BUGATTI EB110 GT TO CROSS THE AUCTION BLOCK IN MIAMI – AN ICON OF '90S EXCESS WITH A STORY TO MATCH. MUCH WANT.
Before the Veyron dominated top speed headlines and redefined the hypercar, Bugatti's rebirth came in the form of a wild, quad-turbocharged machine born in the shadows of Modena: the EB110 GT. It was the supercar that adorned countless bedroom walls in the 1990s - mine included - and now, one of these ultra-rare icons is headed to auction at Bonhams' ‘The Miami Auction’ on May 3, right in the thick of Formula 1 madness. Back in 1987, Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli revived the dormant Bugatti name and built a state-of-the-art factory in Campogalliano, just a stone’s throw from Ferrari and Lamborghini. He wanted to craft a machine worthy of Ettore Bugatti’s legacy, and the EB110 was the bold result - its name a tribute to the 110th anniversary of Ettore's birth. With legendary names like Paolo Stanzani (of Lamborghini Miura and Countach fame) and Marcello Gandini (the pen behind the Countach, Lancia Stratos, and more) involved early on, it’s no surprise the EB110 carried serious supercar DNA. The resemblance to the Countach isn’t accidental - it was intentional, evolved for the '90s. Under the skin, though, the EB110 was a technological marvel. A 3.5-litre V12 with five valves per cylinder and four IHI turbochargers delivered around 405 kW, fed to all four wheels through a 6-speed manual gearbox. With a carbon fibre chassis produced by aerospace firm Aérospatiale and cutting-edge active aero, it was arguably the first proper hypercar. Top speed? A ludicrous 341 km/h.
Unfortunately, the car launched right as the global economy took a nosedive, and despite its brilliance, Bugatti Automobili S.p.A. filed for bankruptcy in 1995. Though Artioli aimed for 150 units per year, only around 140 EB110s were ever made, making it one of the rarest production Bugattis of all time. The example heading to auction - chassis number GT 092 - is one of just 84 EB110 GTs produced. It’s finished in Grigio Chiaro over Grigio Scuro leather with subtle Bugatti Blue accents, giving it an understated but classy presence. Originally ordered in early 1994 for the German market, it was delivered to Auto König in November that year, and sold shortly after to a buyer in Mülheim. Its history includes a stay with Franco Pastorelli, a noted Dutch collector and dealer, before making its way through a private enthusiast and then into the renowned Strojer Samlingen Museum in Denmark. It landed on U.S. soil in 2022 and is presented today in beautifully original condition, showing off the timeless Gandini shape and that glorious ‘90s analogue interior. Bonhams expects this EB110 GT to fetch between $1,450,000 and $1,650,000 - or in South African rands, a very punchy R27,000,000 to R31,000,000. You might want to start preparing a very creative SARS explanation if your bid paddle goes up.
Take a look at the YouTube video from Pere Nubiola Photography, who was lucky enough to capture one of these ridiculously cool Bugatti EB110 GTs out in the wild. Most photographers will never get to point their lens at one of these, not even in a museum. Well, not in this part of the world anyway; Bugatti EB110 GT - Start Up, Accelerations, Engine, Inside and more!! | Pere Nubiola Photography
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