It was the 15th day of September in the year 1990 when precisely 77 pre-war Bugatti cars cruised down from Molsheim to Campogalliano. It was no mere jaunt, but a mark of the rebirth of the legendary car manufacturer- Bugatti. It was also on this fated day that the icon Ettore Bugatti was born 109 years ago. With the setting up of the Fabrica Blu (Blue Factory) 30 years ago in the Italian town of Campogalliano, a new era of this company dawned upon the world as they produced their first Bugatti in 30 years- the EB 110. Fans of Bugatti thronged near the town of Modena to celebrate the three decades of this company on September 13th, 2020.
The occasion was also graced by the former owner, designer of the factory and creator of the EB 110, a person who displayed exemplary expertise in this field- Romano Artioli. It was his ardent desire to create something truly exceptional which led him to acquire and further cultivate the Bugatti name. As a result, he along with architect Giampaolo Benedini, a person who turned his mental vision into a physical reality, created a state-of-the-art most technologically advanced car factory of its time and amassing an area of 240,000 square meters. The site provided everything an automobile engineer could ask for- an HQ which housed a design studio, the engine and test development areas, production halls, test track, restaurant and a complete showroom display.
To this day, the Blue Factory is considered to be one of a kind of all the car factories in the world. The much acclaimed architect of said factory left no stone unturned to create a monument that would not only make car buffs faun over it, but would also be a lasting symbol of the Bugatti name with its visual appeal and aesthetics, the walls glistening in upbeat Bugatti style blue and blossom white and floors laid out in Carrara marble and mosaics. Singing praises of this architectural wunderkind, the current president of Bugatti Stephan Winkelmann said, “The Blue Factory set standards in the automotive industry at that time; it was more of a manufactory than an industrial plant. Romano Aritoli had a feel for innovation, but was always conscious of the French history and significance of Bugatti.”
The first car to come out of the factory was the EB 110 super sports car, where ‘EB’ stood for Ettore Bugatti, while ‘110’ was the 110th birthday of Ettore Bugatti. The sensational vehicle came equipped with a 3.5 litre V12 engine, four turbochargers, all-wheel drive, six- speed gearbox and a power output between 560 and 610 PS; it was known for its top speed of 351 km/h. Even though the factory was closed after a market collapse in 1995, its site still stands proudly with its Bugatti emblem. Every car manufacturer has seen ups and downs in its lifetime, Bugatti is no exception. However, what makes this brand different is its ability to keep on creating something never seen before and therefore emerging as victors every time.
Favourite Car: '67 Camaro
Quote: Always focus on the front windshield and not the rearview mirror - Colin Powell
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