Lot 176: 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, 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 a superb matching leather interior, it also features a Nardi steering wheel and a Nakamichi stereo system with remote control. The car has covered a mere 15,250kms from new and is presented in excellent order throughout. Accident free, it comes with its 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 a été livrée neuve en Belgique à son premier propriétaire qui l'a conservée jusqu'à sa vente, en avril 2005, à l'actuel possesseur. Peinte en gris argent, elle est dotée d'un magnifique intérieur en cuir de teinte assortie, d'un volant Nardi et d'une installation stéréo Nakamichi avec commande au volant. La voiture n'a parcouru que 15,250 km depuis l'origine et elle se présente dans un état sublime. Exempte de tout accident, elle possède sa trousse d'outillage d'origine, son livret d'utilisation et ses papiers d'immatriculation à Monaco. Une rare opportunité d'acquérir une supercar des plus emblématiques des années 1990 aux performances encore inégalées, si ce n’est pas sa descendante, la boute dernier Veyron. Elle est à coup sur objet de la convoitise des futurs collectionneurs.