The Bugatti EB110 Was a Quad-Turbo, V-12 Greek Tragedy | Revelations with Jason Cammisa
“The Bugatti EB110 is 100 percent, unadulterated, Tony-award–winning theater.” So begins Jason Cammisa’s lastest Revelations video on the 1990s tech-laden Italo-French supercar that seemed to come and go before most of us even realized it had been here.
Company founder Ettore Bugatti was a nit-picky perfectionist whose singular drive was reflected in the craftsmanship of the prewar machinery that bore his name. And though the EB110 also bore his name, and although it, too, was an exceptional piece of machinery—“a dynamic masterpiece, even”—it was far from perfect. Its gestation and birth, however, were, uh, magnificent.
Cammisa walks viewers through Bugatti’s convoluted resurgence as a manufacturer (well, it’s first resurgence, anyway) and highlights the melodrama and ridiculous details that went into that revival. Then there’s the car itself.
To be sure, despite its near-4000-pound curb weight, the EB110 was a technological tour de force, with its bleeding-edge carbon-fiber tub, its all-wheel-drive, and its quad-turbocharged, 60-valve 3.5-liter V-12 built entirely in-house. In its day, the 603-hp EB110 Supersport was the quickest and fastest car in the world, although that “day” only lasted a few months before a certain McLaren entered the supercar fray.
Stupidly exuberant? Absolutely. Overlooked in the context of its peers? Probably. You can judge for yourself, and get some good chuckles in the process, with Cammisa as your guide.
The Bugatti EB110 Was a Quad-Turbo, V-12 Greek Tragedy | Revelations with Jason Cammisa is the Best modern car history video ever done with a a lot a of inside knowledge. Excellent title for an unfortunate part of the history of an amazing car and the people behind it. The Ferrucio Lamborghini detail of the story was something that few know about.
I love cars and the history about them is even more fascinating. Keep doing that work because (in my opinion) the electric cars doesn’t have glamour or history that the ICE has. Hydrogen is coming?! 🥶
Would be nice to know about Mitsubishi {The Starion, The Evos, Eclipse, 3000gt vr etc} What happened to them?, because they have a decent race history. Same with mazda (the only rotatory engine to win lemans at then…
The 1960 to the 1970 was one of the best eras for American Cars… the Japan era and the German (the hammer, the widow maker) British (Jaguar XJ220 )etc.
Thanks for this videos , keep driving and keeping car history alive and interesting 🦾🏎💨💨💨🙏🏼👍🏼
Mitsubishi’s lack of money would be a big reason they left racing. They are not a financially strong company.
Especially in America.
Rotory has a number of issues. Seal issues oil use, poor emissions make it difficult for production cars. Noise requires mufflers in racing. Also with no production engine no reason to race one.
I recall much of this. The Economy did not help but the car was very over priced and soon was challenged by a number of supercars that were better looking and just as impressive performance wise. The F1, F40, F50 and more.
Italian companies thrived on Drama for years. Look at Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, even Alfa. They all lived on the edge for decades and hot away with it.
But in this era the corporation took over, accounting became real and they by this point sold out. The drama no longer worked.
This is why the second try by VW has worked.
As for the names on the car. Everyone cut deals to be on the car. One of my claims to fame is I may be one of few that has changed a set of 110 SS wheels and tires. BBS and Michelin took a lot of effort to promote their part till the whole thing blew up like the Ford Aerostar van marketing using the space shuttle.
These were sone of the first tires with Kevlar belts.