Hypercars are some of the peaks of human achievement, pieces of extreme engineering and design that play with your imagination and redefine what’s possible. This week Bugatti wowed the world with the Bolide, the track hypercar that looks like it was built around a UFO.
Describing it as the “absolute pinnacle in terms of combustion engines” is pretty fair, as this machine posts some amazing stats. The W16 engine produces 1,825 horsepower, supposedly enough for an unfathomable top speed of over 311 mph (500 kph).There aren’t many places in the world where a car can hit that speed, but Bugatti’s computations say reaching it takes only 20.16 seconds.
The simple task of reaching 62 mph is dealt with in 2.17 seconds, while 186 mph (300 kph) takes 7.37 seconds.The design of the Bolide is also quite exciting, taking the lines of the familiar Chiron into the world of Le Mans racing. Yet it’s not the first time Bugatti made such a car.
Back in 2015 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, they showed the Vision Gran Turismo, supposedly a one-off custom.The two have the same rear aero elements and a strong shoulder line over the front fenders. Taking advantage of these similarities, rendering artist Brad Builds made a refreshed version of the Gran Turismo, featuring lowered stance and the Turbofan wheels of the Bolide.
The Vision GT might sound like the sort of concept you only see in video games, but there’s a slim chance of spotting in in the real world. Back in 2016, Bugatti sold it to a Saudi Arabian collector for a rumored $5 million. The following year, it fell into the hands of fashion mogul Hezy Shaked.
$5 million is actually kind of cheap, barely more than a normal Chiron. Bugatti is never open about these things, but the La Voiture Noire is rumored to cost about $19 million. We can’t imagine the company wanting to part ways with the Bolide, as it’s basically priceless because of what it can do.