Bugatti EB110 SS: The Italian Interlude

Between the classic French era (Type 35) and the modern VW era (Veyron), Bugatti was briefly Italian. The story of the Bugatti EB110 is one of incredible ambition, technological brilliance, and tragic timing. It is a car that was arguably too good for its time, built by a man who dreamed too big.

In 1987, Romano Artioli—a wealthy Italian entrepreneur and the largest Ferrari dealer in the world—bought the dormant Bugatti brand. His vision was not just to revive the name but to build the greatest supercar the world had ever seen. He built a state-of-the-art factory in Campogalliano, near Modena (Ferrari’s backyard), hiring the best engineers from Lamborghini and Ferrari to achieve his dream. The result was the EB110 (named to celebrate Ettore Bugatti’s 110th birthday).

The Engineering: Decades Ahead of Its Time

When the EB110 debuted in 1991, it made the Ferrari F40 look ancient. The technology packed into this car was staggering for the early 90s.

Carbon Fiber Monocoque: It was the first production car in history with a full carbon fiber chassis. Bugatti partnered with Aérospatiale (who built Concorde) to manufacture the tub because no automotive supplier could meet the required stiffness. This made the car lighter and significantly stiffer than its tubular steel competitors.
Active Aerodynamics: It featured a pop-up rear wing that adjusted based on speed—something common today but revolutionary then.
Permanent All-Wheel Drive: While the McLaren F1 and Ferrari F50 were rear-wheel drive, the EB110 used a sophisticated AWD system to harness its power, making it surprisingly drivable in all conditions. This AWD philosophy would later become the cornerstone of the Veyron and Chiron.

The Heart: A 3.5L Quad-Turbo V12

The engine was a masterpiece of complexity. Designed by Paolo Stanzani (father of the Lamborghini Countach and Miura) and refined by Nicola Materazzi (father of the F40), it was a small-displacement 3.5-liter V12. Why so small? To keep the engine compact and reduce reciprocating mass for a screaming 8,250 rpm redline. But to achieve the target power, it needed forced induction.

Four IHI Turbochargers: Yes, four. Two for each bank of cylinders. This minimized lag and provided a linear power delivery.
Five Valves per Cylinder: Three intake, two exhaust. That’s 60 valves in total. This allowed for incredible airflow at high RPM.
Individual Throttle Bodies: For razor-sharp throttle response.
Dry Sump Lubrication: To prevent oil starvation during high-G cornering.

In the standard GT, this produced 553 hp. In the Super Sport (SS), it was boosted to 612 hp. This was more power than the McLaren F1’s BMW V12, from an engine half the size.

The Super Sport (SS): Lighter, Faster, Harder

The standard EB110 GT was luxurious, with wood and leather, designed as a Grand Tourer. But Artioli wanted a track weapon to silence the critics. Enter the EB110 Super Sport.

Weight Reduction: Bugatti stripped the interior, replaced aluminum body panels with carbon-kevlar, and removed sound deadening to save 150 kg (330 lbs).
Performance: 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds. Top speed: 355 km/h (221 mph).
Driving Dynamics: The SS was raw. The suspension was stiffer, the exhaust louder, and the turbos hit harder. It also featured fixed windows with small sliding openings, purely for weight saving.
Visual Differences: The SS had seven holes behind the side window (inspired by the Type 35 race car), a fixed rear wing, and distinct wheels.

In 1992, this was earth-shattering performance. It was faster than the Jaguar XJ220 (until the McLaren F1 arrived).

The Designer: Gandini vs. Artioli

The initial design was penned by the legendary Marcello Gandini (who designed the Lamborghini Countach). However, Artioli felt Gandini’s “shovel-nose” design didn’t look enough like a Bugatti. Gandini refused to change it, so Artioli brought in architect Giampaolo Benedini to redesign the front and rear. The result was controversial but distinct: the small horseshoe grille (a nod to history) integrated into a modern wedge shape. The “scissor doors” remained, a Gandini trademark.

The Schumacher Connection

In 1994, a young Formula 1 driver named Michael Schumacher tested the EB110 for a German magazine against a Jaguar XJ220 and a Porsche 911 Turbo. He was so impressed by the Bugatti’s handling and power delivery that he bought one on the spot—a bright yellow EB110 SS with a custom blue interior. His ownership gave the struggling company massive publicity. He famously crashed it into a truck in 1995, blaming “brake fade,” though many suspect he simply misjudged the immense stopping power of the carbon-ceramic brakes (another first for a road car). He kept the car for over a decade, calling it one of the best cars ever made.

The Tragedy: Bankruptcy and Rebirth

Despite being technically superior to almost everything on the road, the EB110 was doomed.

The Recession: The early 90s global recession killed the market for supercars.
Ambition: Artioli overextended himself by buying Lotus (which resulted in the Elise, named after his granddaughter, Elisa Artioli).
Complexity: The car was insanely expensive to build. The carbon chassis alone cost a fortune.

Bugatti Automobili SpA declared bankruptcy in 1995. The factory closed its doors with half-finished cars still on the assembly line. German racing team Dauer bought the remaining chassis and parts. Dauer modified the cars slightly (removing some weight, boosting power to 705 hp) and sold a handful of Dauer EB110s into the early 2000s. These are even rarer than the original production run.

Legacy

The EB110 is the bridge between the analog past and the digital future of hypercars. It introduced the carbon monocoque and quad-turbo AWD layout that would define the Veyron and Chiron under VW ownership. Today, the “Blue Factory” in Campogalliano stands abandoned—a shrine to a dream that flew too close to the sun. The car, however, remains a legend. Values have skyrocketed in recent years as collectors realize just how special this “Italian Bugatti” really was.