25 years ago: the Bugatti EB 110 Sport Competizione!

The engines rev up, almost into the limiter. When the traffic light turns green, the racing cars accelerate under full load, neglect their ideal line and look for a gap in the turmoil. Among them: the Bugatti EB 110 SC, one of only two Bugatti EB 110 racing cars ever officially built. The Bugatti with the number 2 competed in the 9-hour race in Dijon on June 1996, 18. He got off the start line well and is fighting his way forward. Unfortunately, it should be his last race. At the wheel of the super sports car: the Monegasque businessman and racing driver Gildo Pallanca pastor. At the age of 29, he is one of the youngest participants, and he also owns the Monaco Racing Team that uses the EB 110 SC. Even then it was an extraordinary vehicle and an exotic one among the other racing vehicles. This year the EB 110 is celebrating an anniversary.

Bugatti EB 110 Sport Competition

After the temporary end of the famous brand in 1963, the Italian Romano Artioli brought the brand back to life in the late 1980s. In 1987 he bought the trademark rights and became chairman of Bugatti Automobili SpA. On September 15, 1990, Artioli inaugurated a new and groundbreaking factory in Campogalliano.

A year later, on September 15, 1991, it would be Ettore Bugatti's 110th birthday, Artioli presented the most modern and progressive super sports car of its time - the EB 110. 30 years ago, the coupé with 3,5-liter V12, four turbochargers, All-wheel drive and a lightweight carbon monocoque for a big stir. The engines produce up to 610 hp and accelerate constantly up to top speed. And that is high, at 351 km / h. World record for a production sports car. But Artioli wants more - he wants Bugatti to race again. “Something we thought was crucial for a brand like Bugatti is racing,” he once said.

Bugatti only builds two official EB 110 racing cars

In addition to the EB 110 GT and 110 Super Sport, two official works racing cars with up to 700 hp are built in the factory. The first, a blue painted EB 110 LM, competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994. Gildo Pallanca-Pastor noticed the racing car and was interested in the technology, the make and the vehicles. In March 110, he set a speed record on ice with a standard EB 1995 Supersport. But he prefers to drive official races and at the end of 1994 ordered a racing car from Bugatti so that he could take part in the IMSA series in the USA and other endurance races from 1995 onwards. The EB 110 Sport Competizione (SC) was created within six months. Reduced weight, rethought and incredibly fast. Three vehicles are planned, but financial difficulties and problems with the suppliers mean that only one racing car will be built by June 1995.

Racing car has been temporarily confiscated

With this, Gildo Pallanca-Pastor starts at IMSA races and at the BPR Global GT Series, an international racing series for the best near-series super sports cars. The EB 110 SC runs well, only spare parts are becoming increasingly rare. Because the market for super sports cars collapses at the same time, demand at Bugatti is falling and financial liabilities are piling up. Suppliers hold back their parts. When Bugatti had problems with suppliers and Artioli could no longer pay them, the production facility was closed on September 15, 1995 - the racing car that was being serviced there was temporarily confiscated.

But Gildo Pallanca pastor manages to save the EB 110 SC from the bankruptcy estate. It starts in Daytona in January 1996, after which the preparations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans are due. This also includes the run on June 8th and 9th in Dijon, France. The racing car achieved a strong fourth place in practice, and Pallanca-Pastor even moved up to third place in the first run. Gildo Pallanca-Pastor is satisfied with the performance and is already looking forward to the next race. But shortly after the start he collides with another participant in the second lap and is canceled. The silver racing car no longer reaches the finish line. Due to a lack of spare parts, the mechanics can no longer repair the racing car in time, so the EB 110 Sport Competizione does not start the 24-hour race in Le Mans, which starts a week later.

last built factory racing car from Bugatti

This ended the short motorsport career of the last factory racing car from Bugatti to date. But the rare racing car survived and was serviced and cared for by its former buyer over the next few years, but without participating in any further races. After a few years, Gildo Pallanca pastor sells the Sport Competizione to a Bugatti enthusiast. The rare piece is now returning to its former location for a photo shoot, 25 years after its last race and 30 years after the presentation of its base

Don't worry, of course that was far from being the case when it came to auto / auto tuning. Our magazine still has tens of thousands other tuning reports in stock. Do you want to see them all? Then just click HERE and look around. Or are you particularly interested in everything to do with the manufacturer Bugatti? Then the following excerpt with other vehicles is definitely the right one.

25 years ago: the Bugatti EB 110 Sport Competizione!
Photo credit: Bugatti

tuningblog.eu - on the subject of cars, motorcycles, bikes / ATV / scooters & Co., and of course our passion, the Tuning, we keep you up to date and report daily on cool vehicles from all over the world. It's best to subscribe to ours Feed and you will be automatically informed as soon as there is a new post.