THE EB110 & THE LAST BUGATTI RACING CARS
Julius Kruta has produced some remarkable Bugatti titles, particularly From Milan to Molsheim, which remains the finest marque history. He has now partnered with French authors Johann Petit and Pascal van Mele to celebrate the EB110 with another very special book.
This beautifully printed 440-page history covers all aspects of the milestone supercar’s story, from Romano Artioli buying the Bugatti brand to the closing of La Fabbrica Blu, the factory close to Modena. Every aspect of the design, development and launch is covered, including the switch to a state-of-the-art carbonfibre chassis, a production-car first, with interviewees including Artioli and test driver Loris Bicocchi.
This three-and-a-half-year project has been revised throughout its gestation and Julius is rightfully proud of it. “Originally the EB110 was for me the adopted child of Bugatti,” he says. “Then I visited Campogalliano and discovered the passion of those involved.”
The coveted Supersport gets a full chapter on the development by engineer Mauro Forghieri. After wind-tunnel testing, prototypes C9 and S4 were pushed to the 351kph (218mph) record-breaking limit at Nardò. Famous customers for the 30 Supersports included Michael Schumacher, and among many fascinating documents is a handwritten letter from Forghieri thanking former colleagues after his falling out with Artioli.
The competition history is extensively highlighted over 112 pages, including Synergie Motorsport’s 1995 Le Mans sortie and the six IMSA outings. The comprehensive saga interviews key players Lucien Monte and Dieter Gass, as well as the racer’s young driver, Derek Hill. Imagery is spectacularly presented throughout, with new photography back at Dijon and Le Mans.
The final chapter covers bankruptcy, the factory auction and the post-production development by Dauer and Edonis Engineering. The epilogue features moody photos of the empty factory, aptly described as an ‘automotive Pompeii’.
The design by Cristiane Patic and Aurélia Majean is refreshing, with bold typography, cool layouts and inspired picture editing. Only the alternating text style looks a touch contrived.
Rarely do publishers commission special photography, but editor Julius and EB110 owner Chris Hrabalek pushed the budget, taking cars to inspired locations connected with Bugatti history, and the book opens with shots by ace French photographer Remi Dargegen.
The remarkable collection of 700 historic photos includes many published for the first time from the archive of Jean–Marc Borel, Artioli’s right-hand man. These are c
