Flat-Out In The £3.5m Bugatti Bolide!

unique racing... The steering wheel comes off, doesn't it? He does. - Shall we try this? -Yes.-Yes, he continues. - Yes. There we go, there we go. So here we go. Actually, you don't need to do that. I mean, he didn't need to. I guess if you're a bigger person. - Well, if someone has big knees, for example. - Yes. - Then you would have to, but, um... - Big knees. And it's important to make sure he's back on before setting off again. Yes, it's the only thing as a racing driver... Of course, I didn't get them in my time, when I was young, but every racing driver has done it once, when you come out of the pits and it actually falls in your hand because it was not set correctly.

It's like an anxiety dream before a big race, right? So, other things I'm going to point out. So... It looks like you have a pair of exhaust pipes coming in here, but they're actually cold air pipes and you also have a pair for the passenger. Yes, and in fact, during most of the tests, if you didn't have an ambient temperature of 40 degrees, you couldn't even have it at maximum. It's pretty cold there. So it's very nice. Yes. And I literally don't think there are any components... I mean, it's obviously a long way from being the beautiful, finished item that you're going to deliver to customers, but I don't think they're carryover components with the Chiron.

No. No, not in the cabin. Not at all, I would say. Yes. So this wheel in front of me. Do you have to be a racing driver to understand what the hell is going on? Well, you don't. And with all the wheels, it's the same thing with some street cars today, when you first look at it, you say, "Wow, big overload of buttons and switches and stuff." But it's actually very, very logical and very easy. OK. So, I mean, if you want me to go over a couple of bits. If you just flip up the power switch.

That's all. So if you see this, the ABS and traction control positions, for example. So if you rotate that... Yeah, so... Obviously, these are different maps. - Which path is braver? Greater number or lesser number? The bravest has five. And you'll notice it if you go back down to one... So when you're in one, two, and three, you actually also have ESC, stability control. As soon as you go into four and five, there's no stability control, just traction control. Obviously, that just limits the sliding a little bit. In fact, you can just say full speed. - Yes. - It will solve it.

Have you already come across this? Oh yes, many times. And there was one time in Imola going towards the Acque Minerali chicane, so called because it was pouring rain. And there are many potholes at the entrance. If you hit the bump at the wrong time and you turn and think, "Oh, it's not going to make it," and you feel your back turn around and almost before you've thought, "I wish it weren't working." “That,” you just hear this “rrrr” as he grabs it and straightens it again. So once you've done it a few times and learn that you can trust it, it's a fantastic feeling.

It's like someone takes care of you. Sounds like a moment you had there, Andy. Not as big as the moment we had in the Chiron Super Sport at the Nürburgring when it was soaked and I had more confidence than skill. Well, actually you heard it here first. That was the first recent Bugatti boat we were driving at the time. - Bugatti W16 boat. - There was a lot of water. I want to know about this one: launch control. What is the procedure to launch a Bolide? - Then, brake with your left foot. - Mm-hmm. So, I brake with my left foot, yes, I have it.

Press the pedal a little and then press the launch control. As soon as you do, you'll have launch control active on the center dash. Then you accelerate fully. Wait about two seconds for all the pulses to be ready and ready. - Driven. - Yes. And then just keep the pedal to the floor. Yes. Just step around the brake pedal. Ah, even I could do that. And it's brilliant, because at the beginning you have a little slip. And you know, it's perfect and it's part of the feeling. As you demonstrated before. And then, of course, because of the automatic upshift, keep it pinned and doo-doo-doo.

Going through the gears. - Oh, anyone could do it! In fact, are you sure you don't want me to drive? Actually, I'm absolutely fine with that. I think other people might... Yeah, that's them over there! Yes, as long as I don't have to go with you, I'm totally fine with it. So if you want the best road car, don't buy it. Buy a Chiron or its V16 hybrid successor that's waiting in the wings. Because the Bolide is a very different expression of Bugatti's values. It's something raw and unfiltered. It's arguably the world's largest hypercar powertrain mated to a true race car chassis that just so happens to look incredibly good.

Yes, they are only making 40 of them. Yes, you can only drive it on the track. And yes, they cost a staggering £3.5 million each. But that also brings purity. The Bolide is designed for driving, not posing. And in an era where high-performance electric cars are fast but fail to spark our enthusiasm, the Bolide is the old-school, big-engine, bedroom-poster fantasy we all needed. It is a totally impressive car, a barely contained explosion of energy. And the garage of my dreams got a little more full. What a day.