Only ten Centodiecis are going to be assembled and each of them is paying a tribute to Romano Artioli and Giampaolo Benedini, the two minds behind the mind-boggling Bugatti EB110.

Even if Bugatti had the right platform for the Centodieci thanks to the Chiron’s underpinnings, developing a limited run hypercar that had to trigger sweet memories of the EB110 was no easy task.

“The challenge for us was not to get caught up in the design of the legendary EB110 itself and avoid focusing solely on a retrospective approach. Our aim was to create a modern interpretation of the shape and technology of that time: but at the same time, we didn’t want to lose the charm and character of the EB110.”

These words belong to Achim Anscheidt, chief of design at Bugatti. His view of the challenging task of modernizing the EB110 is shared by Bugatti’s technical project manager, Andre Kullig, who admits that for the Centodieci, Bugatti had to rethink the aerodynamics as well as the engine and transmission.

For example, with the 1,578-horsepower (1,600 PS) W-16 engine located under a transparent glass surface, Bugatti had to take steps to counter overheating. That’s why the Centodieci has a wide air outlet opening and modified air flows. The rear wing was changed too, as it’s now of a more fixed variety, like the one used for the EB110 Super Sport.

And if you’re wondering what’s the next step for the Centodieci test prototype, the answer is dynamic testing. Needless to say, every bit and bob of the hypercar’s drivetrain and powertrain must work flawlessly, so Bugatti will be dealing with this area in the coming months.