Tag: Bugatti

  • The Bugatti Bolide’s air scoop was designed like a golf ball

    The Bugatti Bolide track car has some radical design features, including a massive roof-mounted air scoop with an unusual design inspiration. It turns out the engineers borrowed an aerodynamic trick from the humble golf ball.

    Golf balls are remarkably aerodynamic. Their dimpled surface allows them to travel about twice as far as a smooth ball, according to Bugatti. That’s because the dimples create turbulence on the surface of the ball, allowing air to adhere better and as a result reduce drag. One of Bugatti’s engineers decided to apply the same principle to a car.

    Bugatti Bolide dimpled roof scoop

    Bugatti Bolide dimpled roof scoop

    This engineer began experimenting with dimpled surfaces as part of a master’s thesis, adding dimples to the cooling channels of a 3D-printed titanium brake caliper Bugatti developed. For the Bolide, a “morphable outer skin” was used on the scoop. It stays smooth at low speeds, but grows dimples at higher speeds. It includes 60 individual elements that can move up to 10 millimeters, and achieves its maximum effectiveness at speeds above 74 mph.

    The result is 10% less drag and 17% less lift, the automaker said. As with any track car, though, aerodynamics aren’t just about reducing drag. The Bolide’s rear wing generates 3,968 pounds of downforce at 198 mph, while the front wing generates 1,764 pounds of downforce at that speed.

    Bugatti Bolide

    Bugatti Bolide

    While not based on any previous Bugatti, the Bolide uses the 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 engine, 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and all-wheel-drive system from the Chiron. In the Bolide, the W-16 delivers 1,824 horsepower and 1,365 pound-feet of torque on 110-octane racing fuel.

    Based on Bugatti’s estimates, the Bolide could top 310 mph and also lap Le Mans’ Circuit de la Sarthe racetrack in 3:07.1, or about 10 seconds quicker than the current race record set by the Toyota TS050 Hybrid at the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans. Bugatti also claims the Bolide would lap the Nürburgring in 5:23.1—not far off the 5:19.55 lap record set by the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo in 2018—thanks in part to golf balls.

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  • Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport gets airborne during Nardo testing

    Bugatti on Wednesday released photos of its hardcore Chiron Pur Sport getting a final shakedown at Italy’s Nardo circuit ahead of the start of production later this year.

    A more track-focused version of the Chiron, the Pur Sport was unveiled in March, and the push toward production has continued despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

    Engineers are now fine-tuning the engine control system, transmission, brakes, and running gear, according to a Bugatti press release. Bugatti test driver and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Andy Wallace also drove the car at Nardo to give his feedback.

    The Pur Sport was designed to emphasize handling rather than top speed. To that end, engineers added carbon fiber stabilizer bars and increased negative camber by 2.5 degrees. This necessitated other suspension modifications, including stiffer springs and harder bushings, all to give the Pur Sport a more precise handling feel.

    Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport testing at Nardo

    Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport testing at Nardo

    Aerodynamic elements were tweaked to produce more downforce. Unlike the standard Chiron, the Pur Sport has a fixed rear wing, as well as a longer diffuser and model-specific wheels. The design of the wheels generates downforce, and also saves 35 pounds of weight, about one third of the total 110-pound weight savings of the Pur Sport over the Chiron. Those wheels are wrapped in Michelin tires with a softer, grippier compound than the standard Chiron’s tires.

    The changes lower the Pur Sport’s top speed to 217 mph, compared to 261 mph for the standard Chiron. Power is still provided by an 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16, which still delivers a peak 1,480 horsepower. However, the power peak is between 6,700 rpm and 6,900 rpm—200 rpm higher than the standard Chiron.

    Production is scheduled to start this fall and just 60 Pur Sports will be built—each priced from 3 million euros (approximately  $3.5 million).

    Bugatti also started delivering the limited-edition Divo hypercar to customers last month. Its development of the world’s fastest car, the Chiron Super Sport 300+, is ongoing, however..

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  • 1929 Bugatti Type 40 Grand Sport featured on Jay Leno’s Garage

    Jay Leno is a big fan of Bugattis. On a recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, he featured one of the many cars from the French firm in his collection, a 1929 Bugatti Type 40 Grand Sport.

    Today, it’s hard to imagine Bugatti producing an entry-level model, but that’s what the Type 40 was, according to Leno. That didn’t mean Bugatti skimped on engineering, though. The 70-horsepower 1.5-liter inline-4 engine has an overhead cam design, three valves per cylinder (two intake, one exhaust), and twin Solex carburetors. It’s based on the engine from the Bugatti Type 37, while the chassis is derived from Type 38 underpinnings, Leno noted.

    That parts-bin rummaging helped keep costs down, according to Leno. He said the only part specific to the Type 40 is the radiator. The car also has only one door, which likely saved Bugatti a bit of money. The smooth wheel covers were fashionable at the time, but may not have been installed at the factory, Leno said.

    1929 Bugatti Type 40 Grand Sport on Jay Leno's Garage

    1929 Bugatti Type 40 Grand Sport on Jay Leno’s Garage

    Leno got this car from enthusiast Robert C. Dunlap, one of the founders of the American Bugatti Club. The Type 40 still wears its club medallion with the number “3,” signifying that it was the third car registered with the club, which continues to keep a register of all Bugattis known to exist in North America to this day.

    When the club was founded in 1960, used Bugattis were still relatively affordable, as interest was largely restricted to a handful of collectors. Those collectors could be fanatical. Fritz Schlumpf bought 30 Bugattis at once for a planned museum. That plan fell through, but part of the collection formed the basis for a second museum started with French government backing, and many are on public display today.

    The days of buying so many Bugattis at once are likely over. A trio of classic Bugattis—including a 1937 Type 57S Atalante, a 1934 Type 59 Sports, and a 1928 Type 35C Grand Prix—are headed to auction in September. The Type 59 Sports alone is expected to fetch more than $13 million.

    As is his usual practice, Jay finishes the episode with a drive on Los Angeles streets. He keeps the top up and says he never took it down because it fits so well. Jay says the car is lively and it feels more powerful than it is, though the straight-cut gears make for grinding gear changes. Check out the video above for more on this unique piece of French motoring history.

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