The long-deceased Bugatti marque was revived during
the early 1990’s by Romano Artioli, a wealthy Italian car distributor who had
acquired the rights to Bugatti's famous name. He planned to launch an all-new
model in 1989 with a 60-valve V12 engine, four turbochargers and at least
550bhp. Full time four-wheel drive and a six-speed gearbox would also be
employed while the target weight was 1300kg. A lavishly funded operation from
the outset, Artioli constructed a state of the art factory in Campogalliano,
just north of Modena, the global supercar epicentre.
Fabricated from scratch with state of the art componentry, the EB110 GT was
launched on September 15th 1991, but Artioli and Bugatti had missed the supercar
boom and pitched their stunning new car into a particularly severe recession.
With its distinctive Gandini styling and near £300,000 list price, there just
weren't enough buyers for the GT and fewer still for the subsequent £400,000 SS
hot rod. So despite exceptional performance, build quality and dynamics, the
EB110 was a commercial disaster, the Campogalliano factory producing just 126
customer cars before closing down in summer 1995. Incorporating bespoke parts
throughout, the GT was based around a hugely advanced and wickedly expensive
carbon-fibre tub fabricated by Aerospatiale. The EB110 and McLaren F1 were the
only road cars available with composite monocoques during the early nineties,
such outlandish features playing an integral part in the huge list prices of
each. Bugatti's first five prototypes were completed with chassis’s fabricated
from lightweight aluminium before they made the switch to carbon composite,
eight further prototypes being completed in this state-of-the-art material.
Suspension was via independent double wishbones and with a wheelbase of 2550mm,
full time four-wheel drive, power-assisted steering and switchable ABS, the GT
was eminently predictable in almost any situation. Unique BBS 18-inch magnesium
alloy wheels (9 and 12.5-inches wide front/rear) worked in conjunction with
power-assisted cross-drilled and ventilated 322mm brake discs and four-pot
Brembo calipers.
The EB110 GT had a quad turbocharged Bugatti V12
Although the GT came out 250kg heavier than had originally been intended
(1560kg), it was still incredibly agile and thanks to its sophisticated
all-wheel drive system, at home in any conditions. The EB110’s jewel-like
construction continued with a new scratch built, 3.5-litre V12 engine. Mounted
longitudinally, it featured an unprecedented four turbochargers, more than any
previous production road car. Fabricated extensively from aluminium and
titanium, a displacement of 3499cc was achieved thanks to a bore and stroke of
81 x 56.6mm respectively.
Bugatti also incorporated an exotic five-valve cylinder head, a technically
advanced feature not even used by McLaren’s BMW Motorsport engine, let alone
Ferrari. Producing an awesome 553bhp at 8000rpm, compression was set at 8.0:1,
Bugatti fitting four IHI turbochargers and coupling the engine to a six-speed
gearbox. Despite there being noticeable turbo lag below 3500rpm, from this point
on, the GT was incredibly quick and with 451lbft of torque at 3750rpm, its
performance was easily accessible. Sprinting to sixty in just 4.4 seconds and
taking 9.1 to 100mph, the GT would reach a top speed of 209mph if you could find
a quiet enough road. Easily the EB110’s most controversial feature though was
not its awe-inspiring performance but bodywork that divided opinion and
instantly became something you either loved or hated. Penned by Marcello Gandini
who had famously been responsible for Lamborghini's Miura, Countach and Diablo,
the shell was fabricated from a combination of carbon-fibre and aluminium panels
bonded to the chassis for ultimate rigidity. Gandini’s design failed to
captivate in the same way as those aforementioned Lamborghini's, the EB110's
awkward headlights lending the car a slightly bizarre appearance. However, with
time, it has mellowed and many favourable features become apparent. Other
interesting details were the trademark Gandini scissor doors used so effectively
on the Countach and Diablo, a glass engine cover providing a wonderful view of
the V12 engine and a huge speed-sensitive electronic rear wing that could be
raised at the flick of a switch.
Everything inside was designed from scratch
Gandini also created the EB110 GT’s rather sombre cabin that, although fitted
throughout with unique componentry, still looked a little downmarket compared to
its rivals. Electrically-operated seats were trimmed in leather with ruffled
bolsters and ribbed centres and headrests, the seats themselves being reasonably
comfortable but not enveloping enough for such a high performance car. Like the
door trim and centre console, they were normally finished in a contrasting shade
to the typically black or grey leather-covered dash and steering wheel.
Fronted by a cheap seventies-looking walnut facia, the three-spoke leather
steering wheel was sometimes embossed with an EB insignia. Visually, access to
the oil temperature guage, tachometer and speedo was reasonably good although
rearward vision could hardly be considered up to Porsche standards and the cabin
was cramped for those much over six-feet. Other interior features included
automatic climate control, electronic door releases that were located, along
with the seating controls, on a walnut insert alongside each seat bolster. A set
of custom fitted luggage could be stowed behind the seats. Launched with a
lavish celebration held in Versailles during September 1991, the EB110 GT
debuted as the worlds fastest production car although the styling was inevitably
not to everybody's liking. Road testers heaped praise on the new cars
performance and handling, particularly its astounding agility despite the
relatively heavy weight. The first customer EB110 GT was supplied in December
1991 but Bugatti had long since missed the boom being experienced during its
initial announcement. Instead, the EB110 was launched into one of the most
severe recessions for decades. Demand for ultra expensive motorcars had in just
a couple of years shrunk considerably and only well established marques were
able to see out a downturn that continued until the mid 1990’s. After completing
95 GT's (all of which were left-hand drive), Bugatti closed its doors in
September 1995 having endured the recessions worst years, the company filing for
bankruptcy in the Italian courts.
EB110 GT scissor doors were a Gandini trademark
An interesting footnote to the EB110 saga came in 1997 when trustees auctioned
off Bugatti’s final stock of partially completed cars and parts. Almost
everything was bought by Jochen Dauer, he of the famous German Porsche racing
team. Included were no less than 18 unused Aerospatiale carbon fibre tubs,
scores of other parts and a good stock of semi-completed EB110’s (at least five
of which were Super Sport's). Dauer has subsequently gone on to complete a
handful of improved cars that are covered separately MORE HERE
