The “Reparto Esperienze” — Development Team and First EB110 Prototype.

Beneath the iconic Bugatti oval and the blue Prove Motori building — the technical and aesthetic heart of Romano Artioli's factory — the entire Reparto Esperienze gathers with the first EB110 prototype, designed by Marcello Gandini.

Engineering staff (left to right): Antonio Cesaroni, Oliviero Pedrazzi, Stefano Mion, Federico Trombi, Achille Bevini, Nicola Materazzi, Pavel Reimisch, Tiziano Benedetti.

A remarkable concentration of talent in a single frame.

Left to right: Antonio Cesaroni, Oliviero Pedrazzi, Stefano Mion, Federico Trombi, Achille Bevini, Nicola Materazzi, Pavel Reimisch, Tiziano Benedetti.

The measurements test-bench with the EB110 carbon fiber chassis built by Aérospatiale

Designed by Bugatti Automobili and built expressly by the French company Aérospatiale.

Such a powerful car required a chassis that would allow an extremely fast car to grip the road perfectly, but which also robust so as to provide improved safety in case of an accident; in other words, the chassis had to be rigid but also very light.

Connecting the EB110 roll-cage to the chassis under the supervision of Federico Trombi

A critical assembly step where precision and responsibility converge.

The 3.5 L Bugatti EB110 quad-turbocharged V12 engine

The 3.5 L Bugatti EB110 quad-turbocharged V12 engine. With five valves per cylinder, the 12-cylinder aluminum and magnesium engine block was designed in a single piece containing the six-speed transmission and two differentials.

This marvel surprised the engineering departments of all the major car manufacturers.

Verifying camshaft support for the thirty valves per head — Bugatti EB110

A level of control pushed to extremes.

Verifying the perfect execution of the support of the cam axes driving the thirty valves per head.

Testing the Bugatti EB 110 engine under maximum effort.

Engineering pushed to its breaking point — by design.

Testing endurance under extreme thermal and mechanical stress.

Engineering pushed to its breaking point — by design.

Design Debate Around the EB110 Wooden Model.

Marcello Gandini, Romano Artioli, and Gianpaolo Benedini gathered around the full-scale wooden model of the EB110 during an intense design review at Campogalliano.

The image captures a decisive moment in the project’s development, when vision, engineering, and architecture confronted one another directly—revealing both the creative energy and the underlying tensions that shaped the car’s final form.

Form adjusted in real time under deadline pressure — Wooden model side view

Campogalliano. Final surface refinements underway on the full-scale wooden model during the last phase of the EB110’s development.

The blurred figure records active work in progress, marking the urgency and intensity of the final design phase.

The moment when design decisions become fixed — Wooden model three-quarter rear view.

Campogalliano. The completed wooden model of the Bugatti EB110 photographed after the final refinements.

This view documents the definitive rear proportions and surface transitions that guided the subsequent engineering and production phases.

Symmetry, balance, and final verification — Wooden model rear view.

Captured after completion, this image records the resolved geometry of the rear fascia, exhaust layout, and overall stance before translation into functional prototypes.

The full-scale model of the Bugatti EB110 positioned inside the Pininfarina Wind Tunnel during aerodynamic testing.

Active since 1972, the facility was a recognized center of excellence for research in aerodynamics and aeroacoustic.

Engineering decisions made in real time.

Engineers working around the Bugatti EB110 model during aerodynamic testing at the Pininfarina Wind Tunnel. Human presence and motion reflect the adjustment phase of the process, where measurements, corrections, and refinements converge.

Side view of the Bugatti EB110 model undergoing aerodynamic evaluation at the Pininfarina Wind Tunnel.

This configuration highlights the car’s proportions, surface continuity, and airflow behavior along the body and lower sections.

Rear view analyzing wake, turbulence, and rear aerodynamic efficiency at the Pininfarina Wind Tunnel.

The test focuses on airflow separation, rear turbulence, and the aerodynamic behavior of the exhaust and diffuser area.

Mechanical layout exposed before final integration.

Rear view of the EB110 prototype raised on a workshop lift, with body panels removed to allow access to drivetrain and cooling components.

This stage reveals the provisional nature of early assemblies, where systems remained accessible for adjustment and testing.

Form, structure, and mechanics aligned.

Technicians working beneath the raised body and open doors of the EB110 prototype designed by Marcello Gandini.

The photograph captures a transitional moment in which structural elements, bodywork, and mechanical systems were refined simultaneously.

Early Assembly of the EB110 Prototype.

Technicians working on the chassis.

Raw EB110 Body Under Inspection.

The unfinished aluminum body of the EB110 prototype during manual inspection and fitting.

At this stage, surface treatment and final detailing had not yet begun, allowing direct evaluation of form, tolerances, and construction quality.

Parallel development of a singular vision.

Two EB110 prototypes representing Marcello Gandini’s original design version seen simultaneously inside the workshop.

The presence of multiple bodies illustrates the iterative nature of the project, where alternative solutions were developed and compared side by side.