Bugatti’s track-only hyper sports car Bolide is in the final stages of development, with the deliveries expected to start later this year. The French manufacturer recently released a set of 21 pictures of the Bolide being tested to its absolute limits at the iconic Imola race track in Italy. The brake rotors of the beastly machine can be seen glowing red hot in one of the photos, which appears to be shot at night. Bugatti claims that Bolide is equipped with the largest carbon-carbon brakes ever fitted to a track-only hypercar. Developed by Brembo, the brakes used on the hyper sports car are up to F1 and LMDh endurance race car standards, which is absolutely crazy.
The Bugatti Bolide is powered by the manufacturer’s 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16, which is capable of producing up to 1,825hp with 110 octane racing fuel. Obviously, the hypercar needs extremely powerful brakes that don’t fade for consistent performance on race tracks. Brembo took two years to develop the carbon-carbon brake system, which has been exclusively created for Bolide. It’s very different from the carbon-ceramic brakes used by modern top-tier supercars and hypercars. The rotors are made from carbon-fiber-reinforced carbon, a material with extremely high heat tolerance. In fact, it’s was the same material that used on the outside portion of the Space Shuttle to prevent it from burning up upon reentry to the Earth’s atmosphere.
All four rotors on the Bolide measure 390mm in diameter. However, the front rotors are slightly thicker than the ones on the back. The brake calipers are machined out of aluminum alloy and are nickel-coated. The ones clamping down on the front rotors have 8 pistons, while the rear calipers have a 6-piston setup. Thanks to the lightweight carbon construction, each rotor weighs just seven pounds, which significantly helps in reducing the unsprung mass. Brembo also closely worked with Bugatti engineers during the development phase to optimize the design of the brake air ducts to keep the brakes cool without disrupting the aerodynamics. According to the company, 85-90% of the airflow from the duct is directed to the discs and pads, while the rest reaches the calipers.
“Developing the brake system for the Bugatti Bolide was a unique and very exciting challenge for the Performance Division of Brembo — and we are proud of what we achieved,” said Mario Almondo, Brembo Performance’s COO. “Using carbon compounds that are similar to those in Formula 1 meant that, despite the size and power of the Bolide, we were able to produce the lightest possible design.” Only 40 examples of the Bugatti Bolide will be built by the manufacturer, all of which have been sold at a price north of $4 million.
What makes Brembo brakes special
Brembo is a renowned Italian manufacturer that’s known for its high-performance braking systems, components, and technologies created for automotive and motorcycle applications. Established in 1961, Brembo quickly established itself as a global leader in the industry, which has become the go-to brand for leading automotive brands and racing teams worldwide. The company’s products are known for their exceptional quality, precision engineering, and cutting-edge innovation, delivering superior braking performance, control, and safety on both the road and the racetrack.
