbs (~1,451 kg). Bugatti’s track-only hypercar can reach a speed of 380 km/h (236 mph) at full throttle. But it’s the acceleration that will shock the lucky few owners, Wallace claims.
“The feeling when you come out of a corner, open the throttle and experience that constant surge of power is incomparable,” Wallace described. “Coming out of that corner at 100km/h, and from there to 200km/h and then 300km/h, it’s an absolute revelation. In this specific scenario, the car would pull away from a Formula 1 car.”
Bugatti says the Bolide is defined not by its top speed, but rather by cornering, traction and braking, making it the company’s most powerful track model ever. Thanks to the enormous downforce, the all-wheel drive, the electronically controlled differentials and the Michelin Pilot sport slick tires, it should be able to pull up to 2.5 G in corners. It even features carbon-carbon brakes, which the brand says provide braking performance that rivals rival LMh/LMDh and F1 cars.
“Everything about the car is on a completely different level than anything I’ve driven before,” Wallace added. “All cars are difficult to drive at their limits, but even at the limits of their performance, the Bugatti Bolide remains remarkably easy to drive. When you have a car with this much performance and this much downforce, not many people would believe that it was possible. Even I was in a state of disbelief after my first outing in the Bolide.”
