Continental's Advanced Brake System for Bolide

Continental has unveiled its advanced brake control system specifically for the Bugatti Bolide hypercar, marking a milestone in hypercar technology. The Motorsports ABS Kit, developed by Continental Engineering Services (CES), integrates anti-lock braking (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), and traction control system (TCS) to offer precise control and enhanced safety. Designed for professional drivers and enthusiasts alike, the 1,600-horsepower Bolide hypercar is exclusively engineered for track use, promising an unprecedented level of control and performance.

Key Highlights

Limited production of 40 units for the Bugatti Bolide, with deliveries expected before year-end.
The Motorsports ABS Kit allows fine-tuned handling suitable for both professional and less experienced drivers.
Five adjustable driving modes optimize brake and stability control for diverse track conditions.
CES’s in-house expertise combines software customization and motorsport know-how to enhance the hypercar’s performance.
A racing driver engineer from CES fine-tuned the control systems specifically for track performance.

Continental's Advanced Brake System for Bolide

Continental Engineering Services (CES) has been collaborating with Bugatti for several years, contributing to the advanced development of models like the Chiron and Veyron. This project stands out as it integrates hardware and software components into the Bolide, a hypercar exclusively optimized for track use. These systems typically aren’t available in racing cars due to the focus on raw performance over complex driving dynamics.

Christian Willmann, Bugatti’s chief engineer for the Bolide, stated, “Never before has an ESC system been combined with carbon-carbon brakes – until now. With the Bolide, we’ve achieved this breakthrough, creating a solution based on Continental’s motorsport brake control system that surpasses our expectations in performance, stability, and safety.”

CES undertook the significant challenge of making a 1,600-horsepower hypercar controllable for any driver, whether a seasoned professional or a less experienced enthusiast. The traction control system (TCS) ensures maximum propulsion across varying conditions, while the ABS guarantees optimal braking performance. Furthermore, the ESC maintains stability even during high-speed, complex maneuvers, making the hypercar accessible for a wider range of drivers.

According to Volker van Lier, head of the Chassis & Brake Systems business unit at CES, “Developing brake control technology for a hypercar is an exclusive discipline in which Continental Engineering Services has a great deal of experience. Making a racing car controllable not just for professional motorsport racers, but for all drivers, was a particularly interesting challenge for us.”

CES’s Motorsports ABS has been adapted specifically for the Bolide, enhanced with new functionalities to manage the car’s immense acceleration and braking forces. The driving dynamics control offers five adjustable modes, allowing drivers to modify settings for the ABS, ESC, and TCS, depending on track conditions, weather, and tire status. One significant benefit of this system is that driving characteristics can be adjusted directly from the steering wheel, enhancing versatility on the racetrack.

A key aspect of this development was CES’s collaboration with a racing engineer who also serves as a professional racing driver. His involvement allowed the fine-tuning of control systems for an ideal track experience, meeting the needs of both seasoned professionals and novice drivers.

The extreme physical forces of motor racing, such as decelerations up to 2.5g, presented a major challenge in adapting CES’s brake control system. The Bolide generates tremendous aerodynamic downforce at high speeds, necessitating sophisticated control strategies for handling the load on the wheels. Thanks to customized software algorithms, CES managed to overcome these challenges and ensure that the Bolide’s brake control system maintains outstanding performance, even in extreme conditions.

The five driving modes provide a unique combination of pure racing performance, precise control, and varying degrees of electronic assistance, making it possible to adjust the vehicle for a broad range of track scenarios. From racing mode to more assisted configurations, CES’s flexible system ensures seamless braking performance, regardless of tire temperature or track conditions.