Bugatti made headlines in the summer of 2019 when it unveiled a new hypercar to celebrate its 110th anniversary. This 1,578-hp supercar among supercars—aptly named Centodieci (which means 110)—is a bit different in design from other Bugattis, and yet offers the same appeal. Bugatti has reached a new milestone in the production of this new $9-million model as it is already assembling the first Centodieci prototype for series development.
A Modern Design Inspired By The Bugatti EB110
Unveiled at “The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering” of Pebble Beach in 2019, the Centodieci was a tribute to the Bugatti EB110 of the 1990s. The Centodieci was also tribute to Romano Artioli and Giampaolo Benedini—creators of the legendary EB110. Nonetheless, Bugatti was careful not to focus too much on the design of the EB110, making sure that the Centodieci will be a modern interpretation of the legend.
Bugatti's designers were able to translate the virtually two-dimensional body of the EB110 into a three-dimensional shape that highlights most modern super sports cars. Nonetheless, the Centodieci wasn't just about the exterior design (body), it is also about its overall operation. Bugatti's development team worked to ensure that the technical aspects of the Centodieci match its design brief.
Meticulous Development For A Small Series Hypercar
During development, Bugatti engineers made various calculations for the Centodieci body, engine, as well as the transmission, even holding airflow simulations. The design team worked closely with the developers before finalizing the hypercar's styling and designing its surfaces. Following a year of design and simulation, the first prototype was produced.
The prototype underwent several changes in various areas, with the team using data from simulations to establish a basic set-up to serve as a starting point for series development. To check the drivetrain functions, the hypercar's rolling chassis was put onto a roller dynamometer in the Molsheim Atelier. The success of this phase signaled that the Centodieci was ready to wear a new exterior.
Wind Tunnel And Track Tests On The Horizon
Bugatti is now in the process of building an exterior that marries shape and technology. While building the exterior, the prototype will also undergo advanced simulations in the wind tunnel track testing for tuning the hypercar's chassis. Once everything is finished, small series production will commence, with only 10 examples bound to be built.
Source: Bugatti