Bugatti Bolide Looks And Sounds Amazing While Testing At Airbase

The ultimate Chiron is too wild for public roads.

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Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

Jun 1, 2023 at 5:29am ET

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It was late 2020 when Bugatti introduced the angriest iteration of the Chiron ever, the Bolide. The track-only machine was initially shown as a one-off before the subsequent production version was announced nearly a year later. However, it won't be until 2024 when the first of the 40 cars planned for production will be delivered to the rightful owners. Meanwhile, the radical W16 machine has undergone testing at an airbase.

Although it's based on the Chiron, you can't necessarily tell that since the hypercar has an all-new carbon fiber body shown here without a drop of paint on it. Despite having a massive sixteen-cylinder engine, the Bolide weighs only 1,450 kilograms (3,196 pounds) before you add fluids and a driver. With a massive 1,577 hp on tap, it means Bugatti has engineered a car with a weight-to-power ratio of 0.9 kg/hp.

Bugatti Bolide production version

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It sounds just as amazing as it looks, courtesy of an uncorked W16 that doesn't have to abide by the regulations imposed for a production car. The quad-turbo, 8.0-liter engine produces 1,600 Newton-meters (1,180 pound-feet) of torque. These staggering numbers convinced 40 people to pay €4 million (before taxes) to own one. Customers will get the car fitted with a fire extinguished and a HANS (head and neck support) device, along with "free" access to track days.

As a refresher, the W16 is heading to retirement as the Bolide and Mistral roadster are the last vehicles to rock this engine, which has been around for two decades considering the EB 16/4 Veyron concept was revealed in 2003. The next model will retain a combustion engine, but it'll be smaller and likely electrified to some extent. Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac has previously described the new ICE as being "totally bonkers," promising we'll all be "blown away."