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Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bugatti Prepares Bolide Owners With Porsche GT3 RS Track Sessions
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector Owning one of the world's fastest cars doesn't mean you're instantly ready to drive it at speed. That's why Bugatti required Bolide customers to warm up in a Porsche 911 GT3 RS before unleashing their multimillion-dollar hypercars at Circuit Paul Ricard. With a claimed top speed of 311 mph, the track-only Bugatti Bolide is in a league of its own. Equipped with a quad-turbocharged W-16 engine producing 1,578 horsepower, the Bolide offers a level of performance that even experienced drivers must approach with caution. To ensure that owners were prepared, Bugatti first put them behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, a 518-horsepower supercar renowned for its precision and balance on the track. Bugatti's event, held at the former French Grand Prix circuit, aimed to ease owners into the Bolide's extreme performance. Before piloting their own vehicles, participants received guidance from professional instructors, including endurance racing veterans Andy Wallace and Bruno Spengler. Bugatti structured the training to help drivers refine their technique in the GT3 RS before transitioning to the Bolide. 'The morning session saw them on track in Porsche 911 GT3 RS models, sharpening their skills in preparation for the afternoon, where they transitioned to their own Bolide,' Bugatti stated. Only four customer-owned Bolides participated, each finished in bespoke liveries, ranging from deep carbon black to striking combinations of ruby, blue, and argent. Bugatti did not disclose lap times but noted that each driver pushed closer to the limit with every lap. While the 911 GT3 RS is a formidable machine, the Bolide exists in a different stratosphere, making even the Porsche feel tame by comparison. Some owners may have left the event questioning whether the Bolide is too much car—but that's a thought few would admit out loud. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bugatti Bolide Owners Have to Learn the Track in Something More Tame: a 911 GT3 RS
Recently, Bugatti hosted the first official track event for the Bolide hypercar at Circuit Paul Ricard in France — an event which marked the first opportunity for owners to drive their multi-million-dollar, track-only machines. (Except, of course, the owner who previously rented out Circuit of the Americas for himself,) However, Bugatti didn't let the owners jump into their 1,500-plus horsepower, W-16 track weapons right away. They thought it would be best to start the drivers out with something a bit more tame. That tamer car? A Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Granted, it makes sense that a Porsche would be used, as Porsche does have a stake in Bugatti via the Bugatti-Rimac joint venture. And the 518-hp GT3 RS is clearly made for attacking road courses, as it comes fitted with a F1-esque drag reduction system, a central radiator sitting in the front luggage compartment, and a suspension that has individual compression and rebound adjustments for each axle. It's the sort of car that requires a steep learning curve to master... yet it was the car used as a set of training wheels for the Bolide. For the event, each driver was paired with an expert instructor during their morning driving the GT3 RS, before finally being allowed to climb behind the wheel of their Bolide. (Bugatti "Pilote Officiels" Bruno Spengler and Andy Wallace, who've racked up a ridiculous amount of professional racing wins between them, were on hand to assist as well.) With only four Bolides sharing the 3.63-mile course, suffice it to say, the event sounds like yet another refutation of Christopher Wallace's famous maxim; that day, at least, more money didn't certainly equal more problems. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
