On Giorgetto Giugiaro's 85th birthday, Bugatti unveiled one of the legendary designer's most outstanding and revered works of art, the Bugatti EB112, which was considered one of the most radical and refined sedans in the world when it was unveiled in 1993.
In 1993, when the Bugatti EB112 was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, its design and engineering caused a stir. The EB112 draws on impeccable tradition and dedication to cutting-edge technology in a way that only Bugatti can do, creating a new ultra-luxury model that also completely redefines the concept of sedans.
Giorgetto Giugiaro still raises about the Bugatti EB112 to this day: "The Bugatti EB112 has many nostalgic styling features, referencing the famous models of the legendary French brand from the late 30s, but presented in a car with innovative mechanics. The EB112 was in many ways a dream car and a pioneer of the high-performance walkback model we know today. It perfectly combines design with technological and engineering features that were ahead of its time.
The design of the Giorgetto Giugiaro has long been hailed as a landmark achievement, with many critics hailing it as the world's most beautiful sedan of all time, a thoroughbred Bugatti that blends performance and luxury perfectly.
The sleek aesthetic of the Bugatti EB112 has proven to be a visionary design. The EB112 is a true forerunner of today's Bugatti "form follows performance" philosophy, combining this bold and elegant aesthetic form with great technical effects to develop a high-performance car with exceptional aerodynamics.
At the front, the EB112 elegantly exudes an aesthetic treatment that today is synonymous with Bugatti's famous design DNA. For example, its grille laid the foundation for the grille arrangement of the Veyron 10 years later, while the longitudinal ribs of the bonnet, roof and rear window were a nod to the design style of the Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantique, which was later subtly redesigned on the Veyron and Chiron.
The all-aluminium body of the EB112 is made of carbon fibre monocoque, which is beautiful and timeless, but also revolutionary, derived from the equally advanced EB110 supercar. In 1993, this body and chassis technology was still groundbreaking in the sports car segment and was a completely new development in sedans at the time.
The world premiere in Geneva was the highlight of the event. In the months leading up to the Swiss International Motor Show, the EB112 went through a painstaking development and stood firm under its own power. The powertrain is also groundbreaking, with a 60-valve (5 per cylinder) 6.0-liter V12 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission and a sophisticated all-wheel drive system.
Producing 460 hp at 6,300 rpm and 590 Nm of peak torque at 3,000 rpm, the naturally aspirated V12 engine has the potential to far exceed any contemporary performance sedan. Capable of reaching a top speed of 300 km/h, the Bugatti EB112 accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 4.3 seconds.
The four-wheel drive system on the Bugatti EB112 offers improvements in the EB110's proven advanced technology. For the EB112 model, 38% of the torque is distributed to the front and 62% to the rear to ensure consistent high performance in all conditions. This capability was enhanced by the EB112's good weight distribution, with Bugatti engineers positioning the powerful V12 engine between the axles as far back as possible, with a front-center layout. The specification not only supports dynamic capabilities, but also enhances crash safety performance.
"The Bugatti EB112 is a true pioneer of how the automotive world of sedans will change radically after its debut. Prior to this, no high-performance sedan had the features offered by the EB112, resulting in a visionary design with superior power and appearance. It represents an important milestone in Bugatti's deep automotive heritage.
In 1993, Bugatti unveiled the unrivalled EB112 sedan, which would underline Bugatti's constant quest to push boundaries, elevate technology and create new automotive benchmarks, while remaining true to its fundamental principles, the Bugatti logo. Regarded as a true dreamer with an absolute flair for design and aesthetics, Giorgetto Giugiaro also helped reborn the brand in 1998 with the launch of the two-door Coupé concept Bugatti EB118 and its four-door counterpart, the Bugatti EB218.