The Renaissance in Campogalliano

In the late 1980s, Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli acquired the rights to the dormant Bugatti brand with a dream: to build the most advanced supercar the world had ever seen. The result was the EB110, unveiled in Paris exactly 110 years after the birth of company founder Ettore Bugatti. Built in a state-of-the-art facility in Campogalliano, Italy, the EB110 was a technological tour de force that made its contemporaries look antiquated.

Designed under the guidance of Marcello Gandini (and later Giampaolo Benedini), the EB110 possessed a wedge-shaped profile with a distinctive horseshoe grille and active aerodynamics. Underneath the striking skin was a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis developed by Aérospatiale, making it remarkably rigid and incredibly lightweight for a V12 supercar.

Quad-Turbo Innovations

The mechanical specifications of the EB110 read like a modern hypercar’s spec sheet. It utilized a tiny, high-revving 3.5-liter V12 engine. To extract massive power from such a small displacement, Bugatti engineers bolted on four IHI turbochargers and a complex 60-valve cylinder head (five valves per cylinder). The output was a staggering 553 horsepower in standard GT guise.

• Drivetrain: Advanced permanent all-wheel drive for supreme traction
• Transmission: 6-speed manual gearbox
• Chassis: Industry-first carbon fiber tub for a production car

Driving the 90s Dream

Driving the EB110 is an exercise in turbo lag management. Below 4,000 RPM, the small V12 is docile and quiet. However, once the four turbos spool up, the power delivery is violently explosive, pinning the driver to the seat accompanied by an orchestra of mechanical whines and hisses. The all-wheel-drive system ensures all that power is translated into forward momentum rather than tire smoke.

Inside, the cabin was adorned with luxurious leather and wood trim, contrasting with the hardcore mechanicals underneath. Despite its blistering performance, the EB110 was designed to be usable and comfortable over long distances.

A Brief Shining Moment

Sadly, a global recession and financial difficulties forced the Campogalliano factory to close its doors in 1995 after only 139 cars were built. For years, the EB110 remained an undervalued secret among collectors, but it has recently gained its rightful recognition as a true pioneer of the modern hypercar era.