ETTORE BUGATTI
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
not including Bugatti automobiles.
See also : Cars 1930s Cars 1930-33 Cars 1934-35 Cars 1936-37 Cars 1938-39
Chronology : 1934
not including Bugatti automobiles.
See also : Cars 1930s Cars 1930-33 Cars 1934-35 Cars 1936-37 Cars 1938-39
Chronology : 1934
Ettore Bugatti (1881–1947), founder of Automobiles E. Bugatti, shaped the marque’s enduring identity by treating automobiles as artistic creations—rolling sculptures that fused mechanical excellence with refined aesthetics. His approach was deeply rooted in his family’s artistic heritage and combined instinctive engineering with a rejection of purely utilitarian design.
Artistic Family Roots
Ettore was born into a celebrated Milanese artistic dynasty. His father, Carlo Bugatti, was a leading Art Nouveau designer of furniture, jewelry, and interiors known for flowing shapes, ellipses, curves, circles, and especially the oval (which he considered nature’s purest geometric form, derived from the egg). His younger brother Rembrandt was a renowned animal sculptor (the dancing elephant mascot on the Type 41 Royale is his work), and his grandfather was an architect and sculptor.
This background instilled in Ettore the conviction that creativity is the expression of one’s personality, not merely a commercial tool. He attended the Brera Academy before turning fully to mechanics, carrying an artist’s eye into engineering. His cars were motivated equally by the desire to build advanced, great-driving machines and by a deep need to create elegant, aesthetically perfect objects—right down to the smallest mechanical details.
Core Design Principles and Influence
Ettore established the Bugatti ethos of uncompromising craftsmanship, perfectionism, and the fusion of art with machinery. This foundation allowed his son Jean to refine and expand the aesthetic language in the 1930s (Type 57 series, Atalante, Atlantic) while remaining true to the family’s sculptural vision. Elements such as the horseshoe grille, attention to proportion and detail, and the idea of the car as a work of art continue to define Bugatti’s modern hypercars.
In short, Ettore’s influence lies in elevating the automobile from industrial product to artistic and mechanical masterpiece—an approach that made Bugatti synonymous with beauty, exclusivity, and engineering purity.
Artistic Family Roots
Ettore was born into a celebrated Milanese artistic dynasty. His father, Carlo Bugatti, was a leading Art Nouveau designer of furniture, jewelry, and interiors known for flowing shapes, ellipses, curves, circles, and especially the oval (which he considered nature’s purest geometric form, derived from the egg). His younger brother Rembrandt was a renowned animal sculptor (the dancing elephant mascot on the Type 41 Royale is his work), and his grandfather was an architect and sculptor.
This background instilled in Ettore the conviction that creativity is the expression of one’s personality, not merely a commercial tool. He attended the Brera Academy before turning fully to mechanics, carrying an artist’s eye into engineering. His cars were motivated equally by the desire to build advanced, great-driving machines and by a deep need to create elegant, aesthetically perfect objects—right down to the smallest mechanical details.
Core Design Principles and Influence
- Form as sculpture: Cars were never just transportation. Every element—from engine components to body lines—had to satisfy both function and visual harmony. Contemporary observers described him as a pure artist whose scientific knowledge came from experience, observation, and natural mechanical instinct rather than heavy reliance on calculations or formulas.
- The iconic grille: The signature “horseshoe” radiator grille (originally a full oval on early models such as the Type 13, later flattened at the bottom for aerodynamics and packaging) was directly inspired by Carlo’s love of the oval/egg shape. Although Ettore was an avid horseman and the shape is popularly linked to horseshoes, official accounts emphasize the artistic oval origin. This grille remains one of the most recognizable design signatures in automotive history and appears on every modern Bugatti.
- Balance of tradition and innovation: He was often conservative, retaining proven solutions (such as the long-lived 3.3-litre engine architecture or solid axles) for years, yet he pioneered or early-adopted multi-valve engines, overhead cams, and other advances when convinced of their merit. He resisted hydraulic brakes and independent suspension for a long time (famously ordering a car modified by his son Jean destroyed), prioritizing his preferred purity of design.
- Performance with elegance: Famous quotes capture his priorities—“I make my cars to go, not stop!” and his retort that a Type 35 owner who struggled with cold starts should simply afford a heated garage. The result was lightweight, high-revving, beautifully detailed machines that dominated Grand Prix racing (Type 35, first Monaco GP winner) while also producing ultra-luxurious flagships such as the Type 41 Royale.
Ettore established the Bugatti ethos of uncompromising craftsmanship, perfectionism, and the fusion of art with machinery. This foundation allowed his son Jean to refine and expand the aesthetic language in the 1930s (Type 57 series, Atalante, Atlantic) while remaining true to the family’s sculptural vision. Elements such as the horseshoe grille, attention to proportion and detail, and the idea of the car as a work of art continue to define Bugatti’s modern hypercars.
In short, Ettore’s influence lies in elevating the automobile from industrial product to artistic and mechanical masterpiece—an approach that made Bugatti synonymous with beauty, exclusivity, and engineering purity.
Art Nouveau (roughly 1890–1914) exerted a more subtle and foundational influence on early automotive design than the later Art Deco movement, which dominated the streamlined luxury cars of the 1920s and 1930s. Its impact is most evident in the organic sensibility, flowing lines, and artistic craftsmanship of pioneering luxury marques, particularly through the Bugatti family.
Characteristics of Art Nouveau and Early Cars
Art Nouveau rejected historicism in favor of nature-inspired forms: sinuous curves, ellipses, organic motifs (plants, vines, insects), asymmetry, and intricate detailing in materials such as metal, glass, and wood. It flourished in architecture, furniture, jewelry, and decorative arts.
During Art Nouveau’s peak, the automobile was still a new, largely utilitarian machine. Bodies often retained carriage-like proportions, with flat radiators, vertical windshields, and wooden-spoke wheels. Direct stylistic application was limited because cars were mechanically focused and production methods were primitive. Nonetheless, the movement’s emphasis on elegant curves, organic shapes, and handcrafted beauty influenced the emerging aesthetics of high-end coachwork and the overall idea that a car could be a work of art.
Some early 20th-century designs showed these traits in radiator shapes, decorative details, and flowing body lines before the geometric, machine-age language of Art Deco took hold after World War I.
The Bugatti Connection: Strongest Direct Link
The clearest and most lasting Art Nouveau influence on automobiles runs through the Bugatti family. Ettore Bugatti’s father, Carlo Bugatti, was a leading Italian Art Nouveau designer of furniture, jewelry, and interiors. Carlo favored flowing shapes, ellipses, curvatures, circles, and especially the oval (which he regarded as nature’s purest geometric form, derived from the egg). These motifs appeared throughout his chairs, tables, and decorative objects.
Ettore, raised in this artistic environment, translated elements of his father’s vision into automotive design. The most famous example is the iconic Bugatti radiator grille:
Transition to Art Deco
Art Deco emerged in the 1920s partly as a reaction against Art Nouveau’s florid, organic excesses. It favored geometric patterns, bold verticality, streamlined forms, chrome, and machine-age materials. This style aligned perfectly with the growing emphasis on speed and aerodynamics, producing the spectacular coachbuilt cars of the 1930s (Bugatti Type 57 Atalante and Atlantic, Delahaye, Talbot-Lago “Teardrop” coupes by Figoni et Falaschi, etc.).
While pure Art Nouveau car bodies are rare, the movement’s spirit of organic elegance, handcrafted detail, and the elevation of the automobile to an artistic object lived on in the luxury segment and especially in Bugatti’s DNA.
In summary, Art Nouveau’s automotive influence was more atmospheric and foundational than dominant: it shaped the early artistic mindset of designers like Ettore Bugatti and contributed organic curves and a craft ethos that later evolved into the more geometric, performance-oriented Art Deco forms of the interwar golden age.
Characteristics of Art Nouveau and Early Cars
Art Nouveau rejected historicism in favor of nature-inspired forms: sinuous curves, ellipses, organic motifs (plants, vines, insects), asymmetry, and intricate detailing in materials such as metal, glass, and wood. It flourished in architecture, furniture, jewelry, and decorative arts.
During Art Nouveau’s peak, the automobile was still a new, largely utilitarian machine. Bodies often retained carriage-like proportions, with flat radiators, vertical windshields, and wooden-spoke wheels. Direct stylistic application was limited because cars were mechanically focused and production methods were primitive. Nonetheless, the movement’s emphasis on elegant curves, organic shapes, and handcrafted beauty influenced the emerging aesthetics of high-end coachwork and the overall idea that a car could be a work of art.
Some early 20th-century designs showed these traits in radiator shapes, decorative details, and flowing body lines before the geometric, machine-age language of Art Deco took hold after World War I.
The Bugatti Connection: Strongest Direct Link
The clearest and most lasting Art Nouveau influence on automobiles runs through the Bugatti family. Ettore Bugatti’s father, Carlo Bugatti, was a leading Italian Art Nouveau designer of furniture, jewelry, and interiors. Carlo favored flowing shapes, ellipses, curvatures, circles, and especially the oval (which he regarded as nature’s purest geometric form, derived from the egg). These motifs appeared throughout his chairs, tables, and decorative objects.
Ettore, raised in this artistic environment, translated elements of his father’s vision into automotive design. The most famous example is the iconic Bugatti radiator grille:
- Early models (such as the Type 13 from 1912) featured a fully oval, egg-shaped grille inspired by Carlo’s preference for the oval.
- In 1924, with the Type 35, the bottom was flattened for better aerodynamics and axle packaging, creating the familiar “horseshoe” shape still used on modern Bugattis.
Transition to Art Deco
Art Deco emerged in the 1920s partly as a reaction against Art Nouveau’s florid, organic excesses. It favored geometric patterns, bold verticality, streamlined forms, chrome, and machine-age materials. This style aligned perfectly with the growing emphasis on speed and aerodynamics, producing the spectacular coachbuilt cars of the 1930s (Bugatti Type 57 Atalante and Atlantic, Delahaye, Talbot-Lago “Teardrop” coupes by Figoni et Falaschi, etc.).
While pure Art Nouveau car bodies are rare, the movement’s spirit of organic elegance, handcrafted detail, and the elevation of the automobile to an artistic object lived on in the luxury segment and especially in Bugatti’s DNA.
In summary, Art Nouveau’s automotive influence was more atmospheric and foundational than dominant: it shaped the early artistic mindset of designers like Ettore Bugatti and contributed organic curves and a craft ethos that later evolved into the more geometric, performance-oriented Art Deco forms of the interwar golden age.
1931 La Royale
1987 SOLD for £ 5.5M (including premium ?) worth US$ 9.8M at that time, by Christie's
At first Bugatti was right : nothing is too expensive for the richest customers. The Type 35 dominates the competitions. The Type 41 "La Royale" will have comparable performances but in monumental dimensions, with a 6 m long chassis.
The prototype demonstrates the feasibility in 1926. Times change. The King of Spain, targeted as the emblematic client, is in difficulty. The economic crisis arises. Bugatti had planned 25 units. Only 6 are produced, each with another body type. The only king who shows interest in La Royale, Zog of Albania, is not accepted by Bugatti.
The business failure of La Royale is obvious. Three cars are sold. Ettore Bugatti's personal car will enter the Schlumpf collection in the 1960s. The other two, chassis 41140 and 41151, are acquired together in 1950 by Briggs Cunningham. Cunningham sells 41151 and keeps 41140 for his museum which closes in 1986.
Built in 1931, 41140 retains its original bodywork by Kellner, a two-door coupe for five passengers. It was sold on November 17, 1987 by Christie's for £ 5.5M, worth $ 9.8M at that time. I guess this figure includes the premium. It passed at Kruse in 1989, far below a reserve price of $ 15M.
Auction Prices
Context and Notes
Bugatti Type 41 Royale History
The Bugatti Type 41, universally known as the Royale, represents one of the most ambitious and extravagant projects in automotive history. Ettore Bugatti conceived it in the mid-1920s as the ultimate luxury automobile — a car fit for kings and emperors.
Design and Engineering Highlights
Bugatti planned to build 25 Royales, but the Great Depression devastated demand for such opulent machines. Only 6 or 7 were completed between 1927 and 1933 (exact count varies slightly due to prototypes). Just 3–4 were sold to private customers; the rest remained with the Bugatti family or were used internally.None were ever sold to actual royalty, despite the "Royale" name. Ettore Bugatti famously refused to sell one to King Zog of Albania, citing poor table manners.
Legacy and Survival
Today, six Royales survive (one was wrecked). They are among the rarest and most valuable cars in the world, with examples in museums like The Henry Ford, Cité de l’Automobile in Mulhouse, and Bugatti’s own collection in Molsheim. Values have historically reached into the tens of millions.
The Royale symbolizes Bugatti’s pre-war golden era of engineering audacity and artistic flair — themes that the brand continues to celebrate in modern Sur Mesure commissions like the Éléphant Blanc Chiron.
The image is shared with attribution : Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The prototype demonstrates the feasibility in 1926. Times change. The King of Spain, targeted as the emblematic client, is in difficulty. The economic crisis arises. Bugatti had planned 25 units. Only 6 are produced, each with another body type. The only king who shows interest in La Royale, Zog of Albania, is not accepted by Bugatti.
The business failure of La Royale is obvious. Three cars are sold. Ettore Bugatti's personal car will enter the Schlumpf collection in the 1960s. The other two, chassis 41140 and 41151, are acquired together in 1950 by Briggs Cunningham. Cunningham sells 41151 and keeps 41140 for his museum which closes in 1986.
Built in 1931, 41140 retains its original bodywork by Kellner, a two-door coupe for five passengers. It was sold on November 17, 1987 by Christie's for £ 5.5M, worth $ 9.8M at that time. I guess this figure includes the premium. It passed at Kruse in 1989, far below a reserve price of $ 15M.
Auction Prices
- Hammer price (without buyer's premium): Reports consistently reference £5.5 million (approximately US$9.8 million at the time) as the key figure achieved.
- Total price with buyer's premium: The same £5.5 million / US$9.8 million figure is widely reported as the final realized price paid by the buyer (Swedish collector Hans Thulin, via bidder Nicholas Harley). Contemporary and later sources treat this as the effective sale price without separating a distinct premium in public reporting.
Context and Notes
- The car came from the collection of American enthusiast Miles Collier (previously owned by Briggs Cunningham).
- It was a highly publicized event with around 4,000 attendees.
- The £5.5 million result was £500,000 above the pre-sale estimate.
- Currency conversion at the time: Roughly £1 ≈ $1.79 USD, leading to the ~$9.8 million USD equivalent commonly cited.
Bugatti Type 41 Royale History
The Bugatti Type 41, universally known as the Royale, represents one of the most ambitious and extravagant projects in automotive history. Ettore Bugatti conceived it in the mid-1920s as the ultimate luxury automobile — a car fit for kings and emperors.
Design and Engineering Highlights
- Massive Scale: Wheelbase of 4.3 meters (169 inches), overall length around 6.4 meters (21 feet), and curb weight up to ~3,175 kg (7,000 lb). It dwarfed contemporary luxury cars like Rolls-Royces.
- Engine: A 12.763-liter (778 cu in) straight-eight cylinder, derived from aircraft engine concepts. It produced around 300 hp at very low RPMs (max ~1,800 rpm), with enormous torque for effortless cruising. Features included a dry-sump lubrication system (23 liters of oil) and a 200-liter fuel tank.
- Luxury and Craftsmanship: Chassis were sold to customers who then commissioned custom bodies from top coachbuilders (e.g., Kellner, Weymann, Binder, Weinberger). Interiors featured the finest woods, leathers, and velvets of the era. Each car was unique.
Bugatti planned to build 25 Royales, but the Great Depression devastated demand for such opulent machines. Only 6 or 7 were completed between 1927 and 1933 (exact count varies slightly due to prototypes). Just 3–4 were sold to private customers; the rest remained with the Bugatti family or were used internally.None were ever sold to actual royalty, despite the "Royale" name. Ettore Bugatti famously refused to sell one to King Zog of Albania, citing poor table manners.
Legacy and Survival
Today, six Royales survive (one was wrecked). They are among the rarest and most valuable cars in the world, with examples in museums like The Henry Ford, Cité de l’Automobile in Mulhouse, and Bugatti’s own collection in Molsheim. Values have historically reached into the tens of millions.
The Royale symbolizes Bugatti’s pre-war golden era of engineering audacity and artistic flair — themes that the brand continues to celebrate in modern Sur Mesure commissions like the Éléphant Blanc Chiron.
The image is shared with attribution : Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Type 55 Roadster
1932
2016 SOLD for $ 10.4M by Gooding
Reputed to be a traditionalist, Ettore Bugatti was perfectly right to trust his son Jean. The skills of the young man both as designer and engineer certainly saved the brand throughout the economic crisis of the 1930s.
The situation is uneasy. In racing, the glorious Type 35 is no more competitive and its successors Types 51, 53 and 54 do not reach the performance of their Alfa Romeo competitors. Too expensive, the Type 41 La Royale limousine appealed only three customers and its target of 25 units in production will never be achieved.
Fortunately the commercial success is maintained by a deluxe coupé designed in 1929 by Ettore and Jean, the Type 46 nicknamed La Petite Royale. Jean was 20 years old.
The Bugatti brand introduces in 1931 the Type 55 sports car with three factory bodywork options : coupé, cabriolet and roadster. Only 38 cars were made overall.
Designed by Jean, this roadster introduces an increased elegance within the Bugatti range while the top speed is just shy of 180 km/h. In the following year, Jean gets inspired by this avant-garde experience to equip in roadster the La Royale purchased by Armand Esders.
From 1931 to 1936, 14 of the Type 55 chassis are equipped with Jean Bugatti's roadster. One of them made in 1932 was sold for $ 10.4M by Gooding on August 21, 2016, lot 135.
Despite the differentiation between sports and competition models, the car for sale had entered the Mille Miglia in 1932. Piloted by Achille Varzi who was then an official driver to Bugatti, it had to stop after the piercing of the fuel tank by a rock.
This car retained a high level of authenticity. It was completely dismantled for a careful restoration. The original engine and gearbox, replaced by replicas during the re-assembly, are included in the auction lot.
The situation is uneasy. In racing, the glorious Type 35 is no more competitive and its successors Types 51, 53 and 54 do not reach the performance of their Alfa Romeo competitors. Too expensive, the Type 41 La Royale limousine appealed only three customers and its target of 25 units in production will never be achieved.
Fortunately the commercial success is maintained by a deluxe coupé designed in 1929 by Ettore and Jean, the Type 46 nicknamed La Petite Royale. Jean was 20 years old.
The Bugatti brand introduces in 1931 the Type 55 sports car with three factory bodywork options : coupé, cabriolet and roadster. Only 38 cars were made overall.
Designed by Jean, this roadster introduces an increased elegance within the Bugatti range while the top speed is just shy of 180 km/h. In the following year, Jean gets inspired by this avant-garde experience to equip in roadster the La Royale purchased by Armand Esders.
From 1931 to 1936, 14 of the Type 55 chassis are equipped with Jean Bugatti's roadster. One of them made in 1932 was sold for $ 10.4M by Gooding on August 21, 2016, lot 135.
Despite the differentiation between sports and competition models, the car for sale had entered the Mille Miglia in 1932. Piloted by Achille Varzi who was then an official driver to Bugatti, it had to stop after the piercing of the fuel tank by a rock.
This car retained a high level of authenticity. It was completely dismantled for a careful restoration. The original engine and gearbox, replaced by replicas during the re-assembly, are included in the auction lot.
1932
2020 SOLD for $ 7.1M by Bonhams
At the time of the gentlemen drivers, in 1932, the Bugatti Type 55 bodied as a Super Sport roadster without doors by the factory in the design of Jean Bugatti combines the legendary robustness of the brand with an elegance of an unprecedented refinement. Fourteen are made.
Victor Rothschild, heir to the barony of the British bankers, is not mistaken. Aged 21, he is a student at Cambridge where he leads a playboy life. He does not order La Royale or La Petite Royale but a Super Sport Jean Bugatti, which is assembled in August 1932. In 1936 he will be the very first of the three customers of the Bugatti Atlantic.
The 55 Super Sport generates passions up to current day. In 1985 Dr. Edmonds, a physicist at Boston University, learned that the Type 55 ex Rothschild was going to be auctioned at Sotheby's in London. He jumps into a Concorde and becomes the owner of the wonder for £ 440K, at the extreme limit of his financial possibilities, beyond the maximum price he had himself set.
Edmonds puts the car back into working condition with all its original equipment. In 1993 his Bugatti is First in class at Pebble Beach. He will never part with it. It was sold from his deceased estate, for $ 7.1M by Bonhams on March 5, 2020, lot 123.
Victor Rothschild, heir to the barony of the British bankers, is not mistaken. Aged 21, he is a student at Cambridge where he leads a playboy life. He does not order La Royale or La Petite Royale but a Super Sport Jean Bugatti, which is assembled in August 1932. In 1936 he will be the very first of the three customers of the Bugatti Atlantic.
The 55 Super Sport generates passions up to current day. In 1985 Dr. Edmonds, a physicist at Boston University, learned that the Type 55 ex Rothschild was going to be auctioned at Sotheby's in London. He jumps into a Concorde and becomes the owner of the wonder for £ 440K, at the extreme limit of his financial possibilities, beyond the maximum price he had himself set.
Edmonds puts the car back into working condition with all its original equipment. In 1993 his Bugatti is First in class at Pebble Beach. He will never part with it. It was sold from his deceased estate, for $ 7.1M by Bonhams on March 5, 2020, lot 123.
1934 Type 59
2020 SOLD for £ 9.5M by Gooding
The era when Bugatti was invincible in the Grand Prix is over. Faced with the Alfa Romeo Tipo B supported by the Italian government, the Types 51 and 54 are not competitive. To stop this decline, Bugatti develops the Type 59. Six cars are built in 1934.
The 59 only wins two Grand Prix : at Spa because the Alfa Romeos had a crash and, more deservingly, in Algeria. The traceability of the Grand Prix Bugattis is based on the engines and not on the chassis, and it is impossible to discriminate between the individual cars their participations in the competitions.
These discouraging results could have been anticipated : the 59 is too heavy, too rigid, not powerful enough, with an outdated gearbox and poor brakes. It will not be replaced : following the success of his high-end sports car, the Type 55, Jean Bugatti gives priority to the roadsters.
In 1935 four 59 were sold to English customers. The car with the No. 5 engine undergoes a long series of modifications at the factory. Accustomed to its presence in their premises, the mechanics affectionately nicknamed it Grand-Mère.
Grand-Mère is now a Bugatti 59 Sports, bodyworked as a two-seaters for competitions on French roads where the Alfa Romeos do not come. Driven by Wimille, it achieves many successes in 1937. Significantly, its new chassis had been numbered like a 57, ultimately erasing the page of the 59s.
A great lover of luxury cars and an outstanding patron of the brand, Léopold III of Belgium acquires this one-off 59 Sports in 1938. Rediscovered in the former royal garage in 1967, it remains authentic in the configuration of its delivery by Bugatti to the king.
Grand-Mère was sold for £ 9.5M by Gooding on September 5, 2020, lot 4. Its image at Goodwood in 2012 is shared by Wikimedia with attribution : David Merrett from Daventry, England [CC BY].
The 59 only wins two Grand Prix : at Spa because the Alfa Romeos had a crash and, more deservingly, in Algeria. The traceability of the Grand Prix Bugattis is based on the engines and not on the chassis, and it is impossible to discriminate between the individual cars their participations in the competitions.
These discouraging results could have been anticipated : the 59 is too heavy, too rigid, not powerful enough, with an outdated gearbox and poor brakes. It will not be replaced : following the success of his high-end sports car, the Type 55, Jean Bugatti gives priority to the roadsters.
In 1935 four 59 were sold to English customers. The car with the No. 5 engine undergoes a long series of modifications at the factory. Accustomed to its presence in their premises, the mechanics affectionately nicknamed it Grand-Mère.
Grand-Mère is now a Bugatti 59 Sports, bodyworked as a two-seaters for competitions on French roads where the Alfa Romeos do not come. Driven by Wimille, it achieves many successes in 1937. Significantly, its new chassis had been numbered like a 57, ultimately erasing the page of the 59s.
A great lover of luxury cars and an outstanding patron of the brand, Léopold III of Belgium acquires this one-off 59 Sports in 1938. Rediscovered in the former royal garage in 1967, it remains authentic in the configuration of its delivery by Bugatti to the king.
Grand-Mère was sold for £ 9.5M by Gooding on September 5, 2020, lot 4. Its image at Goodwood in 2012 is shared by Wikimedia with attribution : David Merrett from Daventry, England [CC BY].
.jpg)
Type 57 S
The Bugatti 57 S embeds a 3.3-liter dual-overhead cam, inline-eight-cylinder engine. It is offered in the catalog of the brand with a wide range of bodyworks : Galibier berline, Ventoux coach, Stelvio and Aravis cabriolets, Atalante and Atlantic coupes. They are manufactured in Colmar by Gangloff, a subcontractor of Bugatti. The supply of chassis to independent workshops on specific request from a customer or a retailer is also encouraged.
The combined Bugatti 57 variant is the lowered and supercharged SC, a very attractive option for the users because the car can now reach 190 km/h. A high proportion of 57 S were upgraded into 57 SC.
In period the 57 S was only exciting the true connoisseurs. Its production was stopped in May 1938 for focusing onto the other variants whose commercial success was more promising. Only 42 chassis 57 S have been produced. The Atalante originally fitted 33 chassis 57 S including 17 SC at the end of the day.
The Bugatti Type 57S (and related 57SC) was the ultimate high-performance road-going variant of the Type 57 grand tourer, designed by Jean Bugatti and produced in limited numbers from late 1936 to mid-1938.
Background and Development
The base Type 57, introduced in 1934, was an entirely new design by Jean Bugatti (son of founder Ettore). It featured a 3.3-litre (3,257 cc) DOHC straight-eight engine and was built as a sophisticated grand tourer. About 710 Type 57s of all variants were produced through 1940 (some sources cite roughly 800 including all versions).
At the Paris Auto Salon in October 1936, Bugatti unveiled revised second-series Type 57 models along with two higher-performance versions: the supercharged Type 57C and the purpose-built Type 57S. The “S” stood for surbaissé (“lowered”). The 57S was effectively a distinct model with extensive engineering changes for superior handling, lower center of gravity, and competition-oriented performance.
Key chassis and mechanical features included:
Only 42 or 43 Type 57S chassis were built between fall 1936 and May 1938, when Bugatti quietly discontinued the model as demand shifted toward the more popular standard Type 57 and 57C.
Of these, 17 received factory Atalante coachwork designed by Jean Bugatti. The Atalante featured a distinctive rounded roofline and “notchback” tail; on the lowered 57S chassis it looked especially dramatic and aggressive. A small number of Atalantes had distinctive lowered headlights.
Other bodies included the ultra-rare Atlantic (only four built on Type 57S chassis between 1936 and 1938, derived from the 1935 Aérolithe/Elektron concept with its famous riveted dorsal seam), plus various coachbuilt examples by Gangloff, Vanvooren, Corsica, and others (cabriolets, roadsters, etc.).
The Type 57SC added a Roots-type supercharger (“C” for compresseur). Only a very small number (Wikipedia notes just two) left the factory originally as SC models. Most owners later returned their 57S cars to Molsheim (or had them upgraded privately) for the supercharger, raising output to roughly 200 hp (147 kW) and top speed to about 135 mph (217 km/h). Many surviving cars are therefore referred to as 57SC even if the blower was a later addition.
Performance and Racing ContextIn an era of stylish but often underpowered luxury cars, the Type 57S delivered genuine high performance. Related Type 57 chassis (including racing “Tank” variants) achieved major successes, such as wins in the French Grand Prix, La Marne Grand Prix, Comminges Grand Prix, Pau, Bone, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1937 and 1939). Type 57S chassis set records in multiple events, including strong averages at Le Mans. It was widely regarded as a true supercar of the late 1930s.
End of Production and LegacyProduction of the 57S ended in May 1938. Overall Type 57 production continued until 1940, interrupted by World War II. Jean Bugatti died in August 1939 at age 30 while testing a related Le Mans-winning Type 57C Tank. The Type 57S remains one of the most celebrated and valuable pre-war Bugattis—praised for its engineering sophistication, Jean Bugatti’s design brilliance, rarity, and combination of elegance with genuine sporting capability. Surviving examples, especially Atalantes and Atlantics, are among the most prized automobiles in the classic car world.
The model has no true successor; the post-war Type 101 revived the Type 57 chassis and engine in limited numbers but never matched the 57S’s stature.
Jean Bugatti (1909–1939), eldest son of Ettore Bugatti, was a freethinking engineer, designer, and test driver whose work defined Bugatti’s golden era in the 1930s. His approach treated automobiles as sculptures and works of art on wheels rather than mere transportation, blending visionary aesthetics with advanced engineering.
Core Principles
Jean’s design philosophy centered on the seamless integration of form and function, creating cars that delivered emotional aesthetic appeal rooted in technical beauty, high-quality materials, and perfect proportions. He drew inspiration from architecture, sculpture, and furniture, much like his father, but pushed boundaries further with Art Deco influences, aerodynamic elegance, and a sense of motion even when the car was stationary.
Key elements of his style included:
Design and Engineering IntegrationJean excelled at both styling and mechanical innovation. In his early twenties he was already refining chassis, exploring independent front suspension, twin-cam engines, and modular, scalable architectures that allowed efficient platform sharing—ideas that remain relevant in modern automotive engineering.
His masterpiece, the Type 57 series (introduced 1934), and especially the lowered Type 57S/SC variants, embodied this philosophy. He designed the factory bodies for the Ventoux, Stelvio, Atalante, and Atlantic. The Type 57SC Atlantic (only four built) stands as the purest expression: an aircraft-inspired, riveted aluminum body with a dramatic dorsal seam, breathtaking proportions, and grand-touring performance wrapped in unmatched elegance. It pioneered the high-performance luxury sports car concept that later defined models like the Veyron and Chiron.
Other examples include the elegant Type 41 Royale Roadster Esders (one of his early body designs) and the performance-oriented Type 57 Roadster Grand Raid Usine, with streamlined fenders, V-shaped windscreen, and aerodynamic details.
Legacy
By 1936, at age 27, Ettore handed Jean full responsibility for the company. His short career ended tragically in 1939 when he died at 30 while testing a Le Mans-winning Type 57C Tank. Yet his ideas—perfect proportions, the C-line, center-line drama, the fusion of art and performance—remain central to Bugatti’s modern design language and continue to inspire the brand’s hyper sports cars.
In essence, Jean Bugatti’s philosophy was that a true masterpiece must be both a technical achievement and an emotional, sculptural experience: powerful, luxurious, elegant, and timeless.
The combined Bugatti 57 variant is the lowered and supercharged SC, a very attractive option for the users because the car can now reach 190 km/h. A high proportion of 57 S were upgraded into 57 SC.
In period the 57 S was only exciting the true connoisseurs. Its production was stopped in May 1938 for focusing onto the other variants whose commercial success was more promising. Only 42 chassis 57 S have been produced. The Atalante originally fitted 33 chassis 57 S including 17 SC at the end of the day.
The Bugatti Type 57S (and related 57SC) was the ultimate high-performance road-going variant of the Type 57 grand tourer, designed by Jean Bugatti and produced in limited numbers from late 1936 to mid-1938.
Background and Development
The base Type 57, introduced in 1934, was an entirely new design by Jean Bugatti (son of founder Ettore). It featured a 3.3-litre (3,257 cc) DOHC straight-eight engine and was built as a sophisticated grand tourer. About 710 Type 57s of all variants were produced through 1940 (some sources cite roughly 800 including all versions).
At the Paris Auto Salon in October 1936, Bugatti unveiled revised second-series Type 57 models along with two higher-performance versions: the supercharged Type 57C and the purpose-built Type 57S. The “S” stood for surbaissé (“lowered”). The 57S was effectively a distinct model with extensive engineering changes for superior handling, lower center of gravity, and competition-oriented performance.
Key chassis and mechanical features included:
- Shorter wheelbase (approximately 2,979 mm / 117 in versus 3,302 mm / 130 in on the standard 57).
- Significantly lower stance: the rear axle passed through the frame rather than under it; the front axle was articulated in halves (providing near-independent suspension, which Ettore Bugatti reportedly disliked).
- Dry-sump lubrication to accommodate the lowered engine position.
- Specially tuned 3.3-litre straight-eight with higher 8.5:1 compression ratio, magneto ignition, and a low radiator with a distinctive vee’d grille shell.
- Output of about 170 hp (125 kW) and a top speed around 125 mph (201 km/h).
Only 42 or 43 Type 57S chassis were built between fall 1936 and May 1938, when Bugatti quietly discontinued the model as demand shifted toward the more popular standard Type 57 and 57C.
Of these, 17 received factory Atalante coachwork designed by Jean Bugatti. The Atalante featured a distinctive rounded roofline and “notchback” tail; on the lowered 57S chassis it looked especially dramatic and aggressive. A small number of Atalantes had distinctive lowered headlights.
Other bodies included the ultra-rare Atlantic (only four built on Type 57S chassis between 1936 and 1938, derived from the 1935 Aérolithe/Elektron concept with its famous riveted dorsal seam), plus various coachbuilt examples by Gangloff, Vanvooren, Corsica, and others (cabriolets, roadsters, etc.).
The Type 57SC added a Roots-type supercharger (“C” for compresseur). Only a very small number (Wikipedia notes just two) left the factory originally as SC models. Most owners later returned their 57S cars to Molsheim (or had them upgraded privately) for the supercharger, raising output to roughly 200 hp (147 kW) and top speed to about 135 mph (217 km/h). Many surviving cars are therefore referred to as 57SC even if the blower was a later addition.
Performance and Racing ContextIn an era of stylish but often underpowered luxury cars, the Type 57S delivered genuine high performance. Related Type 57 chassis (including racing “Tank” variants) achieved major successes, such as wins in the French Grand Prix, La Marne Grand Prix, Comminges Grand Prix, Pau, Bone, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1937 and 1939). Type 57S chassis set records in multiple events, including strong averages at Le Mans. It was widely regarded as a true supercar of the late 1930s.
End of Production and LegacyProduction of the 57S ended in May 1938. Overall Type 57 production continued until 1940, interrupted by World War II. Jean Bugatti died in August 1939 at age 30 while testing a related Le Mans-winning Type 57C Tank. The Type 57S remains one of the most celebrated and valuable pre-war Bugattis—praised for its engineering sophistication, Jean Bugatti’s design brilliance, rarity, and combination of elegance with genuine sporting capability. Surviving examples, especially Atalantes and Atlantics, are among the most prized automobiles in the classic car world.
The model has no true successor; the post-war Type 101 revived the Type 57 chassis and engine in limited numbers but never matched the 57S’s stature.
Jean Bugatti (1909–1939), eldest son of Ettore Bugatti, was a freethinking engineer, designer, and test driver whose work defined Bugatti’s golden era in the 1930s. His approach treated automobiles as sculptures and works of art on wheels rather than mere transportation, blending visionary aesthetics with advanced engineering.
Core Principles
Jean’s design philosophy centered on the seamless integration of form and function, creating cars that delivered emotional aesthetic appeal rooted in technical beauty, high-quality materials, and perfect proportions. He drew inspiration from architecture, sculpture, and furniture, much like his father, but pushed boundaries further with Art Deco influences, aerodynamic elegance, and a sense of motion even when the car was stationary.
Key elements of his style included:
- Bold center-line accentuation (the iconic dorsal seam or fin running the length of the car, most dramatically on the Atlantic) and a dropping beltline for dynamic visual flow.
- The distinctive C-line on the side profile, which creates fluidity and the illusion of forward motion.
- Shapely forms designed to play with light, often enhanced by duotone color schemes.
- Emphasis on elongated, streamlined proportions, long hoods, and elegant, flowing lines that balanced luxury with sportiness.
Design and Engineering IntegrationJean excelled at both styling and mechanical innovation. In his early twenties he was already refining chassis, exploring independent front suspension, twin-cam engines, and modular, scalable architectures that allowed efficient platform sharing—ideas that remain relevant in modern automotive engineering.
His masterpiece, the Type 57 series (introduced 1934), and especially the lowered Type 57S/SC variants, embodied this philosophy. He designed the factory bodies for the Ventoux, Stelvio, Atalante, and Atlantic. The Type 57SC Atlantic (only four built) stands as the purest expression: an aircraft-inspired, riveted aluminum body with a dramatic dorsal seam, breathtaking proportions, and grand-touring performance wrapped in unmatched elegance. It pioneered the high-performance luxury sports car concept that later defined models like the Veyron and Chiron.
Other examples include the elegant Type 41 Royale Roadster Esders (one of his early body designs) and the performance-oriented Type 57 Roadster Grand Raid Usine, with streamlined fenders, V-shaped windscreen, and aerodynamic details.
Legacy
By 1936, at age 27, Ettore handed Jean full responsibility for the company. His short career ended tragically in 1939 when he died at 30 while testing a Le Mans-winning Type 57C Tank. Yet his ideas—perfect proportions, the C-line, center-line drama, the fusion of art and performance—remain central to Bugatti’s modern design language and continue to inspire the brand’s hyper sports cars.
In essence, Jean Bugatti’s philosophy was that a true masterpiece must be both a technical achievement and an emotional, sculptural experience: powerful, luxurious, elegant, and timeless.
masterpiece
1936 Type 57 SC Atlantic
collection Mullin
Introduced in 1934, the Bugatti Type 57 had a spectacular broadening of its range in October 1936 when the 57 C supercharged and the 57 S are simultaneously unveiled at the Salon de l'Automobile in Paris. The 57 S standing for "surbaissé" (lowered) has a chassis different from the other 57. The similar reference designating all these models claims that the Type 57 offers a complete choice to the most demanding customers for luxury and sport.
Jean Bugatti was one of the great innovators of automobile design. The lowered variant 57 S of the chassis type 57 paves the way for dramatic solutions mingling sport and luxury, including the 57 S Atalante and Atlantic. From the beginning their rarity makes them true works of art, contemporary to the Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster.
The Bugatti Atlantic from Dr. Williamson collection that was sold by Gooding in private sale in May 2010 for an undisclosed price possibly in the vicinity of $ 30M.
The image of a Bugatti Atlantic at Retromobile 2012 is shared by Wikimedia with attribution : Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>
The Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic (often Type 57S or 57SC Atlantic) is one of the most iconic and extreme expressions of 1930s automotive design. While the company was founded by Ettore Bugatti, the Atlantic’s distinctive styling is primarily the work of his son Jean Bugatti, who drove the modernization of the brand’s model range in the 1930s.
Origins and Development
The Atlantic evolved directly from the one-off 1935 Type 57 Aérolithe (also called Coupé Aérolithe, Special Coupé, or Aero Coupé) prototype, shown at the Paris Motor Show. Jean Bugatti designed the Aérolithe with a body made from Elektron (a lightweight magnesium-aluminum alloy used in aviation). This material was strong and light but difficult and dangerous to weld (highly flammable when heated), so the panels were joined with external rivets. This necessity created the dramatic central dorsal spine and riveted seams that became the design’s signature.
newsroom.bugatti.com
For the production Atlantic cars (built 1936–1938), Bugatti switched to more practical aluminum bodywork. The rivets were no longer structurally required, but Jean Bugatti deliberately retained the prominent riveted dorsal seam (running from the split bonnet/hood over the roof to the tail) and similar detailing on the fenders as a bold stylistic feature. The cars used the lowered Type 57S (surbaissé) chassis for a more aggressive stance; some received the supercharger and became 57SC models.
The name “Atlantic” is linked to the pioneering aviator Jean Mermoz (a friend of the Bugattis), who made early South Atlantic crossings and disappeared on one in 1936.Key Styling FeaturesJean Bugatti’s design blends aerodynamic streamlining, Art Deco aesthetics, and aviation-inspired elements into a unique, almost sculptural form:
Jean Bugatti was one of the great innovators of automobile design. The lowered variant 57 S of the chassis type 57 paves the way for dramatic solutions mingling sport and luxury, including the 57 S Atalante and Atlantic. From the beginning their rarity makes them true works of art, contemporary to the Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster.
The Bugatti Atlantic from Dr. Williamson collection that was sold by Gooding in private sale in May 2010 for an undisclosed price possibly in the vicinity of $ 30M.
The image of a Bugatti Atlantic at Retromobile 2012 is shared by Wikimedia with attribution : Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>
The Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic (often Type 57S or 57SC Atlantic) is one of the most iconic and extreme expressions of 1930s automotive design. While the company was founded by Ettore Bugatti, the Atlantic’s distinctive styling is primarily the work of his son Jean Bugatti, who drove the modernization of the brand’s model range in the 1930s.
Origins and Development
The Atlantic evolved directly from the one-off 1935 Type 57 Aérolithe (also called Coupé Aérolithe, Special Coupé, or Aero Coupé) prototype, shown at the Paris Motor Show. Jean Bugatti designed the Aérolithe with a body made from Elektron (a lightweight magnesium-aluminum alloy used in aviation). This material was strong and light but difficult and dangerous to weld (highly flammable when heated), so the panels were joined with external rivets. This necessity created the dramatic central dorsal spine and riveted seams that became the design’s signature.
newsroom.bugatti.com
For the production Atlantic cars (built 1936–1938), Bugatti switched to more practical aluminum bodywork. The rivets were no longer structurally required, but Jean Bugatti deliberately retained the prominent riveted dorsal seam (running from the split bonnet/hood over the roof to the tail) and similar detailing on the fenders as a bold stylistic feature. The cars used the lowered Type 57S (surbaissé) chassis for a more aggressive stance; some received the supercharger and became 57SC models.
The name “Atlantic” is linked to the pioneering aviator Jean Mermoz (a friend of the Bugattis), who made early South Atlantic crossings and disappeared on one in 1936.Key Styling FeaturesJean Bugatti’s design blends aerodynamic streamlining, Art Deco aesthetics, and aviation-inspired elements into a unique, almost sculptural form:
- Dorsal spine / central fin: The defining element—a raised, riveted seam that divides the body longitudinally like a sharp fin or aircraft fuselage ridge. It runs continuously from the bonnet through the roof to the rear and is both structural in origin and a powerful visual statement.
- Teardrop / aerodynamic silhouette: Low, flowing coupe lines with a long hood, compact cabin, and tapering oval rear that almost reaches the ground. The overall shape emphasizes speed and modernity.
- Riveted seams: Visible external rivets along the spine and often the fender peaks, giving an industrial, aircraft-like, or “Jules Verne” character that was radical for a luxury grand tourer.
- Proportions and details: Extremely low stance on the S chassis; wheels that stand out from the body; doors that cut into the roof for easier entry into the low cabin; distinctive side windows; and variations in headlamp treatment (integrated into the wings on some, separate housings on others). The radiator is the more pointed V-shape typical of S models rather than the classic horseshoe on standard Type 57s.
- Art Deco and functional purity: The design avoids excessive ornamentation in favor of pure form, dramatic geometry, and the interplay of curves with the hard spine. It feels both elegant and aggressive—a high-speed grand tourer as kinetic sculpture.
1937 Bugatti Type 57 S
The Bugatti Type 57S Atalante is one of the most elegant and desirable closed coachbuilt variants of Bugatti’s ultimate pre-war high-performance chassis. Designed by Jean Bugatti, it combines the lowered, competition-oriented Type 57S platform with a graceful two-door coupé body featuring a distinctive rounded roofline and “notchback” tail.
Key Characteristics
Only 17 Type 57S chassis received Atalante bodies (out of roughly 42–43 Type 57S cars built between late 1936 and May 1938). A larger number of standard (non-S) Type 57 chassis also carried Atalante coachwork, but the 57S versions are the most highly prized.
Significance
The 57S Atalante perfectly embodies Jean Bugatti’s design philosophy: perfect proportions, a sense of motion even when stationary, and the seamless blend of luxury, elegance, and genuine sporting performance. It was (and remains) a true grand-touring supercar of the late 1930s—faster and more sophisticated than most contemporaries while retaining exquisite Art Deco-inspired beauty.
Surviving examples are among the most valuable and celebrated pre-war Bugattis. Many have distinguished concours histories (including multiple Pebble Beach awards), and a few have remarkable “barn-find” stories, such as chassis 57502 (ex-Earl Howe), which was rediscovered after decades in storage.
In short, the Type 57S Atalante represents the pinnacle of Jean Bugatti’s road-car artistry—rare, beautiful, and mechanically advanced.
The Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante is the ultimate expression of Jean Bugatti’s pre-war grand-touring masterpiece: the elegant Atalante coupé body mounted on the rare, lowered Type 57S chassis and equipped with a supercharger.
The “C” (compresseur) denotes the addition of a Roots-type supercharger. Only a very small number of Type 57S cars (Wikipedia notes just two overall) left the factory originally as SC models. The great majority of cars now called 57SC—including most Atalantes—received the supercharger later, either at the Molsheim factory or privately. This raised output from roughly 170 hp to about 200 hp and top speed from ~125 mph to ~135 mph.
Key Characteristics
- Chassis: Type 57S (surbaissé = lowered). Shorter wheelbase, lower stance (rear axle passes through the frame), near-independent front suspension, dry-sump lubrication, and a tuned 3.3-litre DOHC straight-eight engine producing around 170 hp (later often supercharged to ~200 hp as 57SC).
- Body: Factory Atalante coachwork by Carrosserie Bugatti under Jean Bugatti’s direction. It shares conceptual roots with the rarer Atlantic (which has a pronounced dorsal fin and split windscreen) but uses a single-piece windscreen and lacks the fin. The name comes from Atalanta, the swift heroine of Greek mythology.
- Appearance: On the already low 57S chassis the Atalante looks particularly dramatic and “wicked,” with fenders nearly level with the engine and a sleek, flowing profile. Some examples feature distinctive lowered headlights.
Only 17 Type 57S chassis received Atalante bodies (out of roughly 42–43 Type 57S cars built between late 1936 and May 1938). A larger number of standard (non-S) Type 57 chassis also carried Atalante coachwork, but the 57S versions are the most highly prized.
Significance
The 57S Atalante perfectly embodies Jean Bugatti’s design philosophy: perfect proportions, a sense of motion even when stationary, and the seamless blend of luxury, elegance, and genuine sporting performance. It was (and remains) a true grand-touring supercar of the late 1930s—faster and more sophisticated than most contemporaries while retaining exquisite Art Deco-inspired beauty.
Surviving examples are among the most valuable and celebrated pre-war Bugattis. Many have distinguished concours histories (including multiple Pebble Beach awards), and a few have remarkable “barn-find” stories, such as chassis 57502 (ex-Earl Howe), which was rediscovered after decades in storage.
In short, the Type 57S Atalante represents the pinnacle of Jean Bugatti’s road-car artistry—rare, beautiful, and mechanically advanced.
The Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante is the ultimate expression of Jean Bugatti’s pre-war grand-touring masterpiece: the elegant Atalante coupé body mounted on the rare, lowered Type 57S chassis and equipped with a supercharger.
The “C” (compresseur) denotes the addition of a Roots-type supercharger. Only a very small number of Type 57S cars (Wikipedia notes just two overall) left the factory originally as SC models. The great majority of cars now called 57SC—including most Atalantes—received the supercharger later, either at the Molsheim factory or privately. This raised output from roughly 170 hp to about 200 hp and top speed from ~125 mph to ~135 mph.
57 S / SC Atalante 57523
2022 SOLD for $ 10.3M by Gooding
A Bugatti 57 SC Atalante was sold by Gooding for $ 8.7M on August 18, 2013, lot 123, and for $ 10.3M on August 19, 2022, lot 33. It is illustrated in the 2022 pre sale release.
Made in April 1937 but titled as a 1938, it had been one of the first 57 S to return to the factory for being equipped as an SC with the Roots supercharger. Beyond the catalogue it also has unique characteristics including oversized headlamps and beautiful rear fenders and tail.
This car retains its original chassis plate, its original 3.3 liter alloy inline 8 cylinder engine re-united with the car in 2005 and its original Molsheim Atalante body in an elegant original-like black color scheme. The original gearbox was recently located and re-fitted.
Made in April 1937 but titled as a 1938, it had been one of the first 57 S to return to the factory for being equipped as an SC with the Roots supercharger. Beyond the catalogue it also has unique characteristics including oversized headlamps and beautiful rear fenders and tail.
This car retains its original chassis plate, its original 3.3 liter alloy inline 8 cylinder engine re-united with the car in 2005 and its original Molsheim Atalante body in an elegant original-like black color scheme. The original gearbox was recently located and re-fitted.
57 S / SC Atalante 57502
2020 SOLD for £ 7.9M by Gooding
Close to the Bentley Boys, the 5th Earl Howe is a gentleman driver, president from 1929 to 1964 of the British Racing Drivers' Club. He enters his first race at 44 years old, in 1928, with a Bugatti Type 43. Associated with Tim Birkin, he wins the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1931 with an Alfa Romeo.
Also president of the Bugatti Owners' Club, Earl Howe closely follows all the developments of the brand. For the Grands Prix he uses a Type 51 in 1931, a Type 54 in 1932 and a Type 59 in 1935 and 1936. A 57 T specially built for him by Bugatti in 1935 was sold for € 710K by Bonhams on February 8, 2018.
For his personal use, this aristocrat wants the best. In November 1936, he orders to Bugatti a Type 57 with the new 57 S lowered chassis and the new Atalante coupe bodywork developed on behalf of Jean Bugatti. His car is ready in May 1937.
In 1960 a further owner of this Atalante, sick and reclusive, stops taking care of it. After his death in 2007, his heirs found it untouched for 47 years, covered in dust, with only 42,000 km on the odometer.
The car surfaced in the Bonhams sale at Retromobile on February 7, 2009, lot 142. Its cleaning confirmed that it was still in its original configuration, apart from a few secondary elements such as mirrors and bumpers and a supercharger added in 1948.
Bonhams experts estimated that its engine, which had not been running for half a century, could be operated again after disassembly and reconstruction. The car was sold for € 3.4M.
The original engine restarted as predicted. The Atalante was sold for £ 7.9M by Gooding on September 5, 2020, lot 15. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Also president of the Bugatti Owners' Club, Earl Howe closely follows all the developments of the brand. For the Grands Prix he uses a Type 51 in 1931, a Type 54 in 1932 and a Type 59 in 1935 and 1936. A 57 T specially built for him by Bugatti in 1935 was sold for € 710K by Bonhams on February 8, 2018.
For his personal use, this aristocrat wants the best. In November 1936, he orders to Bugatti a Type 57 with the new 57 S lowered chassis and the new Atalante coupe bodywork developed on behalf of Jean Bugatti. His car is ready in May 1937.
In 1960 a further owner of this Atalante, sick and reclusive, stops taking care of it. After his death in 2007, his heirs found it untouched for 47 years, covered in dust, with only 42,000 km on the odometer.
The car surfaced in the Bonhams sale at Retromobile on February 7, 2009, lot 142. Its cleaning confirmed that it was still in its original configuration, apart from a few secondary elements such as mirrors and bumpers and a supercharger added in 1948.
Bonhams experts estimated that its engine, which had not been running for half a century, could be operated again after disassembly and reconstruction. The car was sold for € 3.4M.
The original engine restarted as predicted. The Atalante was sold for £ 7.9M by Gooding on September 5, 2020, lot 15. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
57 SC Atalante ex Williamson
2008 SOLD for $ 7.9M by Gooding
On 16 and 17 August, 2008, Gooding dispersed the Dr Williamson collection of twelve Bugattis in exceptional condition.
This collection from an estate is unique in the range of models and the personality of their former owner, a professor of medicine whose passion for automobiles were raised exclusively for that brand and who was president of the American Bugatti Club. The proceeds from the sale will go to medical organizations.
The 57 SC Atalante coupe of 1937 was sold for $ 7.9M. This car had been factory upgraded from S to SC before 1958.
A 35 B of 1928 originally owned by Louis Chiron was sold for $ 1.45M. A 55 roadster was sold for $ 1.75M.
Dr. Williamson had also owned one of the two surviving Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic. This car was sold for more than $ 30M in a private sale facilitated by Gooding in 2010.
This collection from an estate is unique in the range of models and the personality of their former owner, a professor of medicine whose passion for automobiles were raised exclusively for that brand and who was president of the American Bugatti Club. The proceeds from the sale will go to medical organizations.
The 57 SC Atalante coupe of 1937 was sold for $ 7.9M. This car had been factory upgraded from S to SC before 1958.
A 35 B of 1928 originally owned by Louis Chiron was sold for $ 1.45M. A 55 roadster was sold for $ 1.75M.
Dr. Williamson had also owned one of the two surviving Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic. This car was sold for more than $ 30M in a private sale facilitated by Gooding in 2010.
57 S / SC Roadster by Vanden Plas
2016 SOLD for $ 9.7M by Bonhams
In the practice of that time, the outsourcing of the coachwork is accepted by Bugatti. In 1937, the new Bugatti agent in New York commissions through London a 57 S four-seat touring roadster which is made by Vanden Plas in the minimalist British style of Bentley fame.
No American customer is interested and the Bugatti - Vanden Plas car returns to London. It is appreciated by Bugatti who pictures it in the 1937-1938 catalog and exhibits it at the 1938 London Motor Show, but it will nevertheless remain unique.
The car resurfaces in 1947 with some modifications including a Type 35B supercharger which will be replaced in the 1980s by a Type 57 in a factory correct 57 SC specification. It was painted in light metallic blue.
This spectacular Franco-British pre-war automobile was sold for $ 9.7M by Bonhams on March 10, 2016, lot 139. Its perfect working condition was demonstrated in the video shared by the auction house.
Its new owner had its restored to the highest possible extant to its original factory condition, including the original gray color. Poor repairs were replaced with period correct materials, techniques and hardware, leaving visible the factory tooling marks so that the car "should be as good but no better than when it left the factory". An example of that extreme refinement was the top material in a specially made cotton-based material in its proper black color, ready to begin to fade like the former original over time.
This car remaining with its original coachwork and in fully matching numbers passed at Bonhams on March 2, 2023, lot 150.
Only one other 57 S had been coachworked by Vanden Plas, as a two seat cabriolet.
No American customer is interested and the Bugatti - Vanden Plas car returns to London. It is appreciated by Bugatti who pictures it in the 1937-1938 catalog and exhibits it at the 1938 London Motor Show, but it will nevertheless remain unique.
The car resurfaces in 1947 with some modifications including a Type 35B supercharger which will be replaced in the 1980s by a Type 57 in a factory correct 57 SC specification. It was painted in light metallic blue.
This spectacular Franco-British pre-war automobile was sold for $ 9.7M by Bonhams on March 10, 2016, lot 139. Its perfect working condition was demonstrated in the video shared by the auction house.
Its new owner had its restored to the highest possible extant to its original factory condition, including the original gray color. Poor repairs were replaced with period correct materials, techniques and hardware, leaving visible the factory tooling marks so that the car "should be as good but no better than when it left the factory". An example of that extreme refinement was the top material in a specially made cotton-based material in its proper black color, ready to begin to fade like the former original over time.
This car remaining with its original coachwork and in fully matching numbers passed at Bonhams on March 2, 2023, lot 150.
Only one other 57 S had been coachworked by Vanden Plas, as a two seat cabriolet.
57 S Cabriolet by Vanvooren
2017 SOLD for $ 7.7M by RM Sotheby's
The Carrosserie Vanvooren in Courbevoie realizes four 57 S cabriolets.
Assembled in 1937, one of them has been carefully preserved by its successive owners and retains its original chassis, body, engine and gearbox. It was repainted in the early 1960s with elegant primrose yellow sides that reinforce its resemblance with an Atalante coupe.
This car was sold for $ 7.7M by RM Sotheby's on March 11, 2017, lot 232.
Assembled in 1937, one of them has been carefully preserved by its successive owners and retains its original chassis, body, engine and gearbox. It was repainted in the early 1960s with elegant primrose yellow sides that reinforce its resemblance with an Atalante coupe.
This car was sold for $ 7.7M by RM Sotheby's on March 11, 2017, lot 232.
1939 Type 57 C Aravis
2024 SOLD for $ 6.6M by Gooding
The Aravis is the two seat cabriolet body conceived in October 1938 by Gangloff for the Bugatti 57. It was offered in the Bugatti catalogue beside the Ventoux, Galibier, Stelvio and Atalante.
Only four Aravis were made by Gangloff. Three are extant. Another builder of the Type 57 Aravis was Letourneur et Marchand, of which three examples also survive.
One of the Gangloff was assembled on a chassis completed in November 1938 with a supercharger. The finish was made in ivory color with dark blue fenders in early 1939. This 57 C was sold new to the highly promising Bugatti works driver Maurice Trintignant, then aged 21, of post war Formula One fame, for his personal use.
After a restoration to its original configuration with the support of Trintignant, it was awarded First in Class in the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. This car retains its engine in matching numbers and its original Gangloff body. It was sold for $ 6.6M from a lower estimate of $ 2.5M by Gooding on April 26, 2024, lot 22. It is illustrated on the pre sale press release.
An example delivered on November 1938 of the Gangloff 57 C Aravis won the 2012 Amelia Island Best of Show. It was sold for $ 2.34M by RM Sotheby's on March 14, 2015, lot 186. The other surviving Gangloff, made in 1939 and originally supercharged, was sold for $ 1.55M by RM Sotheby's on August 19, 2022, lot 234.
Only four Aravis were made by Gangloff. Three are extant. Another builder of the Type 57 Aravis was Letourneur et Marchand, of which three examples also survive.
One of the Gangloff was assembled on a chassis completed in November 1938 with a supercharger. The finish was made in ivory color with dark blue fenders in early 1939. This 57 C was sold new to the highly promising Bugatti works driver Maurice Trintignant, then aged 21, of post war Formula One fame, for his personal use.
After a restoration to its original configuration with the support of Trintignant, it was awarded First in Class in the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. This car retains its engine in matching numbers and its original Gangloff body. It was sold for $ 6.6M from a lower estimate of $ 2.5M by Gooding on April 26, 2024, lot 22. It is illustrated on the pre sale press release.
An example delivered on November 1938 of the Gangloff 57 C Aravis won the 2012 Amelia Island Best of Show. It was sold for $ 2.34M by RM Sotheby's on March 14, 2015, lot 186. The other surviving Gangloff, made in 1939 and originally supercharged, was sold for $ 1.55M by RM Sotheby's on August 19, 2022, lot 234.
