Thanks to decades of racing experience, the Brembo name is synonymous with performance. But what the company claims is its most powerful brake caliper ever for road-going vehicles was designed for an application that has nothing to do with lap times.
The Boldika (pronounced bohl-DEE-kah) is a six-piston caliper intended for use in large pickup trucks and SUVs with both electrified and straight internal-combustion powertrains. As those heavy vehicles—particularly the all-electric ones—get more powerful, stopping power is becoming more important than ever. This is why the Boldika can clamp a rotor with 8,500 newton-meters, or 6,269 pound-feet of torque.
To deliver that force consistently, the Boldika (the name is a blend of “bold” and “like,” according to a press release) features a three-piece design with aluminum components sandwiching a cast-iron bridge. This is the first time Brembo has employed this type of construction in a six-piston caliper. Benefits include lighter weight compared to an all-cast-iron design, greater stiffness, and maximum braking power (naturally).
The Boldika also has Brembo’s Enesys anti-drag technology, which ensures that the pads return to their resting place after braking. This eliminates residual friction between the pads and rotors when not under braking, helping improve fuel economy and EV range, while also prolonging pad life.
In the press release, Brembo talks up the caliper’s “muscular” design and how it was engineered to maximize pad surface area, but also claims it’s compact enough to fit inside 20-inch wheels. That may not seem like much of a boast until you hear where Brembo plans to stick those calipers.
The first confirmed application is the Chevrolet Silverado EV RST Stars and Steel Edition, which will get a set of Boldika calipers in Torch Red when it arrives at dealerships later this year. This is an all-electric pickup that rides on 24-inch wheels and weighs around 9,000 pounds. But it’s also likely to have over 700 horsepower, similar to the last RST, which Chevy said could do zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Even with regenerative braking, getting that much mass (unsprung or otherwise) stopped as quickly as it goes is a challenge worthy of Brembo’s mightiest caliper.