Odious Monster. The History of Bugatti EB110

The idea to revive the legendary brand "Bugatti" has ceased to exist in the late 40s, appeared in the mid 80s. It all started with the fact that several Italian businessmen decided by all means to create the world's fastest car. Is it too ambitious task, especially for Italy - the country where the concentration of supercars and workshops, producing them, especially high?

Originally, the idea about the "steep" the world's supercar was born in the mind Italian businessman Mark Borel. But this ardent admirer of powerful sports cars perfectly aware that it alone had little chance to really create a serious alternative to a Ferrari or Porsche. So soon Borrell finds perhaps the most suitable candidate for the role of the partner in regard to the creation of a supercar, Ferruccio Lamborghini. Blotto bright prospects before him who drew Borel, Ferruccio immediately agrees to take part in the case. Some time later, the team comes Romano Artioli - businessman, who dealt with while selling Subaru and Suzuki in Europe. Artioli not only provided financial support to the venture, but also became the most pragmatic element in the team. It was he who offered to buy for the brand Bugatti, at the time belonged to the French government, as well as to buy out General Motors losing Lotus (its capacity is expected to produce future supercar). Later, Romano Artrioli clean up their hands newly Bugatti Automobili, becoming its principal and sole shareholder.

The premiere of the heir of the legendary Bugatti was held on 15 September 1991 in Paris. Premiere date and name of the car were not chosen by chance - in 1991 was executed 110 years since the birth of Ettore Bugatti, the founding father of the famous company. At the premiere were invited executives of leading automotive companies, famous designers, owners of the classic "Bugatti", and just very wealthy people. Price announced immediately - about 350 thousand dollars. It's that no one had doubts about the seriousness.

Design
Do you recognize these doors (type "guillotine"), the air intakes on the rear of the slot rack? All this is nothing but a firm hand by Marcello Gandini - a famous Italian designer, creator of Lamborghini Countach and Alfa Romeo Montreal. Gandini was invited by the suggestion of Ferruccio Lamborghini. Mindful of his legendary creations, endorsed this idea and with Borel Artioli. But the design EB110, despite all the signs of the "pen" Gandini, yet is not solely his creation. The fact that a conflict with Marcello Artioli - They show that the design was too similar to EB110 Lamborghini. Gandini was asked to repaint, but the new version did not suit Artioli (in his view, the new version of the car behind the truck and was reminded too edgy). Compromise was never found - Gandini was fired and finalize the project was entrusted to a friend Benedini architect, cousin Artioli.


What emerged as a result, has caused public controversy. In appearance EB110 felt latent anger and aggression - all this and felt like a supercar. But there were in his appearance and some "oddities" - lights, for example, located almost in the middle of the hood, because of which the latter seemed too short, and indeed the very unusual shape created them not too "intelligent" face. A round air vents on the rear rack (brand "trick" Gandini) very much a contrast with the triangular sidewalls.
Artioli  tryed not to resemblance  "Lambo" - but he did not succeed. Apart from the characteristic front end, then at any angle and vehicle recalls classic Countach, and contemporary Diablo.
Appearance became rather notorious - not like a lamp, the other - body shape, the third - something else. Still did not go unnoticed by the car - wrote about him, he shot for fashion magazines, said of him.

Inside 

Looking at the interior of the "Bugatti" and can not believe it at once, so that he could look insanely expensive salon sports car. The angular design of the front panel looks very archaic, and the dashboard trim the tree - so far raises a smile. In the road stood EB110 GT versions of luxurious leather chairs, while in the EB110 Super Sport - hard racing seats. The interior sports a minimalist spirit reigned, though in the details it was very stylish. Options have been a lot of color combinations - red, black, white - in fact, the color of the interior could choose the customer himself.
Naturally, the interior - not the most important thing in the 12-cylinder super car, so he was paid far less attention than, say, fine-tuning the engine and aerodynamics.

What Was Hidden Under the Hood of this Monster?
In terms of dynamic performance in 1991 Bugatti EB110 was the fastest car in the world. Under its hood was a 60-valve 12-cylinder engine of 3.5 liters. In an effort to get the most power, the engineers have equipped its entire four turbines! As a result, engine output was 560 liters. with. that the very early '90s was just phenomenal results ("Ferrari F40" could boast only 478 hp...) Dynamic characteristics of the claimed no less impressive: top speed - 343 km / h, acceleration to "hundreds" - 4.5 seconds! To realize all this might EB110 was equipped with four-wheel drive (this is a controversial decision in posledstive not the best impact on the racing career of "Bugatti").
In 1992, there was lighter and more powerful version - Bugatti EB110 SS (Super Sport), which engine was boosted to 610 hp. with. (which showed an increase up to 348 km / h top speed, and reduce the acceleration time to 3.2 seconds!). Motor combined with a 6-speed manual transmission.
The engine, incidentally, was situated behind (the classic mid-engine layout) and was covered by a transparent cover - so that they could admire everyone.

Bugatti EB110 in Motorsport
In 1994, the "Bugatti" debuted in a series of 24-hour race at Le Mans. That was the year for the first time to participate in this series were admitted solely ordinary road cars (of course, homologated for racing), but not specially created prototypes. EB110 competitors have Porsche Carrera RSR, De Tomaso Pantera, Dodge Viper, Venturi. Bugatti team ambitions were much, in fact EB110 at that time was the fastest car of the planet. Still, the victory went to competitors (Dodge Viper RT), and the Bugatti is not even finished. Throughout the race car had technical problems with turbines (all four turbines were replaced), and in one of the turns and the car rammed a fence at all and were forced to come down from the race.

EB110 participated in other, lesser-known races. In North America, where the brand "Bugatti" was not so famous, chastnaye team has been involved in racing American WSC GT (5th place), Watkins Glen'95 (5th place), Sears Point'95 (6th place ), the famous 24-hour Daytona (car fizzled out due to technical problems, settling for seventh place). From racing season 1995 Bugatti has refused, although one EB110 was filed long involvement and even passed the qualification races.

Sports career Bugatti EB110 had no luck from the start. Why? EB110 never created "under" the race, although it was quite powerful and fast car. AWD system is not only a positive impact on directional stability, but also significantly increase the weight of it (the latter, apparently, was a decisive factor in the fight against Porsche Carrera at racetracks).

In April 1995, the Bugatti EB110 Finland set a world speed record on ice - car clocked up to 296.34 km / h! Check for used a small portion of frozen sea, cleaned of snow. The car itself was a "shod" in the winter tires Michelin, without spines.

End
"Renaissance" ended for the "Bugatti" in 1995. The car was not popular - and not only the high cost (which began to approach half a million dollars) caused it. If at the beginning of the 90th "Bugatti" almost had no competitors, then by 1995 the world has a new "fastest car» - McLaren F1, which was difficult to compete EB110. And not very good performance in the competition is not rendered a good reputation. In general, by 1995, the company could hardly stand on my feet. The last point in this story set in Italy, the financial crisis, for one night raised the prices of components to 180% and made ​​the manufacturing EB110 absolutely unprofitable. A total of 139 cars produced.
Today, to find on sale Bugatti EB110 is extremely difficult, and the prices of the earliest instances do not fall below 200 thousand euros.