Eight Million EUR Bugatti Centodieci Super Sports Car presented at The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering

Courtesy of Automotive Rhythms www.automotiverhythms.com

Exceptional design and vast power have been the hallmark features of Bugatti vehicles for around 110 years. The French manufacturer of hyper sports cars now consistently pursues this path further with the new special-edition EUR 8 million (plus VAT) Centodieci which unleashes 1,600-horsepower at 7,000 rpm from the iconic 8-liter W16 engine. The supercar sprints from 0 to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds with a top speed electronically cut off at 236 mph. In addition, Bugatti is echoing its recent history with an exclusive and extraordinary small series which is limited to ten vehicles (already sold out) and handcrafted in Molsheim, France. Customers can select the color of choice and will receive their delivery in two years.

“With the Centodieci, we pay homage to the EB110 super sports car which was built in the 1990s and is very much a part of our tradition-steeped history,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “With the EB110, Bugatti catapulted itself to the top of the automotive world once again after 1956 with a new model.” It was a crucial interim step for the production facility that was newly founded in Molsheim in 1998, taking Bugatti back to its roots in France, and the first hyper sports car of modern times – the Veyron.

There are many areas in which the new special-edition Bugatti Centodieci echoes the former super sports car of the 1990s. “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,” says Achim Anscheidt, Head Designer at Bugatti. Even sportier and more extreme than the Bugatti Chiron and Divo hyper sports cars, yet elegant and timeless like the La Voiture Noire it is a one-of-a-kind Bugatti for the enthusiast.

The flat, horseshoe-shaped radiator at the front reveals its depth only from the side view, with the newly developed, deep-seated front spoiler and the three-section air intakes providing a perfect match. The front of the Centodieci drops very low. The iconic Bugatti horseshoe has been reduced accordingly, while the Bugatti logo Macaron sits on the hood, which is interrupted at the centre by a black element. “This allowed us to rekindle memories of EB110,” says Achim Anscheidt. The optimized front section with the extended front splitter and the airflow through the hood further improve the car’s aerodynamics.

Instead of the graphic two-dimensional rear of the EB110 with its two pill-shaped tail lights, the Centodieci relies on a wide air outlet opening for more efficient engine thermals, bringing to life the flying tail light elements in graphic kinship with the EB110. It took several months to develop solutions to ensure a balanced temperature. As in the EB110, the engine is seen behind a transparent glass surface. The rear is formed into a single ventilation hole, characterized by the eight rear light elements, 2+2 exhaust tailpipes positioned on top of each other in a black matt anodised finish and a performance diffuser to improve downforce. The overhanging rear wing is permanently attached in the style of the original EB110 SS. This increases the downforce. Downforce is supported by the aerodynamic tailgate and a laminar flow-optimized rear window.

The new paint tone matches this. “With the communication paint finish in white, we’re demonstrating a powerful contrast with the La Voiture Noire – the black car just presented in March: two completely opposing yet related forces, like yin and yang,” says Stephan Winkelmann. He says that this was what continues to set Bugatti apart after 110 years.

After its short period in Italy, Bugatti has now been back at its old headquarters in Molsheim, France, for almost 20 years. This is where Ettore Bugatti produced the very first vehicles that bore his name at the end of 1909.

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