The Bugatti Bolide was revealed as a one-off concept in 2020, but thanks to the overwhelming response Molsheim received, it quickly decided to put the car into limited production, and now it's time to test its aero. Just 40 examples will be made at €4 million each, and all are already sold out.

Those lucky buyers are expecting the most extreme and track-focused Bugatti ever, and although the French atelier has already conducted thousands of hours of testing simulations, now it has tested the beast in the real world, reporting that "the results, so far, have been breathtaking."

Bugatti is not using hyperbole here. The aero testing program - which is still ongoing - has revealed that the Bolide is capable of up to 2.5 G in lateral forces and can generate almost three tons of downforce.

"This extensive aerodynamic work usually only takes place in the top level of motorsport but has allowed us to meticulously develop the Bolide for ultimate performance and drivability," says Bolide chief engineer Christian Willmann.

As wild as all the aero looks, everything has a function. The air curtains ahead of the front wheels help to reduce drag, while winglets on the outer edges of the front splitter generate vortices that accelerate the airflow to the rear diffuser. The cabin has been made narrow to increase airflow to the side intercoolers, and even the wing mirrors are shaped to direct air toward these large intakes. But why not opt for a digital wing mirror system on a car that will never see public roads? Because Bugatti wants owners to use the Bolide on track.

Physical mirrors help to satisfy the 8.0-liter W16 engine's voracious appetite for air, but they also "allow drivers to estimate differences between other cars more quickly," says Bugatti. Anybody who has used digital rearview mirrors and moved their head while trying to gauge what's in their blind spot can attest to the feeling of uneasiness that a digital image creates.

"It is these small but crucial details that will allow a Bugatti Bolide driver to have a holistically fulfilling circuit experience," according to Frank Heyl, Bugatti's Deputy Design Director. "Design and technology flow into one another in the Bolide. Every technical consideration has been translated directly into an aesthetic design. The Bolide perfectly demonstrates how a symbiosis of design and technology can work in synergy and harmony."

Bugatti products are best known for their astonishing straight-line speed, but as the lightest Bugatti on offer, we expect it to be pretty handy at other stuff, too, like taking corners and slowing down. A big part of this is the aforementioned front splitter. This runs very low to the ground so as to compress the air under the car. The rear diffuser expands this air, speeding it up and thus helping suck the car to the ground. But under braking, the nose of the vehicle drops even closer to the ground, further increasing front-axle downforce. Despite this, Bugatti claims overall aerodynamic balance is maintained.

More importantly, the rear wing can be adjusted to tailor the aero balance to a specific track. Naturally, other car elements can be set up according to the owner's desires.

Things seem to be progressing at a fine pace, and Bugatti expects the first deliveries to be made in 2024. Until then, owners must make do with the Chiron Pur Sport. Or the Divo. We're sure most Bolide buyers have ordered all three.