A Homage Project

WHAT might successfully engage an enthusiast to spend? Big time. One a story, second a history a provenance and third an object. Of course the object may also be perceived as a work of art. An object that occasions a heart-thumping excitement. One such is a car, a homage to the spirits of Ettore Bugatti and Romano Artioli.

The first is the progenitor of Bugatti, the manufacturer of hyper sports cars while Romano Artioli built the extraordinary EB110  to mark the 110th birthday of Ettore Bugatti in 1991. Powered by a 550 bhp engine and a quad turbo V12 engine the EB110 was a super sports car of the 1990s one of the fastest cars of an era that included McLaren F1.

Centodieci is Italian for 110. To mark the 110th anniversary of the founding of the legendary marque the modern Bugatti Automobiles SAS has designed the Bugatti Centodieci with echoes of the former super sports car of the 1990s.

Instead of the V12 the Centodieci has an eight-litre W16 engine with 1,600 bhp and springs from 0 to 100 kph in 2.4 seconds , to 200 kph in 6.1 seconds and to 300 kph in just 13.1 seconds; the top speed is electronically limited to 380 kph.

A sensational power to weight ratio is achieved of 1.13 kilograms per horsepower. “The increased power and lower weight further improves performance for better acceleration at high speeds. The Centodieci offers our customers an improved power to weight ratio and more dynamic handling,” says Stephan Winkelman, CEO of Bugatti Automobiles.

Achim Anscheidt , Bugatti Director of Design , explained the design process, “The challenge was not to allow oneself to be captivated too much by the design of the historic vehicle and work solely in retrospect, but instead to create a modern interpretation of the shape and technology of that time.”

More extreme than the Chiron and Divo, timeless as the La Voiture Noire, the Centodieci is one of a kind Bugatti for the enthusiast.

The front of the Centodieci drops very low, its depth revealed only in profile, with the newly developed deep seated front spoiler and the three-section air intakes providing a perfect match  to the flat horseshoe shaped radiator. The rear of the Centodieci relies on a wide air outlet opening bringing to life the flying tail light elements.

Owners may select any Bugatti colour, for the special edition Bugatti Centodieci to be handcrafted in Molsheim, France. Revealed at the Concours d’Elegance Pebble Beach, extraordinary , exclusive, a select series of 10 vehicles will be built, nine to be delivered in 2021 to owners.

Base prices start at €8 million plus tax.

Nick Horne, London, England