The end of an incredible dream
But Romano Artioli had bigger plans. He bought Lotus from General Motors on August 27, 1993. The hopes of extending the resources of his budding company were dashed by economic conditions that were deteriorating year after year. In fact, 1993 is the year the European monetary system, established in 1979, literally collapsed. Artioli’s company was caught in the vortex, and the Italian businessman declared bankruptcy in 1995, one year before the scheduled launch of the EB112.
History sometimes sees some strange reversals of fortune. In 1998, Ferdinand Piëch, then head of the Volkswagen-Audi Group (VAG), acquired the Bugatti brand. He also dreamed of reviving the brand, but so that VAG could benefit from the prestige it is associated with. He immediately asked Ital Design to create a life-size model of a distinguished coupe. And so the EB118 was born, clearly inspired by the EB112. Piëch considered it a little too ordinary, and he had much more ambitious plans for Bugatti. They took the shape of the ultimate sports coupe: a two-person number dubbed Veyron, unveiled in 2006 and equipped with an impressive 1001-hp W16 engine!
And then, wouldn’t you know it, a few years later Porsche would give us the Panamera. A family company in which the Piëch clan has a large financial stake…
But Romano Artioli had bigger plans. He bought Lotus from General Motors on August 27, 1993. The hopes of extending the resources of his budding company were dashed by economic conditions that were deteriorating year after year. In fact, 1993 is the year the European monetary system, established in 1979, literally collapsed. Artioli’s company was caught in the vortex, and the Italian businessman declared bankruptcy in 1995, one year before the scheduled launch of the EB112.
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| In 1998, Ferdinand Piëch, then head of the Volkswagen-Audi Group, asked Ital Design to develop a high-luxury coupe for the Bugatti brand: the EB118, a model with no future. (Photo: Ital Design) |
History sometimes sees some strange reversals of fortune. In 1998, Ferdinand Piëch, then head of the Volkswagen-Audi Group (VAG), acquired the Bugatti brand. He also dreamed of reviving the brand, but so that VAG could benefit from the prestige it is associated with. He immediately asked Ital Design to create a life-size model of a distinguished coupe. And so the EB118 was born, clearly inspired by the EB112. Piëch considered it a little too ordinary, and he had much more ambitious plans for Bugatti. They took the shape of the ultimate sports coupe: a two-person number dubbed Veyron, unveiled in 2006 and equipped with an impressive 1001-hp W16 engine!
And then, wouldn’t you know it, a few years later Porsche would give us the Panamera. A family company in which the Piëch clan has a large financial stake…
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