Bugatti’s modern era doesn’t begin with Volkswagen, but with Romano Artioli, an Italian entrepreneur who acquired the Bugatti brand in 1987, and established Bugatti Automobili S.p.A.

Artioli commissioned architect Giampaolo Benedini to design the factory which was built in Campogalliano, Modena, Italy, and by 1989 plans for the revival of the brand were presented by Paolo Stanzani and Marcello Gandini – both with a big resume in the Italian motoring industry, which included icons like the Countach and Miura.

Shortly after, the Bugatti EB110 entered production in 1991, exactly 110 years after Ettore Bugatti’s birth. The car wasn’t a huge financial hit, considered by many to be an underdog till this day, but it featured a carbon-fiber reinforced polymer chassis and a 60-valve, quad-turbo V12 fed through 12 individual throttle bodies, powering all four wheels via a six-speed gearbox. The engine was capable of 560 PS (552 HP) at 8000 rpm, catapulting the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds, topping out at 213 mph (343 km/h).

The SS variant was even more powerful (as well as lighter), boasting 612 PS (603 HP), a 3.2-second 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time and a top speed of 216 mph (348 km/h).

Things were looking good for Bugatti, as its owner then purchased Lotus Cars from General Motors in 1993. Unfortunately, the company’s success was short lived, going bust in September 1995 due to bad economic conditions and poor sales, although Artioli says the reason why Bugatti ceased to exist was caused by other factors.

In a recent documentary, Artoli explains how the company was sabotaged by the competition, without giving a specific name. According to the former owner, the “specialists” – as he described them – went directly to the parts suppliers and intimidated them to stop providing their services to Bugatti:

“If you supply another spare part to Bugatti, you won’t work with us again. You choose. One part a day against a thousand you make for us. You’ll figure it out.”

“At the time it was a gang. The Mafia was a troop of boy scouts in comparison”, said Romano Artioli.

The rabbit hole goes much deeper than that, but will let you watch the Kidston documentary to get a better understanding.

H/T to Jalopnik

Video


THE FORGOTTEN SUPERCAR from Kidston.TV on Vimeo.