Description
Book SynopsisIn the late 1980s, the storied Italian automaker Bugatti positioned itself for a massive relaunch, defying widespread concerns and pinning its hopes on the innovative EB110 sports car. The EB110, which was eventually unveiled in 1991, was the fastest street-legal car of its time and was greeted with acclaim from industry insiders and trade journalists alike. Yet, soon thereafter, things started unraveling: faster cars came onto the market, sales collapsed, and eight years after its relaunch, Bugatti was bankrupt. This book details the car maker's unexpected revival, from the meteoric rise of the EB110 to its dramatic fall, as well as the tales of intrigue and shenanigans from the many prominent automotive personalities who worked behind the scenes. Though the Bugatti name lives on, still signaling the pinnacle in luxury sports car performance, this compelling and confounding automotive fiasco remains an unforgettable chapter in its one-hundred-plus years of existence.
Trade Review"No one is more qualified to write the story of Bugatti’s Italian Decade than the irrepressible, prolific, and truly enjoyable Gautam Sen." * Veloce Today *
"A very detailed account of a brave undertaking." * Motor Sport *
"Sen sources first-hand voices and previously unseen photos to document an era of promising might-have-beens and dashed hopes." * Classic Cars *
"This is a supremely thorough book that not only moves the goalposts farther forward but also proffers reasons for reevaluating certain aspects of the delivered canon." * Speedreaders *
"A fascinating story that's well told, with illuminating insights from those right at the heart of the adventure." * Magneto *
Table of ContentsPREFACE PROLOGUE - FROM MILAN TO MOLSHEIM I - THE BEGINNINGS OF A DREAM II - GETTING IT RIGHT III - DESIGNING THE DREAM IV - COMPLETING THE DESIGN V - UNVEILING OF THE DREAM VI - TESTING THE DREAM VII - MEETING THE PRESS VIII - THE BEST SUPERCAR IN THE WORLD IX - THE BEST YEARS YET X - BUGATTI AT LE MANS XI - THE BEGINNING OF THE END EPILOGUE - AFTER THE CLOSURE APPENDICES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
