Insane Bugatti Bolide revealed with 1361kW/1850Nm, “morphable” skin and a top speed above 500km/h

Bugatti has revealed one of its most insane vehicle ideas yet, unveiling the track-focused Bolide concept overnight which has a “morphable” skin.

The French hypercar maker said it set out to conduct an experiment: what if a massive engine was crammed into a lightweight car.

The result is the Bolide, which sits on the Chiron platform and, like the Chiron, packs an 8.0-litre W16 four-turbo engine.

However Bugatti wen to work on the engine to add even more performance, resulting in a mind-melting 1361kW of power and 1850Nm of torque.

But the craziest part is the car weighs just 1240kg.

This means it can cover 0-100km/h in just 2.17 seconds, 0-200km/h in 4.36 seconds and 0-300km/h in 7.37 seconds.

These are theoretical numbers, mind you, as Bugatti hasn’t actually conducted these acceleration tests in real life and the numbers are based on simulations.

Find a stretch of road long enough to keep your foot planted for 20.16 seconds, and Bugatti reckons you’ll crack the 500km/h mark — and could keep accelerating further.

There’s innovation in the Bolide’s exterior also.

The roof’s intake scoop has a morphable outer skin which can change to improve airflow.

At a slow speeds, the surface remains smooth, but at high speeds a “field of bubbles bulges out” to reduce the scoop’s aerodynamic by 10 per cent and reduces lift by 17 per cent.

It also improves flow onto the rear wing: at 320km/h, there is 1800kg of downforce at the rear wing and 800kg at the front wing.

The brand is still tossing up whether to put the Bolide into production — needless to say, it’d be damn cool if it does.