1994 Bugatti EB110

1994 Bugatti EB110 GT
Design by Marcello Gandini/Giampaolo Benedini
VIN. ZA9AB01E0RCD39092
Aerospatiale Tub No. 108
Engine no. 0122

3,498cc DOHC Quad-Turbocharged V-12 Engine
Bugatti Multipoint Fuel Injection, 4-IHI Turbochargers
552bhp (560PS) at 8,000rpm
6-speed Manual Transaxle, All-Wheel Drive
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Ventilated Disc Brakes

*Romano Artioli's compelling revival of the Bugatti marque
*Advanced carbon chassis by Aerospatiale with aluminum bodywork
*One of approximately 84 EB110 GTs produced
*Known history in Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, and the USA
*Striking Grigio Chiaro over Dark Grey leather with Bugatti Blue accents
*Retains rare factory luggage, tools, and original Nakamichi audio system
*Thoroughly enjoyed by its past custodians, with approximately 30,400km
*Superbly presented example, and a must for any significant supercar collection


THE BUGATTI EB110

Forty years after Ettore Bugatti's death in 1947, the once legendary but moribund marque, one of the most renowned in automotive history, was languishing as part of an aircraft component manufacturer. But in the mid-1980s, a rescuer came via ambitious Italian businessman Romano Artioli, whose aim was nothing less than a resurrection of Bugatti in the form of a state-of-the-art supercar. Development commenced in 1987, and Artioli chose Modena, home to Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, as the place to build his spectacular new modern factory from which the first completed production car rolled out early in 1992. Designated 'EB110' (signifying its debut 110 years after Ettore's birth) the first new Bugatti since the 1950s was an advanced mid-engined supercar acclaimed as worthy successor to its formidable antecedents.

The Bugatti EB110 GT was developed by a team of industry veterans that initially included none other than engineer Paolo Stanzani and stylist Marcello Gandini, co-creators of the exotic Lamborghini Countach supercar to which the EB110, with its short nose, wedge-shaped body and scissor doors, bore a strong resemblance. Differences with Artioli would see both men depart before the design was finalized, yet their influence is undeniable.

Beneath the skin there were other similarities to the Countach; the short-stroke V12 engine with forward mounted gearbox having been pioneered by Lamborghini. Had the EB110 stopped there it would have constituted a remarkable enough debut for a fledgling manufacturer, but to the already outstanding specification Stanzani added five valves per cylinder, four IHI turbochargers, a bespoke six-speed gearbox and four-wheel drive! Four small turbochargers were preferred to two large ones as they spooled up more quickly, thereby reducing turbo lag.

The French aerospace company Aérospatiale was called upon to produce the chassis in carbon fiber (aluminum had been used for the first prototypes) while the suspension followed the supercar norm, consisting of double wishbones all round. The bodywork, initially penned by Gandini and reworked by Artioli's cousin Giampaolo Benedini who also designed the spectacular Campogalliano factory. The EB110 was one of the first supercars to incorporate 'active' aerodynamics, featuring a speed-sensitive rear wing and manually operated air flaps near the rear window. On 15th September 1991, exactly 110 years since Ettore's birth, the Bugatti EB110 GT was unveiled simultaneously at both Versailles and Paris.

Despite the ambitious complexity, the EB110 worked exceptionally well on the road, its compact dimensions combined with four-wheel drive making for superb agility, grip, and balance no matter what the conditions. The 3.5-litre V12 developed around 550bhp, good enough for a top speed of 212mph (341km/h), a figure recorded at the legendary Nardo test track in Italy that placed the EB110 on a par with that other 'World's Fastest Car', the Jaguar XJ220 at the time. It was also quite luxurious, with beautiful leather trim, optional fitted luggage, and a bespoke audio system designed by the renowned Nakamichi of Japan.

According to Autocar magazine: "Capable of 30-70mph in 3.3sec, the EB110 was beaten for overall pace by only the 110kg-lighter Jaguar XJ220. It meted out its performance with more composure than the Jag, though, and emitted a Ferrari-rivalling scream, yet managed 21.6mpg on our touring route. The XJ220 edged the Bugatti for grip and steering feel, but the EB110 was far more agile. The Bugatti cornered beautifully, with minimal roll, yet the ride was peerless among supercars. The brakes were also superb."

Unfortunately for Artioli and his collaborators, the EB110 launched just as the early 1990s' economic recession took hold, and questionable business decisions saw the company enter receivership in 1994. Annual production targets were for 150 cars per year, but ultimately, Bugatti produced an estimated 140 cars in total, including prototypes, GT, SS, and race cars, with Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher and HRH the Sultan of Brunei being perhaps the most high-profile owners.

Although ultimately a commercial failure, the EB110 provided Bugatti's new owners Volkswagen with the template for the successor Veyron and Chiron models, and is now rightly regarded as one of the defining supercars of the 1990s.


THE CAR OFFERED

This EB110, chassis number GT 092, is one of an estimated 84 GT models produced during the company's brief but brilliant existence. It is finished in Grigio Chiaro over a Grigio Scuro leather cabin with distinctive 'Bugatti blue' accents. Information compiled by the Bugatti EB110 Registry shows that chassis GT 092 was ordered in January 1994, destined for the German market. It was not until November 1994 that the car was delivered to the German distributor Auto König and sold two months later to a buyer in Mulheim, Germany. In 1999, it was acquired by Franco Pastorelli, proprietor of Franco Auto, a shop in The Netherlands known for their expertise in the EB110. Franco sold the car to a local enthusiast who enjoyed the car with aplomb, returning the car to Franco Auto for maintenance through 2017.

Following that owner's passing, it changed hands through Pastorelli to join the Strojer Samlingen Museum in Denmark, where it was proudly displayed between a Bugatti Type 46 and a Veyron. In 2022, it underwent a servicing in preparation for sale, eventually landing in the United States.

Having lost none of its visual impact through time, the EB110 still makes a bold statement. Despite its storming performance and the promise of a quad-turbo V12 engine, it is astonishingly compact and the cabin uncharacteristically luxurious for a supercar of the era. The dark metallic grey finish brilliantly highlights the creases and curves of the body, set off by those spectacular BBS multi-piece alloy wheels. Likewise, the interior is well preserved with dark grey leather on the seats, dash, and panels, with 'Bugatti blue' accents on the steering wheel and gear lever gaiter which may be a later addition. It also retains its rare factory-fitted luggage as well as a tool kit, and the original radio, developed for the EB110 by Nakamichi. Now showing 30,490km at the time of cataloguing, it remains an outstanding example.

Said to retain its original engine and presented in unmodified condition, this seminal modern-era supercar presents a very special opportunity to acquire one of the most spectacular supercars of the 90s, a technological tour de force, and the machine responsible for Bugatti's seemingly impossible resurrection.