Very few of us may be able to afford one – I certainly can’t – but we car enthusiasts do love looking at and reading about supercars.
One of the most iconic supercar makers has unveiled a new model that has an eye watering price tag, even judged by its own very expensive standards.
Bugatti has revealed the Centodieci, a modern interpretation of the EB110, one of its most famous models.
Based on the Chiron, the Centodieci – which means 110 in Italian – was designed with the classic car’s wide wedge shape in mind, but with a modern twist that could incorporate the cooling requirements of the 8.0-litre W16 engine.
Those cooling requirements dictated the car’s design, with five round air intakes in the shape of a diamond fitted to the front, while the rear end features a wide air outlet to dispel hot air from the engine bay.
The engine produces 1,578bhp and contributes to the hypercar’s 0-60mph time of 2.2 seconds. It can also hit 124mph in 6.1 seconds and 188mph in 13.1 seconds before going on to a top speed of 236mph.
Bugatti claims the Centodieci is 20kg lighter than the Chiron, which has been achieved by using a lightweight windscreen and carbon-fibre stabilisers.
Stephan Winkelmann, president of Bugatti, said: “With the Centodieci, we pay homage to the EB110 super sports car which was built in the 1990s and is very much a part of our tradition-steeped history.
“With the EB110, Bugatti catapulted itself to the top of the automotive world once again after 1956 with a new model.
“We are proud of our long Bugatti history, of which the EB110 is very much a part. That’s why we’re celebrating a reinterpretation of this extraordinary vehicle with the Centodieci – Italian for 110.”
Just 10 Centodieci models will be built and all have already been sold with a starting price of £7.3 million.
jmckeown@thecourier.co.uk