When Bugatti first dropped its Bolide bombshell on the world at the end of October, there was little doubt the automaker was flat-out lying about it. Bugatti has over a century of credibility to its name after all, but there was some head-scratching about whether or not it actually existed beyond a series of computer-tweaked renderings. That’s especially true when you start dropping fantastic numbers like a top speed of 311 mph.
In short, it does exist but then again, we already knew that thanks to Shmee150’s up-close look at the Bolide. That adventure included a first-person view from the seriously reclined driver’s seat, not to mention a cold start of the massive W16 engine that’s been around for nearly 20 years. In the race-ready Bolide, the unrestricted mill generates 1,825 horsepower (1,361 kilowatts) thanks to a host of changes that includes new turbochargers and a tune for 110-octane racing fuel, to name just a few.
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The Chiron platform is stripped and infused with gobs of carbon fiber, titanium, and anything that could save weight while increasing performance. As such, the Bolide weighs nearly half as much at 2,734 lbs (1,240 kg). Its radical racing body is said to generate the same kind of downforce you find in Formula 1 cars, and with such power behind the driver, Bugatti says it will lap Le Mans in 3 minutes 7.1 seconds, and cover the 12.9-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife in just 5 minutes 23.1 seconds. That’s nearly as fast as the Porsche 919 Hybrid EVO, which holds the current absolute ‘Ring record at 5 minutes 19.5 seconds.
There’s a major catch, however. While Bugatti’s press release specifically states the Bolide is real, it apparently hasn’t lapped any tracks yet. The times presented in Bugatti’s announcement are simulated figures, but if the power, weight, and downforce stats are accurate, it certainly has the capability to go for the gold.
Perhaps the bigger question is whether anyone outside of Bugatti will have the chance to own a Bolide. The company has just one car at the moment, but there’s no word on whether it will stay a one-off project or be offered for sale in extremely limited numbers.