Giorgetto Giugiaro’s 1993 Bugatti EB112 Concept Is The Spiritual Predecessor To The Veyron And Chiron
The Bugatti EB112 concept was one of the most radical saloon cars ever seen when unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1993. Giorgetto Giugiaro’s latest creation contained not just striking lines, but the evolution of the supercar EB110.
Bugatti created a new ultra luxurious Grand Tourisme segment which continues to this day when they showed the world one of the most advanced saloon cars of its day.
Giorgetto Giugiaro still adores his EB112 creation:
“The Bugatti EB112 boasted a number of nostalgic styling features referencing the famous models of the legendary French brand from the late Thirties but presented in a car with innovative mechanicals. The EB112 in many respects was a dream car and a forerunner to what we today know as high-performance fastback models. It flawlessly combined design with technological and engineering features that were majorly ahead of its time.”
This landmark design was heralded by motoring critics as the most beautiful saloon car ever created. Not only that it was a pure Bugatti performance car that managed to seamlessly blend luxury and power in a four door package.
The Bugatti philosophy of ‘form follows performance’ was encapsulated in the EB112 with its excellent aerodynamic capability as a high performance Berline car. In effect it was the spiritual predecessor to both the Veyron and the Chiron.
The front of the EB112 started what is now a Bugatti tradition with the grille. Some 10 years later this shape would find its way onto the front of the Veyron. The longitudinal rib that starts from the bonnet and leads over the roof splitting the rear window is a styling feature from the Type 57 SC Atlantic. This also featured on the Veyron, albeit more subtly, and on the Chiron too.
While the EB112 was strikingly beautiful, it was revolutionary for the time. The all aluminium body hid a carbon fibre monocoque beneath it which was derived from the equally advanced EB110 super car.
This body and chassis combination was groundbreaking at the time in the super car segment and was a totally new development for a saloon car.
The Geneva world premier was the highlight of the whole show. The development taking place in the months before the unveiling, a static concept would have been merely enough, but the EB112 drove onto the stand. The powertrain consisted of a 60 vale (five valve per cylinder) 6 litre V12 coupled to a six speed manual transmission and a sophisticated four wheel drive system.
The naturally aspirated V12 produced 460 HP at 6,300 rpm and a peak torque of 590 Nm from just 3,000 rpm. This gave the EB112 great performance potential, much more than any contemporary saloon cars of the day. A top speed of 300 km/h, 186 mph, was possible and the EB112 could reach 100 km/h, 62 mph in 4.3 seconds.
The EB110 provided the four wheel drive system, though the EB112 would have a 38% front and 62% rear torque split, designed to give high performance in all conditions.
To get the weight distribution required the V12 was mounted as far back as possible between the axles effectively giving a front mid-mounted configuration.
This didn’t just support a technical specification for dynamic ability but offers greater crash safety performance.
Avant-Gard is the only way to describe the Bugatti EB112. The influence it has on the saloon car segment changed that sector radically. Back in 1993 Giugiaro created a new segment with his new concept, the amount of high powered saloons built to high luxury standards and with exotic materials now is testament to that.
“The Bugatti EB112 was a true pioneer, an avant-gardist to how the saloon segment of the automotive world would radically change following its unveiling. Here was a car, in 1993, that created a completely new segment for Berline Coupé cars; before it, there really was no high-performance sedan that took on the attributes the EB112 delivered, forming visionary design with outstanding power and luxury in abundance. It has come to represent an important milestone in this Bugatti’s deeply rich automotive heritage,” said Luigi Galli of Bugatti’s Specialist Heritage and Certification.
Bugatti would develop further to push boundaries and the EB112 was a showcase for how the company would progress. The technology and style were true to Bugatti traditions, but also went in a new direction.
Giorgetto Giugiaro has really helped the rebirth of the brand back in 1998 with another concept two door, the EB118 and another four door counterpart the EB218.
Now 85 years old it’s unlikely that Giugiaro will produce anything else, but his legacy seems to be living on very well.
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