The EB110 was born during the late 1980s renaissance of the Bugatti brand. Upon acquiring Bugatti in 1987, Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli had a vision for the company that resulted in the release of the EB110, a supercar with unparalleled power for its time. With its dramatic design, scissor doors, and an enormous amount of power, the 1991 debut of the Bugatti EB110 heralded the dawn of a new era: the age of the super sports car.

In the years that followed, Bugatti EB110 broke four world records: the fastest accelerating sports car, the fastest production sports car, the fastest sports car running on natural gas, and the fastest production vehicle. However, demand for super sports cars plummeted in the early 1990s. Because of this, the factory once again shut down four years later. By 1995, the factory had produced 95 units of the EB110s and 39 of the EB110 Super Sports, for a total of around 134 vehicles (including prototypes).

Since its inception by Ettore Bugatti in 1909, the Bugatti company has been shaped by a strong legacy of legendary sports cars and meticulous craftsmanship. When thinking about significant achievements in automotive technology from the 1990s, the 2000s, and the 2010s, the Bugatti EB110, Veyron, and Chiron immediately come to mind.

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The Bugatti EB110 Was A Game-Changer In Many Ways

Bugatti EB110
via: Bugatti

When the famous Italian auto importer Romano Artioli brought the venerable, 1909-founded brand back to life at the end of the 1980s, Bugatti entered its second phase of existence. Soon after, a state-of-the-art factory welcomed hundreds of new workers. After the introduction of the Coupé, Bugatti also made the lighter and more powerful EB110 Super Sport version available. The "EB" and "110" stands for Ettore Bugatti and his 110th birthday, respectively. Therefore, it was unveiled in Paris on Ettore Bugatti's 110th birthday, September 15, 1991.

The EB110 was simply unparalleled. It was the first Bugatti to include all-wheel drive, two differentials, and an ultra-light carbon monocoque in addition to the V12 engine, four turbochargers, and intercoolers. The EB110 was also the first road-legal production automobile to use a carbon monocoque, which was a breakthrough in automotive engineering. Light and strong titanium was used for all the screws, and the aerodynamic and beautiful bodywork was constructed from aluminum, carbon, and aramid fiber-reinforced plastic.

In addition to the above-mentioned breakthroughs, Bugatti also built a brand-new engine. The engineers developed a 3.5-liter V12 engine with four turbochargers and five valves per combustion chamber, for a total of 60 valves, to meet the requirements of Formula 1 at the time. It had very high revs, with a maximum of 8,250 rpm. 15 liters of oil in the dry sump lubrication system was adequate for engine lubrication and temperature regulation. The four turbochargers provided a boost pressure of 1.05–1.2 bar, contributing to the vehicle's rapid acceleration.

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The EB110 Is Impressive In Terms Of Both Performance And Craftsmanship

Bugatti EB110
via: Bugatti

Power output ranges from 552 to 601 hp, depending on the model. That is incredible, especially considering how rare such numbers were 30 years ago. The grip comes from 18-inch cast magnesium wheels with 245/40 ZR18 tires in front and 325/30 ZR18 tires in back. The manual gearbox has six speeds, and the driver may shift between them rapidly. The Brembo brakes on the EB110's rear wheels guarantee a clean stop, even at its peak speed. The vehicle's rear spoiler deploys automatically at high speeds to increase downforce and improve handling.

In its fastest configuration, the EB110 could reach 62 mph from rest in 3.26 seconds, making it the fastest mass-produced car in its age. The 218 mph peak speed it is capable of is another first for a mass-produced sports vehicle. Even more than the raw numbers, the vehicle's handling was a game-changer. The EB110's all-wheel-drive system allows for smooth and secure maneuvering. As an added bonus, it came standard with a suite of high-tech features that were not standard on its competitors' models, including power steering, power seat adjustment, air conditioning, a premium sound system, and central locking. Leather from Italian manufacturer Poltrona Frau is only one example of the high-end materials available on the inside.

bugatti-chiron-veyron-and-eb110-in-dubai
Bugatti

The Bugatti EB110 was Romano Artioli's realization of his lifelong dream to build a car that could not be matched by any other. For the most part, Romano Artioli and the EB110 are responsible for bringing Bugatti back to the top of the automotive world. Today, the Bugatti name stands for nothing less than the ultimate in luxury and perfection. The brand's super sports cars have used the same tried-and-true formula for the past three decades: all-wheel drive, four turbochargers, and a carbon fiber monocoque. All these facts together shed light on the EB110's significance as the progenitor of all subsequent Bugatti hypercars, such as the Chiron and Veyron.