Bugatti EB110
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bugatti EB110 | |
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| Manufacturer | Bugatti Automobili SpA |
| Production | 1991–1995 139 produced |
| Successor | Bugatti Veyron |
| Class | Supercar |
| Body style | 2-door Mid-AWD coupe |
| Engine | 3.5 L quad-turbo V12 |
| Wheelbase | 100.5 in (2553 mm) |
| Length | 173.4 in (4404 mm) |
| Curb weight | 3560 lb (1615 kg) |
| Designer | Marcello Gandini |
The Bugatti EB110 is an exclusive supercar from Bugatti Automobili SpA, the 1990s successor to one of the most celebrated marques in automotive history. It was unveiled on September 15, 1991 in both Versailles and in front of the Grande Arche at La Défense in Paris, France exactly 110 years after Ettore Bugatti's birth.
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[edit] General information
The car had a 60-valve, quad-turbo V12 powering all four wheels through a six-speed gearbox. The 3.5 L (3499 cc) engine had a bore of 81 mm (3.2 in) and a stroke of 56.6 mm (2.2 in) and was capable of 553 PS (542 hp/407 kW) at 8000 rpm. Acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) took just 4.5 seconds, and the car topped out at 209 mph (336 km/h).[1]
The car used a double wishbone suspension, with the chassis built by Aerospatiale, an aircraft company, and made from carbon fibre. Equipped with Gandini's famous lifting scissor doors, it had a glass engine cover that provided a view of the V12 engine along with a speed-sensitive electronic rear wing that could be raised at the flick of a switch. Five pre-production prototypes with aluminum chassis were built, followed by eight with composite chassis. Following these, it is believed that only 95 GT and 31 SS production models were constructed.
In 1992, a lighter and more powerful model with 600 PS (592 hp/441 kW) at 8000 rpm, the EB110 SS (SuperSport) was introduced. This car was capable of 219 mph (352 km/h) and 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds.
At a price of more than US$350,000 for the SS model, the car wasn't going to be anything but exclusive. Early in 1994 Formula One driver Michael Schumacher purchased a banana-yellow EB 110 Super Sport, giving the company a great deal of publicity. Derek Hill, son of American Formula 1 Champion Phil Hill, was one of the three drivers on a team that competed with an EB 110 in the United States at the 1996 24 Hours of Daytona.
Hard times hit the company in 1995 and, as result of chairman Artioli's over ambitious purchase of Lotus in addition to the company's quest to develop the EB112 a four door car, the company was bankrupt. Dauer Racing GmbH of Nuremberg, Germany, bought the semi-finished EB 110 cars in the assembly plant plus the parts inventory through the bankruptcy trustee. The remaining chassis and a version of the engine were later developed by B Engineering into their Edonis sports car.
[edit] Famous owners
- Michael Schumacher - Former Formula 1 driver and World Champion
[edit] References
- ^ Davis, Tony (2004). Lemon! 60 Heroic failures of motoring. Sydney: Random house Australia, p150. ISBN 1-86325-494-3.
[edit] External links
[edit] External picture galleries
- Bugatti EB110SS Picture Gallery, Wallpapers, Specs and Information
- Bugatti EB110GT Car Wallpapers & Specifications
