At 'The Quail - A Motorsports Gathering' in California in 2019, Bugatti presented another project reflecting its excellent coachbuilding expertise, the Centodieci. The Centodieci evokes automotive history, as the unique project is a tribute to the legendary EB110.

This project comprises production of just 10 vehicles for an exclusive clientele. The next phase is about to start for the hyper sports car with the first prototype for series development currently being assembled.

Since the world premiere of the Centodieci, the Bugatti development team has been working on the technical implementation of the strictly limited model. The engineers first delve into calculations for the body, aerodynamics, engine and transmission. They simulate the airflow on the vehicle and check all components down to the smallest screw.

Meanwhile, the design team checks the styling in close collaboration with the developers before finalising this and designing the surfaces. They adjust the curvature of the components according to the incidence of light so that the appearance is homogeneous in all lighting conditions - an elaborate development process. After well over a year of design and simulation, the team has now developed the first prototype.

Bugatti engineers were recently able to successfully put the rolling chassis into operation on Bugatti's own roller dynamometer in the Molsheim Atelier, and check all the drivetrain functions to ensure the Centodieci can move onto the next stage of development. The next step is now to build the elaborate exterior.

The technical challenges involved were enormous - an engine with eight litres of displacement and 1,578bhp generates high temperatures that require sophisticated thermal management. As in the EB110, the engine is seen behind a transparent glass surface. To ensure more efficient engine thermodynamics, the Centodieci has a wide air outlet opening and modified air flows.

In addition, guide flaps around the five circular air inserts - positioned in the form of a rhombus - ensure sufficient air intake for the 16-cylinder power unit. As a result, the otherwise dominant Bugatti line, the C-line, gives way to a new design.

The rear is formed into a large ventilation outlet opening defined by the eight rear light elements. Other development challenges include the new light elements and the rear wing design, which is permanently mounted in the style of the EB110 Super Sport.

But even if the development team can simulate and test so much data on the test rigs, the Centodieci will also undergo dynamic testing. "In the next few months, in addition to building the exterior and running more advanced simulations in the wind tunnel, we are very much looking forward to going out on the test track to start tuning the chassis," says Andre Kullig, Technical Project Manager for one-off and few-off projects.

Within a few hours, all ten units of the Centodieci were sold out at a net price of $12.8 million. The highly exclusive, hand-crafted small series will be delivered to customers in 2022.