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Bugatti's EB110-inspired Centodieci is one hot step closer to production

Bugatti's heritage-inspired Centodieci is related to the Chiron, but it's different enough to require its own set of validation tests. After taking on the Nurburgring, the limited-edition hypercar was put through its paces in the scorching heat of the American Southwest's deserts. "Testing in the hot, dry desert is a huge help for us in the development process," explained Stefan Schmidt, an engineer in Bugatti's overall vehicle development department. "Every model has to run flawlessly in all weather and in all traffic conditions," he added. With no less than 27 engineers in tow, the Bugatti team started the hot-weather test in California and meandered east for about 500 miles until it reached Arizona, where temperatures sometimes climb to over 120 degrees. The convoy included eight cars: a Centodieci prototype, three examples of the Chiron Pur Sport, and four examples of the Chiron Super Sport. Each one was fitted with approximately 200 sensors that record various parameters that get sent to the engineers traveling with the convoy and to the development team in Wolfsburg, Germany. Heat takes a toll on cars in normal driving conditions, but Bugatti went the extra mile to torture its prototypes. It subjected them to low-speed stop-and-go traffic, it reached nearly 200 mph (on a closed track, of course), and it left them sitting in the sun with the air conditioning on. The aim is to see how different components (ranging from the fuel delivery system to the materials used to build the cabin) hold up to extreme heat. The data gathered during the tests was compared to the numbers obtained through simulations to identify areas of concern. Taking the Centodieci to the American desert was important; it's notably fitted with an additional air intake near the oil cooler. "The Centodieci's newly-developed bodywork, airflow changes, and its engine bay cover manufactured from glass mean the temperature behavior is quite different, especially in such extreme heat conditions," said Andre Kullig, the manager of few-off projects at Bugatti. The firm notes that the Centodieci passed the hot-weather tests with flying colors. It has one final hurdle to clear before it enters production: nearly 20,000 miles of high-speed and endurance testing in Europe. When that's over and everything checks out, the project will be signed off and production of the 10 examples planned will begin in Molsheim, France. Deliveries should start in 2022, and the model is sold out.

Ferdinand Piech (1937-2019): The man who made VW global

Towering among his peers, a giant of the auto industry died Sunday night in Rosenheim/Upper Bavaria, Germany. Ferdinand Piech, a grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, who conceived the original Volkswagen in the 1930s, was the most polarizing automotive executive of our times. And one who brought automotive technology further than anyone else. Ferdinand Porsche had a son, Ferdinand (called "Ferry"), and a daughter, Louise, who married the Viennese lawyer Anton Piech. They gave birth to Ferdinand Piech, and his proximity to two Alfa Romeo sports cars — Porsche had done some work for the Italians — and the "Berlin-Rome-Berlin" race car, developed by Porsche himself, gave birth to Piech's interest in cars. After his teachers in Salzburg told his mother he was "too stupid" to attend school there, Piech, who was open about his dyslexia, was sent to a boarding school in Switzerland. He subsequently moved on to Porsche, where he fixed issues with the 904 race car and did major work on the 911. But his greatest project was the Le Mans-winning 917 race car, developed at breathtaking financial cost. It annihilated the competition, but the family had had enough: Amid growing tension among the four cousins working at Porsche and Piech's uncle Ferry, the family decided to pull every family member, except for Ferry, out of their management positions. Piech started his own consultancy business, where he designed the famous five-cylinder diesel for Mercedes-Benz, but quickly moved on to Audi, first as an engineer and then as CEO, where he set out to transform the dull brand into a technology leader. Piech killed the Wankel engine and hammered out a number of ambitious and sophisticated technologies. Among them: The five-cylinder gasoline engine; Quattro all-wheel drive and Audi's fantastic rally successes; and turbocharging, developed with Fritz Indra, whom Piech recruited from Alpina. The Audi 100/200/5000 became the world's fastest production sedan, thanks to their superior aerodynamics. Piech also launched zinc-coated bodies for longevity — and gave diesel technology a decisive boost with the advent of the fast and ultra-efficient TDI engines. Less known: Piech also decided to put larger gas tanks into cars. Customers loved it. Piech's first-generation Audi V8 was met with derision by competitors; it was too obviously based on the 200/5000.

Bugatti will stop chasing speed records to focus on 'other areas'

Bugatti made international headlines when it became the first automaker to break the 300-mph barrier. The French firm won't return to the Ehra-Lessien track in Germany to try beating its 304-mph record, because it's done chasing speed records for good. "This was the last time for us," affirmed company boss Stephan Winkelmann during a short speech filmed in the company's factory. "From now on, our minds and our focus will stay on different projects," he added. He stopped short of delivering details about the projects he has in mind. Bugatti's retirement doesn't come as a surprise; the company had started to shy away from setting speed records after it released the Chiron. At the time, its lost interest came as a surprise, because it had made history on several occasions by reaching jaw-dropping speeds with the Veyron. The 267-mph Super Sport variant of the car held the coveted title of the world's fastest car for years. The company spent much of 2019 celebrating its 110th birthday with special cars like the one-off La Voiture Noire unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, and the limited-edition Centodieci first shown at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering in California. While it won't continue releasing two special projects annually in the foreseeable future, Bugatti will keep the momentum going in the coming years. "One thing is for sure: we will have a great future," Winkelmann concluded. Time will tell whether it involves a long-tail Chiron variant inspired by the record-breaking car, a long-rumored SUV, or something else entirely.