This 1993 Bugatti EB110 SS Prototype is ’90s Retro Perfection

One of the most hyped-up, talked about supercars of the moment is the Bugatti Chiron, but the Chiron, along with the Veyron that preceded it, may not exist if it weren’t for the EB110.

After the company ceased production in 1956, the rights to the storied Bugatti name were sold to Italian businessman Romano Artioli, who was hoping to turn the once great manufacturer into a born-again supercar giant. To do that, it needed a game-changing new car, and thus the EB110 was born. Soon after introducing the 3.5-litre V12-powered EB110, the newly revived Bugatti introduced an even more powerful version called the EB110SS, which made an impressive 604 hp and could crest 216 mph.

Just 36 examples of the EB110SS were built, one of which is set to go under the gavel at RM Sotheby’s upcoming Paris auction in February. It’s not just any example, either, but an early pre-production prototype designed for testing various body and aerodynamic developments. The car was originally two-wheel drive, but it was later fitted with an all-wheel drive system and also received a different engine from an EB110 GT prototype. Interestingly, that engine was the one that powered the EB110 to a record-setting speed of over 212 mph.

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The prototype was also used to test a number of other developments for the EB110SS, including a revised fuel delivery system, an updated gear shifter and a lightweight carbon fiber engine cover – mods not seen on any other EB110 examples. The car was sold to its first private owner in 1997 before finding the current consignor in 2015. RM Sotheby’s predicts it will sell for between €850,000 €1.100.000 (about $1 million and $1.3 million USD) when it crosses the block in early 2018.

[Source: RM Sotheby’s] Photos by Tim Scott 2017 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.