In 1952, a 20-year-old technician watched with dismay as Bugatti production in Molsheim, France, came to an end. Three decades later, at the age of 59, this technician laid the foundation for the modern Bugatti brand. That man was Romano Artioli, who celebrates his 90th birthday today.
Romano Artioli had studied mechanical engineering and then repaired cars before eventually founding an automobile retail and import business. By the mid-1980s, this company was so successful that Romano was able to start talks with the French government regarding buying the Bugatti brand. In 1987 his plan became a reality.
Romano saw the importance of Molsheim as a symbolic home of the brand, but had to accept that the engineers and designers he needed no longer lived in the region. But the rebirth of Bugatti was to be characterized by a vehicle that remained true to the company founder’s claim: “If it’s comparable, it’s no longer Bugatti”.
He found his place in the neighborhood of Ferrari, Maserati, De Tomaso and Lamborghini. With great effort, the most modern car factory in the world was built on 240,000 square meters. The buildings were impressive, but Romano knew that the family sense of community was more critical to Bugatti’s success. He assembled a team led by some of the best engineers and designers of their generation.
Nicola Materazzi, Marcello Gandini, Giampaolo Benedini and – of course – Romano Artioli developed the EB110, the best and fastest supercar in the world. The EB110 featured the first mass-produced carbon chassis, all-wheel drive, four turbochargers and a 3.5-litre, five-valve-per-cylinder V12 engine producing 560 hp. There hasn’t been anything like it on the road before. The car presented on Ettore Bugatti’s 110th birthday immediately caused a sensation.
“Romano Artioli loves the Bugatti brand, but above all he understands it very well. When he bought Bugatti, he knew that it wasn’t really in the founder’s spirit to simply build a vehicle that copied the rest of the industry. While everyone else was building race cars for the road, he wanted to develop the ultimate GT. And that with technologies that have never been found in a road car before, and a timelessly elegant design,” says Bugatti chief designer Achim Anscheidt. But while the EB110 was hailed as a truly futuristic automotive creation, Romano’s marvel might not withstand the looming global economic crisis. On September 23, 1995, Romano had to file for bankruptcy.
Back in the old factory in Molsheim and under the aegis of the Volkswagen Group, decades later the original EB110 provides the inspiration for a new limited edition Bugatti, the Centodieci. With the hyper sports car presented in 2019, the design team created a reinterpretation of this important moment in Bugatti’s history. Only ten examples of the highly exclusive Bugatti Centodieci were handcrafted in the Molsheim workshop. The last vehicle is regarding to be delivered to its owner.
“We at Bugatti have a lot to thank Romano for today. He is such a warm hearted man with a great passion for our brand. With his generosity in reviving Bugatti in the 1980s and defining a vision for the modern era, he laid the foundations for the creation of the Veyron and for the character of Bugatti today,” said Bugatti Chief Designer Achim Anscheidt.
To this day, the importance of Romano Artiolis EB110 is recognizable. It is still a coveted collector’s item worldwide. Most recently, a copy fetched $3.16 million at a Gooding & Company auction in Pebble Beach. (awm)
