PARIS: The second modern coach built model from Bugatti pays homage to the definitive super sports car of the 1990s: the EB110.
A performance package the world had never seen before, the EB110 features a 3.5-litre V12 engine with four turbochargers producing up to 610 PS, linked to an all-wheel-drive system and a carbon-fibre monocoque.
Just 10 Bugatti Centodieci1 cars will be built, yet the French luxury car manufacturer is putting the very same energy into developing and testing them as it devotes to its "series products", such as the Bugatti Chiron.
As soon as the final assessment has been completed, the first of the highly exclusive vehicles – each with a starting price of €8 million (RM37.4mil) – enters into production.
All 10 cars are set to be delivered to their owners this year.
Coach built models are the most exclusive the brand has to offer, with limited production units and extraordinary design featuring individual dynamic setups.
Over the course of many months, Bugatti test drivers and engineers gather technical data and gain valuable experience at high-speed, on handling routes and circuits, on highways and in city traffic – all of which is shared with the technical development department at Bugatti Engineering for evaluation.
The production-based prototype of the Centodieci completed over 50,000 test kilometres in total upon its return from Nardò in the Puglia region of southern Italy, following final endurance testing.
The white prototype completes lap by lap for hour after hour.
Three drivers rotate to examine all functions of the Centodieci, registering and logging every minor anomaly.
They drive day and night on different track profiles and across every speed range, from stop-and-go pace to top speed.
“With its high-speed circuit and handling course, the Nardò test center provides the ideal conditions for intensive endurance tests,” said Steffen Leicht – the man responsible for endurance testing at Bugatti.
The 12.6-kilometre-long circular track with a diameter of four kilometers is considered the fastest automotive circuit in the world – perfect for the 380 kph Centodieci.
The 6.2 kilometre-long handling course on the inner section permits checks at the highest load levels and with longitudinal and transverse dynamics.
The over 70 hectare-large site at Nardò provides 70km of roads with different surfaces, enabling extensive testing and inspection of all vehicle components.
The Centodieci covers up to 1,200km each day, interrupted only by technical checks, refuelling, and driver changes.
Throughout the entire time, Bugatti’s engineers analyse the engine and vehicle data and make adjustments where necessary.
“We assess every element on the vehicle one last time, paying particular attention to functionality and durability before the first Centodieci cars go into production,” said Carl Heilenkötter – project manager responsible for one-off and few-off projects at Bugatti.
All components must interact perfectly with one another and be capable of withstanding any kind of overloading.
The endurance tests in Nardò represent the final act of the extensive trials.
