Lot 135: 1994 Bugatti EB110GT Coupé

Forty years after Ettore Bugatti’s death in 1947, the once legendary but moribund marque, one of the most renowned in automotive history, was acquired by 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. Artioli chose Modena, home to Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, as the place to build his modern factory from which the first completed production car rolled out 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 was designed by 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 gull-wing doors, bore a strong resemblance. Beneath the skin there were similarities too, the short-stroke V12 engine with forward mounted gearbox having been pioneered on the Countach. Had the EN110 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 turbo-chargers, a bespoke six-speed gearbox and four-wheel drive! Despite the complexity, the EB110 worked well on the road, its compact dimensions combined with four-wheel drive making for exceptional agility and excellent grip and balance no matter what the conditions. The 3.5-litre V12 developed 561bhp, good enough for a top speed of 212mph, a figure recorded at the Nardi test track in Italy that placed the EB110 on a par with that other ‘World’s Fastest Car’, the Jaguar XJ220.

While, understandably, headline writers emphasised its performance to the exclusion of almost everything else except the price ($456,000), the EB110 was nevertheless a very well built product possessing a roomy and lavishly equipped interior. There was also a lightweight competition version, the even more powerful and expensive EB110SS. Unfortunately for Artioli and his collaborators, the EB110 launched just as economic recession took hold and the company entered receivership in 1994. In total just 154 of these exotic cars were built, many-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher being perhaps the most high-profile owner.

This EB110GT was delivered new on the 19th April 1991 to its first owner in Belgium, who kept the car until the current owner purchased it in April 2005. Finished in silver grey with superb matching leather interior, it also features a Nardi steering wheel and a Nakamichi stereo system with remote control. While in the current ownership the car has been used regularly and maintained in good condition. Presented in excellent order, it is offered with original tool kit, owner’s handbook, service book and valid French Monaco registration papers. A rare opportunity to acquire one of the iconic supercars of the 1990s, the performance of which has yet to be surpassed, and surely a collector’s favourite for future generations.




Cette EB110 GT fut livrée neuve le 19 avril 1991 à son premier propriétaire en Belgique qui la conserva jusqu’en avril 2005, date de sa vente à l’actuel propriétaire. Peinte en gris argent avec un superbe intérieur assorti, elle possède aussi un volant Nardi et un système stéréo Nakamichi à télécommande. Aux mains de son actuel propriétaire, la voiture a été régulièrement utilisée et rigoureusement entretenue. Proposée en excellente condition à tout point de vue, elle est accompagnée de son jeu d’outils d’origine, de son manuel d’utilisation, de son livret d’entretien et de ses papiers d’immatriculation monégasques. C’est une rare opportunité d’acquérir une de ces supercars symboliques des années 1990 dont les performances sont encore inégalées et, très certainement, une pièce de collection majeure pour les générations futures.