Bugatti is known today for the Veyron and the Chiron—two equally outrageous cars both of which redefined the segment when they arrived on the market. The Veyron with its mid-mounted quad-turbo W16 pushed 1001 hp to all four wheels and topped out at 254 mph...and that was 17 years ago! The Chiron, on the other hand, was a completely different beast altogether. Though it also used an 8-liter W16, it made almost 1600 hp and reached 60 mph in 2.3 seconds.
Before the Chiron and the Veyron, however, Bugatti made the EB110, and after the EB110 it made the EB112 in 1993. Here are some things to know about the Bugatti EB112, one of the rarest sedans in existence, and the only sedan from Bugatti.
9 The EB112 Uses AWD
Much like the Chiron and the Veyron, the EB112 was all-wheel-drive. In fact, the Eb112 shared its all-wheel-drive system with the EB110. The drive system was viscous-coupling actuated, which meant it was all mechanical and used fluid to delegate 27-percent of the power to the front, and the remaining power to the rear.
Although it was technically all-wheel-drive, the EB112 primarily operated with the rear wheels. Although all-wheel-drive adds considerable weight and significant drivetrain power loss, it helps cars like the EB110 and 112 off the line in a drag race.
8 It Uses A Manual Transmission
Especially since Ferrari developed the paddle-shifting sequential manual gearbox only a few short years earlier, the fact that the EB112 used a six-speed manual transmission made it one of the last supercars to do so. While the EB110 had its transmission mounted in front of its rear-mounted engine, the EB110’s engine was front-mounted, which allowed the transmission in the more traditional longitudinal layout.
Supercars these days don’t use manual transmissions because automatics can shift gears much faster than a human. The EB112 would have been part of a dying breed.
7 It Has Almost 4,000 pounds Curb Weight
Considering it featured an all-wheel drive, five doors, and a big V12, the EB112 was surprisingly light. Veyrons and Chirons clock in at around 4,400 pounds, while the EB112 was only 3,968. Bugatti achieved this low curb weight in part by adopting an all-aluminum body and carbon fiber chassis.
Despite these design changes, it still weighed considerably more than its predecessor the EB110, which at its heaviest only clocked in at around 3,570 pounds. Despite this disadvantage, the EB112 could still hit 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, topping out at 186 mph.
6 Based On The EB110
We said it before. Though the EB112 looks completely different from the EB110, the two share many commonalities. Besides the AWD system, the EB112 uses the same carbon fiber chassis as the EB110. Its differences lie in the engine choice and the fact that it has four doors, which may account for the large curb weight discrepancy. Although the EB110 made considerably more power than the EB112, its weight kept it away from the likes of the Ferrari F40 and Jaguar XJ220. Had the EB112 been released, its competition would have been tough to come by.
5 The Only 4-Door Bugatti
Although it never technically went into production, the EB112 is the only four-door Bugatti ever built, though it wasn’t the first time and probably won’t be the last that the company has toyed with the idea. Bugatti unveiled the 16C Galibier as a four-door sedan in 2009, using the same 8-liter W16 but with twin superchargers instead of quad turbochargers, making 1,000 horsepower. Ultimately the project was scrapped. More recently, however, rumors are flying about Bugatti starting another four-door venture, reportedly not as an SUV. We’ll see if the concept of a four-door Bugatti will finally come to fruition.
4 It Is Italian-Designed
Like all Bugatti cars, the EB112 offers unique exterior styling. It was designed by none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro, the very same designer who championed the 1962 Ferrari 250 GT, the 1976 Lotus Esprit, and the DMC Delorean. The signature front grille is unmistakably Bugatti, and its curved body style shares many aspects of the Veyron and Chiron, though it’s simpler and more subtle. It looks like an executive sedan, but its Bugatti grille defines the EB112 in a different echelon. Had it reached production the EB112 would have been one of a kind.
3 It Uses A VW 6-liter V12
One of the most significant departures of the EB112 from the EB110 was its engine. The EB110 used a 3.5-liter quad-turbocharged V12 with 553 horsepower in the base model and 600 horsepower in the Super Sport. The EB112 used a naturally aspirated 6-liter V12, which made only 450 horsepower. The engine was designed by Volkswagen, which gave it five valves per cylinder and mounted it behind the front axle. Mid-mounted engines are better for the car’s balance through a corner.
2 Only 3 Were Ever Built
Bugatti made only three EB112s, and its demise is more tragic than a Shakespearean play. After Bugatti designed and built the first EB112, it went bankrupt in 1995. Many of its assets were sold to businessman Gilda Pallanca Pastor. These included two unfinished examples of the EB112, one of which was completed in 1998 by Pastor’s company, Monaco Racing Team, according to Motortrend. The other EB112 was completed in 2000 and sold to a Swiss Bugatti importer who originally ordered the car in 1993.
1 One Sold In 2021
As you can imagine, the only four-door Bugatti model should fetch a handsome price, especially considering there were only three of them. However, its selling price wasn’t as much as some more common classics. A 2016 auction sold for an EB112 failed, even though the car was listed for just $2.1 million. Another EB112 just sold earlier this month through a German website called Schaltkulisse, but the price isn’t listed. Other classic Bugattis have gone for at least $100 million, so there’s really no telling how the EB112 did, despite its remedial price just five years ago.