Bugatti Developing Hyper Sports Car Concept Vehicle

Bugatti, the French luxury car maker, is currently developing the Bugatti Bolide, a track-oriented hyper sports car concept featuring a W16 engine.

The Bugatti Bolide is the fastest and lightest vehicle concept in the company’s recent history, Bugatti says. The company projects that the concept’s W16 engine would produce 1,823 horsepower and weigh just 2,733 lbs.

With a projected top speed of over 310 mph, Bugatti projects that the Bolide could complete a lap of Le Mans in 3:07.1 and take just 5:23.1 to get around the Nordschleife.

“Bugatti stands for the continuous quest for technological innovations – in alignment with the company’s brand values of excellence, courage, dedication. And Bugatti never stands still. We are perpetually aiming for new and exciting goals, and the question that we always keep in mind is: what if?” says Stephan Winkelmann, president of Bugatti. “We asked ourselves how we could realize the mighty W16 engine as a technical symbol of the brand in its purest form – with solely four wheels, engine, gearbox, steering wheel and, as the only luxury, two seats. Important aspects of our considerations were fine-tuning our iconic powertrain without any limitations as regards the weight-to-power ratio. These considerations resulted in the Bugatti Bolide. An uncompromising experiment, a thoroughbred, a Pur Sang that, in its brute exclusivity, impresses above all with high performance, low weight, and a driving experience in a whole new dimension. Driving the Bolide is like riding on a cannonball.”

The car would be powered by the 8.0-liter W16-cylinder engine, which is equipped with four newly developed turbochargers and other optimized components, producing 1,823 horsepower.

The Bolide, with its carbon monocoque, also weighs in at just 2,733 lbs., as all the screw and fastening elements of the Bolide are made completely out of titanium. In addition, hollow, thin-walled functional components made of an aerospace titanium alloy are used in many places. These originate from a 3D printer and are extremely thin with wall thicknesses of up to 0.5 millimeters.

An additional feature is the morphable outer skin of the intake scoop on the roof, which provides active airflow optimization. If the vehicle is driven at a slow speed, the surface of the scoop remains smooth. In contrast, a field of bubbles bulges out when driven at fast speeds. This reduces the aerodynamic drag of the scoop by 10% and ensures a 17% reduction in lift forces. In addition, the flow onto the rear wing is optimized. At 198 mph, the downforce is at 3,968 lbs. at the rear wing and 1,763 lbs. at the front wing.

As in Formula 1, the Bolide decelerates with racing brakes with ceramic discs and coatings. The front forged magnesium rims with central lock weigh 16.3 lbs., while the ones at the rear weigh 18.5 lbs. – with a very wide tire size of 340 millimeters on the front axle and 400 millimeters on the rear axle.

Among other things, a push rod kinematics system with horizontal dampers ensures precise handling. The oil reservoirs are arranged inside the dampers, which improves aerodynamics. Weighing only 100 grams, the push-rods are designed as a thin-walled and flow-optimized titanium lightweight construction with a buckling load of 3.5 tons. The welded control arms made of aerospace-grade stainless steel.

“For the first time, we are showing what the W16 engine is really capable of. We have freed the vehicle of all baggage and have illustrated and combined the engine with the lightest possible chassis to create the ultimate Bugatti and to ensure the ultimate driving experience. With the Bolide, we are presenting our interpretation of a Bugatti track car of modern times to Bugatti enthusiasts all over the world and finally make their most fervent wishes come true,” said Winkelmann.

Whether the Bugatti Bolide will go into series production has not been decided yet, the company said.