Bugatti Might Reveal an EB110 Tribute at Pebble Beach

From Road & Track

Bugatti's modern rebirth began in Italy, in the late 1980s. Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli bought the rights to the Bugatti brand in 1987. He then assembled a team of talented designers and engineers to create a modern supercar, one deserving of Bugatti's storied name. That effort produced the EB110: a stunning, mid-engine, all-wheel drive monster, endowed with a 650-hp quad-turbo V-12.

Unfortunately, the $300,000 EB110 arrived during the worldwide economic recession that struck in the early 1990s. Slow sales (and what Artioli alleges was industry sabotage) led to Bugatti's bankruptcy in 1995. Volkswagen Group purchased Bugatti in 1998 and shepherded the brand into the 21st century.

Now, the EB110 might be making a comeback of sorts. In an Instagram post earlier this month, classic car dealer Girardo and Co. claimed Bugatti might be making a modern tribute to the EB110—specifically the EB110 SS. The rumor is that the car could debut during Monterey Car Week next month, the dealer said, with 10 examples built at an asking price of €8 million (around $9 million) each.

In June, a Bugatti spokesperson confirmed that the brand will unveil something special in Monterey this year, though no further details were offered. What gives this rumor a little more plausibility is that Bugatti hosted Romano Artioli himself at its factory in Molsheim, France earlier this year. That could be a coincidence, but it's the first time the Italian has visited the VW-run factory. Bugatti also sent out a press release last Friday singing the praises of the EB110, with a quote from CEO Stefan Winkelman.

"With the EB110, Romano Artioli has succeeded in making a great sports car," Winkelman said. "Because of his initiative and thanks to his efforts, Bugatti has been revived in the modern age."

At Monterey Car Week last year, Bugatti showed off the Divo, a limited, track-focused, €5 million hypercar based on the Chiron. The brand reinforced its desire to revisit its past with limited-production models earlier this year, when it unveiled La Voiture Noir, a one-off inspired by the Type 57. We'll see exactly what Bugatti has planned for this year's Monterey Car Week in less than a month's time.

via Motor1

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