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Category: Highlight

  • 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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  • Deep dive: Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar

    It’s hard to imagine a modern supercar competing in the Paris-Dakar Rally, but that’s exactly what the Porsche 959 did back in the 1980s. This video from Porsche’s “Top Five” YouTube series explains how the 959 morphed from supercar to rally car.

    The all-wheel-drive 959 was designed with an eye toward Group B rallying, but the category was eliminated before the car was ready. Instead, Porsche shifted focus to the grueling Dakar Rally.

    After some success with all-wheel-drive versions of the 911 in the Dakar Rally, Porsche entered three prototype 959s in the 1985 running. These cars had similar bodywork to the road car (which didn’t start production until 1986), and a simplified version of its all-wheel-drive system, but with 911-spec engines. All three failed to finish.

    In 1986, Porsche returned to the Dakar with upgraded 959 rally cars. They sported a more sophisticated all-wheel-drive system with multiple modes, while a 2.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-6 similar to the 959 road-car engine replaced the previous naturally aspirated 3.2-liter flat-6.

    1985 Paris-Dakar Porsche 959 to be sold at auction

    1985 Paris-Dakar Porsche 959 to be sold at auction

    The Dakar-spec engine made about 400 horsepower, down from the road car’s 444 hp. This was done to account for the unavailability of high-octane fuel along the desert race course, according to Porsche. The automaker also fitted larger fuel tanks, and reinforced suspension.

    Porsche once again entered three cars for the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally, which finished first, second and sixth. That was enough for the automaker which decided to then retire from desert rallying.

    With its emphasis on electronics and lightweight materials, the 959 road car helped set the template for the modern supercar. Meanwhile, the Paris-Dakar rally cars are now likely too valuable to ever see dirt and sand again. Even one of the unsuccessful 1985 cars sold for nearly $6 million at auction in 2018.

    If you want to delve further into Porsche history, check out the automaker’s “Top Five” videos for rally cars and secret prototypes.

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  • 2020 McLaren Speedtail headed to auction

    When the McLaren Speedtail was unveiled two years ago, the entire 106-unit production run had already sold out despite a near-$2 million price. Now one of those supercars is scheduled to cross the block at an RM Sotheby’s auction on Jan. 22.

    That car is Speedtail number 36, which was ordered on July 20, 2020, and delivered to McLaren Philadelphia (despite not being street legal in the U.S.) a few months later, according to the listing. It’s still virtually brand new, with just 30 miles on the odometer.

    The car has over $170,000 worth of options, according to its build documents. It’s painted in MSO Heritage Atlantic Blue, with white stripes and wheels, and a gloss carbon-fiber front wheel cover. The interior features a mix of satin carbon-fiber and Alcantara trim, with vintage tan aniline leather upholstery and contrast stitching. A suitcase designed to fit the front trunk and a gold-colored titanium tool set are included with the sale.

    McLaren Speedtail number 36 (photo by RM Sotheby's)

    McLaren Speedtail number 36 (photo by RM Sotheby’s)

    McLaren envisioned the Speedtail as a successor to the legendary F1, reflected by its three-abreast seating layout and 106-unit production run (matching the F1). Its focus on road rather than track use also echoes the F1, which was designed as a road car first, and only modified for racing after owners requested it.

    The Speedtail has a hybrid powertrain built around a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, producing a total of 1,055 horsepower and 848 pound-feet of torque. McLaren previously quoted 0-186 mph in 12.8 seconds, and a 250-mph top speed.

    McLaren may not launch a supercar that surpasses the Speedtail for at least a few years. The automaker is reportedly dialing back its range-topping Ultimate Series, with the next model—a successor to the P1 plug-in hybrid—due in 2025.

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