2008 Bugatti Veyron on 2040-cars

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The Bugatti EB110 showed the way for future hypercars

For well over a decade, the Bugatti EB110 remained almost as unknown as if it had never existed. Bugatti closed its doors for the second time in 1995, so the EB110 spent the rest of the 1990s at the top of an empire found only in history books. With no direct successor to pass its torch to, the wedge-shaped coupe once celebrated by Michael Schumacher as the supercar to tame them all faded from the car world’s collective memory, even though some of the records it set remained unbroken. Its star began to rise again during the 2010s thanks to 1990s nostalgia, or because enthusiasts realized 21st-century Bugatti models owe more to the EB110 than to the pre-WWII Type 57. Either way, itÂ’s finally accepted as an influential part of the Bugatti story. Its unusualness adds to its mystique; it was manufactured in FerrariÂ’s sun-dried back yard, yet it propelled the French company into the modern era. Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli knew the automotive industry well before he purchased the rights to the Bugatti name in 1987. He had built his vantage point on decades of experience. He owned one of the first Opel dealerships in Italy, he later became the countryÂ’s official General Motors importer, and he also distributed cars for Ferrari, among other automakers. He enlisted some of the most respected engineers and designers to help him relaunch Bugatti while honoring its tradition, but he made one significant exception. BugattiÂ’s roots are in France, in a picturesque small town near the border with Germany named Molsheim. Alsace is better known for sauerkraut than supercars, so he decided to base the born-again automaker in a town called Campogalliano located on the outskirts of Modena, Italy. Setting up shop a stoneÂ’s throw from the headquarters of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and De Tomaso allowed him to tap into the Motor ValleyÂ’s deep pool of suppliers and workers well-versed in high-end cars as he assembled the pieces needed to create the first new Bugatti since 1956. Right away, Artioli wisely decided to begin the project with a blank slate instead of borrowing a chassis, an engine, or both from another company. He felt Bugatti needed to be an automaker, not a coachbuilder or a purveyor of kit cars. Early EB110 prototypes were built on an aluminum chassis, and they wore a body designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone fame. When Gandini spoke, everyone listened and no one dared to contradict him.

Bugatti Chiron to cost $2.5 million

Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said the mission of the coming Chiron is to outdo the Veyron "in all dimensions." Durheimer also said that "the price/prestige axis is one of the fundamental axes at Bugatti," which explains why Car magazine's sources say the Chiron will cost 2.2 million euros. At the present exchange rate that's $2.471 million, but more importantly, in Car's home currency it's a 650,000-pound premium over the Veyron – an extra million dollars. The price premium is misleading, though, since Bugatti hasn't sold a Veyron with an MSRP of 'just' $1.5 million in a few years. The standard Grand Sport Vitesse listed at $2.5 million, and that was before the end-of-run Grand Sport Vitesse special editions began rolling out, any of which could have been called the Bugatti Blank Check Edition. So when prospective buyers were told they could get the Chiron's 1,480 horsepower, 0-to-62 mph time of 2.3 seconds, upgraded technology, better gas mileage, 288-mph top speed, and more comfortable ride and handling for about the same price as the old car, their first question might have been, "So what's the catch?" Car says Bugatti intends to build 500 Chirons, 50 more examples than the Veyron got. We could see it as soon as next year's Geneva Motor Show.

Bugatti's final Divo is a tribute to its last official Le Mans entry

Bugatti's last official Le Mans entry served as a source of inspiration for its final Divo. The last unit in a sold-out 40-car run left the French firm's headquarters wearing a blue livery that echoes the track-bound variant of the EB110. Unveiled at the 2018 edition of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and priced at around ˆ5 million (nearly $6 million) before customization options, the Divo stands proud as the first coachbuilt Bugatti released during the 21st century. It's much more than merely a rebodied Chiron; it's its own thing, and the two cars are technically different. "As well as unique design, customers who buy a coachbuilt model enjoy a new, individual driving experience. Each small series undergoes the same degree of development as would a larger production run," explained Pierre Rommelanger, the head of overall vehicle development at Bugatti, in a statement. The final Divo's anonymous owner wanted to channel the spirit of the EB110 that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994. Most of the exterior is painted in light blue, just like the race car, and the wheels are finished in gold. Parts of the lower body wear a darker shade of blue chosen to forge a link to the modern era, according to Bugatti. Blue also dominates the interior. French Racing Blue and Deep Blue were used to wrap parts like the seats and the dashboard, though it's interesting to note that the design isn't symmetrical. The driver's seat is lighter than the passenger's seat. Elsewhere in the cabin, matte gray carbon-colored trim pieces provide a touch of contrast. Spotting the final Divo won't require a well-trained eye. Bugatti notes none of the 40 examples built were identical. Customers worked directly with the brand to customize the paint, the leather upholstery, the stitching, and the trim. What doesn't vary from car to car is the engine: it's an 8.0-liter W16 quad-turbocharged to 1,500 horsepower. Selling cars is relatively easy; building them and delivering them on-time is harder. Bugatti ticked all three boxes, and the Divo project is finished. The one-of-a-kind La Voiture Noire (which reportedly cost $13 million) has been completed as well, so the French company is now working on bringing the EB110-inspired Centodieci to production. Related video: