Bonhams' the Amelia Island Auction, March 2, 2023

• 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio Convertible, Chassis no. 57195, Engine no. 13. Estimate: US$500,000 - US$600,000: Not Sold
• 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Sports Tourer, Chassis no. 57541, Engine no. 29S, Body no. 3595. Estimate: US$10,000,000 - US$12,000,000: Not Sold

Broad Arrow Auction - the Amelia Island Auction, March 4, 2023

• 1937 Bugatti Type 57C Vanvooren Roadster, Chassis no. 57742.
  Estimate: $1,100,000 - $1,400,000: Sold for $1,380,000 including premium

Henderson Motor Series Auction, Birmingham, USA, October 29, 2022

• 1927 Bugatti T40A Grand Sport, Chassis 40575, sold at $450,000 (not including premium)
• 1937 Bugatti T57C Van Vooren Cabriolet, Chassis 57742, sold at $710,000 (not including premium)

RM - Sotheby's Paris Auction, February 1, 2023

• 1928 Bugatti Type 43 Roadster by Lavocat et Marsaud, Chassis 43233, engine 62
  Estimate 1.0 - 1.3 M euro: sold at €850,000 inc. premium
• 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster in the style of Jean Bugatti, chassis 55219
  Estimate 1.8 - 2.2 M euro: not sold
• 2009 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport, chassis VF9SK252X0M795040
  Estimate 1.3 - 1.5 M euro, not sold
• 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée (One off, new), Chassis VF9NC3V36NM795004, engine DAL 001 398
  Estimate 4.2 - 5.5 M euro: Sold at €9,792,500 inc. premium Highest price ever for a new car at auction!

Bonhams' Auction - Les grandes marques du monde à Paris, February 2, 2023

• 1932 Bugatti T55 Cabriolet, Coachwork by Vanvooren, Chassis no. 55217, Engine no. 24 Estimate 3 - 4 Million Euro: Not sold
• 1939 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet Project, Chassis no. 57751, Engine no. 542 Estimate €230,000 - €260,000: Sold for €270,250 inc. premium

Artcurial Retromobile Auction Paris, France, February 3, 2023

• 1929 Type 35C Grand Prix, chassis 4920, engine 166, ex Bart Rosman. Estimate 2,500,000 - 3,500,000 €: Sold for €1,900,000 without premium (€2,216,800 including)
• 1929 Type 43, chassis 43303, engine 130, ex Bart Rosman, ex Guillaume Prick. Estimate 1,200,000 - 1,800,000 €: Sold for €1,300,000 without premium (€1,530,400 including)
• 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante, Chassis 57432. Estimate 2 - 3 Million €: Not Sold (the high bidder turned out not to have the funds)
• Type 35 project, engine from chassis 4867, ex Bart Rosman, Estimate 80,000 - 120,000 €: Sold for €245,000 without premium (€292,040 including)

Artcurial Racing, Flying & Yachting Retromobile Auction Paris, France, February 5, 2023

• Dessin de construction, sold for: €3,674
• Type 57, overhaul instructions booklet and spare parts catalogue, sold for: €656
• Bugatti Baby Replica, Not sold
• Three carburettors, Not sold
• A large set of counters and gauges, sold for: €5,904
• Lot including 2 magnetos, 5 ignitors, 1 starter, 1 dynamo, sold for: €328
• Lot including fuel parts, filters and pumps, sold for: €1,181
• SEV, MAGNÉTO Type HR8, sold for: €13,120
• Two bronze Zénith carburettors type 48K741, sold for: €9,840
• Scintilla magneto Type AM8-S, sold for: €4,592
• Lot of Bugatti wooden casting moulds and patterns, water pumps a.o., sold for: €394
• Lot of mechanical parts notably for Bugatti 35/43 including 5 cylinder blocks, rods, pistons, bearings, valves, etc, sold for: €15,744
• Various mechanical and spare parts presumed to Bugatti type 40, some refurbished, including 2 rims, 3 cylinder blocks, 2 tyres, a wooden dashboard, etc., sold for: €7,216
• Bugatti cast iron vice replica with a pair of replica legs, sold for: €5,248
• Bugatti Touring aluminium 4-speed gearbox, #151, complete, sold for: €7,872
• Various Bugatti mechanical and spare parts including nuts and bolts, camshafts, clutch, engine plate, etc. , sold for: €6,560
• Bugatti Touring aluminium 4-speed gearbox, #744, partly complete and dismantled, sold for: €6,560
• Five Scintilla magnetos "Vertex", Not sold
• Three Scintilla magnetos "Vertex", sold for: €1,312

Again it seems that prices of classic Bugatti's are not rising any longer. All classic Bugatti's struggle to reach their lower estimates, or even don't.

RM - Sotheby's Arizona Auction, January 26, 2023

• 1994 Bugatti EB110 GT, Chassis No. ZA9AB01E0RCD39068, Serial No. 068, Engine No. 063
  Estimate $1,600,000 - $2,000,000: Not sold

Mecum Kissimmee Auction, USA, January 4 - 15, 2023

• 1927 Bugatti Type 37, Chassis No. 37212, Engine no. 117, Estimate $1,000,000 - $1,100,000, Max. bid $700,000
• 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Binder Coupé, Chassis No. 57295, Estimate $450,000 - $650,000, sold for $577,500

RM Sotheby's Miami auction, December 10, 2022

• 1994 Bugatti EB110 GT, Chassis No. ZA9AB01E0RCD39092, Engine No. 0122 : Not sold

Bonhams' The Bond Street Sale, London, December 16, 2022

• 1925 Bugatti Type 30 Boat tailed 2-seater by Kelsch & Cie
  Estimate £300,000 - £350,000: Sold for £345,000 inc. premium

From Autovisie.nl

Bugatti is no longer owned by the Volkswagen Group. The Croatian electro pioneer Mate Rimac holds sway there. He spoke to Autovisie about the future of Bugatti. The most remarkable news: Rimac wants the aristocratic Bugatti Royale back.

According to Mate Rimac, it is not difficult to distinguish between Bugatti and Rimac. “Rimac is very geeky. Young, crazy and wild. Bugatti is more about heritage. It is an aristocratic brand. You're not a hooligan or a drug lord if you drive around in a Bugatti. A Bugatti is also more analogous, like a Swiss watch.”

Ten-years plan for Bugatti
Rimac already has a ten-year plan ready for Bugatti, but he does not want to go into detail about it. He does say that after the Mistral there will be one more one-off based on the Chiron. After that it's over and out for the 8.0-liter W16 with four turbos. “Peak engine, I call it, but I'm not completely satisfied with it. The four turbos remove the noise.”

V10 for Chiron successor
The successor to the Chiron will therefore no longer have turbochargers. Rimac wants to replace them with a hybrid system to boost performance, but also to ensure an impressive exhaust note. Rimac does not say what engine will replace the W16, but he gives clear hints in the direction of a high-revving V10.

“The successor to the Chiron will be completely new, every nut and bolt. That may not be the most efficient way of developing a car, but yes… I am a perfectionist. Besides, I don't want to spend my life building on something that already exists.”

New Bugatti Royale
Rimac wants to focus on coachbuilding with Bugatti, even more than is already the case. There will also be other models than just a new Chiron. “I'm thinking about a luxury model,” says Rimac, “a new Royale, if you will. That was a technological tour de force in 1928, with its eight-cylinder in-line engine and 24-inch wheels. A spaceship at the time.”

Seven copies of the Royale were built between 1927 and 1933. The model was almost 6.5 meters long and weighed more than 3100 kilograms. Ettore Bugatti hoped to sell twenty-five, but the global recession prevented that. He used the engine from the Royale for a new locomotive for the French railways and still managed to make a profit on the project.

The replacement for the Bugatti Chiron will be produced in Molsheim in 2026, and it will be hybrid.

Rimac, a Croatian shareholder in Bugatti since 2021, will participate in the development of the French brand's first hybrid car. The historical Alsatian site of Molsheim, which will benefit from a real estate extension, is reinforced by the owner.

Bugatti is fine. Bought from Volkswagen by the Croatian electric car supplier and manufacturer Rimac (55% of the capital), associated with Porsche (45% of the capital) since October 2021, the Alsatian manufacturer has taken advantage of a favorable economic situation to prepare for its future.

The W16 Mistral roadster, which will be produced between 2024 and 2026, will mark the end of the brand's internal combustion engines. Ultimate evolution of the Chiron (500 units since 2016), the W16 Mistral will be manufactured in 100 units. Premiering in August 2022, the entire series sold out in one day.

It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that one of the most remarkable persons in the Bugatti world, Paul Kestler has passed away yesterday. As we have seen over the last few years, his health was declining, still he was present at the last Festival in September. He also received an honorary citizenship of the city of Molsheim at that occasion, at the respectable age of 92.

Paul Kestler was Co-founder of the Enthousiastes Bugatti Alsace and their annual Festival Bugatti, he was one of the leading organisers of the unforgettable Centenaire Bugatti, and of course wrote many books about the Marque.

Besides the "Evolution of a style" book, and the one on the Royale, quite recently (in 2019) a comic book with the Bugatti history (photo above shows Paul besides the almost ready pages) appeared, after a script written by Paul and Monique.

Paul will be much missed, and we wish his family, and especially his daughter Monique, a lot of strength with their loss. Next Festival will be very strange without him....

Those of you interested in miniature models, will know that no plastic model kit of a Bugatti automobile has appeared in the last decades. Especially those who started off their carreers as Bugattistes building plastic model kits, like me, know that there have been resin kits, or white metal kits, but no plastic model kits for the last many years. In the old days, there were several, for example the T35's from Monogram and Airfix, a T59 from Matchbox, of course the T50T from Heller, a Royale Weinberger from Lindberg (later Revell) and of course the two Royale's from the Italian Italeri.

Recently, an impressive kit was released by Italeri, in a large scale (only Pocher's T50T was bigger in it's 1:8 scale), and apparently quite detailed. It costs around 160 euro, serious money, but not too expensive.

Some info from Italeri:

• 100% New Moulds
• Steering wheels
• Highly detailed engine
• Rubber tires
• Photoetched parts
• Chromed parts
• Opening cowling
• Screws, tubes and artificial lather
• Decals for 2 version
• Colors Instructions Sheet

The Bugatti Type 35 is one of the most iconic and revered racing cars in motor racing history, both technically and competitively. Ettore Bugatti's masterpiece was a unique mix of engineering skill, design, elegance, speed and its relatively light weight.

Produced during the 1920s, it won an incredible number of races in both “road” and “on track” competitions. The Bugatti was in fact specifically designed for the world of racing, which included the introduction of technical and mechanical solutions for the car that made it ideal for the racing circuits of the period. Aesthetically, it was universally known and recognizable by the unmistakable shape of the horseshoe-shaped radiator which was a key design feature of Bugatti as a car manufacturer.

Due to its 2,263 cm3 8-cylinder engine with a four-speed mechanical gearbox and equipped with a volumetric compressor, the Bugatti Type 35B was able to attain a top speed of 210 km / h. It was produced in limited numbers until 1930.

More info

I have not seen anything like this before, Carlo Bugatti continues to amaze with unique and sometimes absurd designs, like this solid archimedean icohexahedron.

It is built up of hexagons and pentagons, and is of wooden structure, with parchment coverings and embossed copper elements, usual construction for Bugatti Sr. This special object is signed with dedication and was made in Italy around 1900, It measures 52 cm in all directions.

It was on auction in Italy by the auction house Cambi Casa D'Aste, and sold for 5000 euro. There were 8 more Bugatti items in the same auction, which are the regular Carlo Bugatti designs, chairs, tables, mirrors and other funiture.

More info

Santa Monica, Calif. (November 4, 2022)
Gooding & Company’s previously announced Geared Online Bugattiana Automobilia auction slated for November, consisting of over 350 items of historically significant Bugatti-themed memorabilia offered from one distinguished enthusiast and collector, has been canceled. Gooding & Company is pleased to announce that the entire catalogue was acquired from the seller by a prominent European collector who will continue to preserve and maintain these important Bugatti artifacts as one cohesive collection.
The confidential buyer has expressed his intent to make this remarkable collection available for future viewing by Bugatti enthusiasts, collectors, and historians.

Original announcement:
November 7 - 18, 2022 Gooding & Company geared online Auction

One of the World’s Most Significant Collections of Bugatti-Themed Automobilia Coming to Gooding & Company’s Geared Online Event this November

Bugattiana Automobilia features a private collection that includes factory records, personal and family documents, and other never-before-seen items from the influential Bugatti brand offered for public sale for the first time.

This November, global auction house Gooding & Company will present its Geared Online | Bugattiana Automobilia event, offering one of the world’s most significant collections of Bugatti-themed memorabilia from a distinguished Bugatti enthusiast and collector. From Monday, November 7 to Friday, November 18, the online-only auction will present over 350 lots, including a wide array of items such as factory records, personal documents from Ettore and Jean Bugatti, and other significant items which have never before been seen or offered for public sale. Significantly, all lots will be offered without reserve.

The entire catalogue hails from a collector who has owned numerous significant Bugatti automobiles and has been collecting since joining the Bugatti Owners’ Club as a teenager in the 1950s. For decades, the consignor has worked tirelessly to curate this historically important collection of Bugatti artifacts. One such effort included placing newspaper ads throughout the Alsace region of France, the very heart and soul of the Bugatti marque and legacy. This of course led the consignor to travel frequently to France, where he met firsthand with the people who responded to the ads in order to not only collect their memorabilia, but to also engage with their stories and personal experiences with the Bugatti marque and history. As such, the offerings in the auction encapsulate over an entire century’s worth of all things Bugatti, presenting an unparalleled opportunity for any enthusiast passionate about this iconic French marque.

“We are honored to present this magnificent collection of Bugattiana, which contains some of the finest, most significant Bugatti artifacts in private hands,” states Gooding & Company Senior Specialist, David Brynan. “This is truly a museum quality collection, carefully assembled and curated over a span of decades by one passionate Bugattiste. This is a singular opportunity to acquire important, never-before-seen pieces, many of which have well-established ties to the Bugatti family and legendary drivers of the period, such as René Dreyfus and Elizabeth Junek. Any enthusiast with an appreciation for the Bugatti marque will be amazed by the extraordinary contents of this world-class collection.”

The auction will present several items showcasing the best of Bugatti craftsmanship, including a Bugatti Type 75 You-You Boat from circa 1946. The Type 75 You-You boat was designed by Ettore Bugatti and built in his Maisons-Laffitte shipyard after World War II, but production soon halted with his death in 1947. It is likely that fewer than 30 were built in total, all in incomplete form, and only a handful of these exist today. The 3.3 meter You-You offered here, number 119, was in long-term ownership by two successive car collectors in France, explaining its remarkably original and fine condition. Also offered is a highly original 1933 Bugatti "Type 52" Baby that formerly belonged to Richard ‘Dick’ Teague, Vice President of Styling at American Motors. The exceptionally well-kept Type 52 comes with original tires, vintage children’s goggles, the original factory’s wiring diagram, and images of Dick Teague and his son with this Type 52. The auction will also include a Bugatti Type 41 Royale Engine, No. 22, one of the original engines intended for the run of 25 Royales that Ettore Bugatti had initially planned to build. This single ignition engine was used in a Bugatti Autorail, and later exhibited at the Musée Pichon in Cleres, France. An elegant Breguet Chronograph Commissioned by Ettore Bugatti for the Bugatti Royale is also on offer as one of only eight clocks planned for installation in the center of the Royale’s steering wheel. Calibrated with a tachymetric scale, this chronograph, number 2020, bears the inscription “Special pour Bugatti” on its face.

The collection also includes a number of personal and family items, such as the Motsch Fils Top Hat Owned by Ettore Bugatti with Original Box. The famous top hat features Ettore Bugatti’s initials inside the crown, and his name and address are included on the label of the hat box. Also offered are Original Handwritten Sections of Ettore Bugatti's Memoir, dated November 20, 1944, and February 24, 1945, respectively. These sections were both acquired from L’Ebé Bugatti, Ettore Bugatti’s daughter and eldest child. Gooding & Company is also proud to offer Ettore Bugatti’s Original Baptism Document, acquired by the consignor from his daughter, as well as several versions of the Contract between Ettore Bugatti and the Deutz Company of Cologne granting the company a license to build a chassis designed by Bugatti, dated 1907-1909. This set of documents was acquired from the Roland Bugatti estate sale. Another notable highlight is the Group of Six Photographs that Once Hung in Ettore Bugatti’s Molsheim Villa, several of which are inscribed by Bugatti’s noble clients such as the Duke of Bavaria, King Leopold of Belgium, and Prince William of Sweden.

Bugatti’s highly influential role in the world of racing and motor sports will also be represented in the sale, such as with the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans Winner's Trophy and the 1928 ACF Grand Prix Trophy. The latter was awarded by the Automobile Club de France and is an Art Deco design in solid silver by Robert Linzeler. The collection also includes a 1930 Monaco Grand Prix Photo Album given to drivers; the race was won by René Dreyfus and the copy presented here was his personal property. Also offered is Elizabeth Junek's Comprehensive Album featuring mementos of her triumphal 1928 Targa Florio race with detailed annotated maps that she drew of the course, along with annotated aerial images. Junek’s album includes photographs with Ettore Bugatti, signed or inscribed photos of drivers, including Achille Varzi and Juan Manuel Fangio, as well as a signed card from Ferrari. Enthusiasts will also appreciate the Comprehensive Files of Bugatti Design Engineer Antonio Pichetto covering road and race cars built during the 1930s. These files consist of notes, drawings, and blueprints for road cars, including the Type 57, 57S, 57C, and 46, as well as race cars, including the 51, 57G, and 59.

In addition to these exceptionally historic and significant memorabilia items, the auction will also include a selection of original Bugatti lithographic posters which were exhibited at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Also presented is a robust selection of period Bugatti toys, largely originating from the 1930s. An extensive collection of Bugatti books, factory sales literature, parts, and photographs are also included in this once-in-a-lifetime offering.

Following the launch of the online catalogue on Monday, October 24, all lots will be available for online bidding via Gooding & Company’s website or mobile app starting Monday, November 7.

RM Sotheby's Auction, Marlborough House, London, November 5, 2022

• 1993 Bugatti EB110 GT, Chassis No. ZA9AB01E0PCD39040, Engine No. 00036: Sold at £1,411,250
• 1996 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport, Chassis No. ZA9BB02E0RCD39027, Engine No. 0138: Not sold
• 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, Chassis No. VF9SW3V33NM795018: Sold at £4,195,625

Bugatti Type 35B at the Salon du Chocolat

My friend Dominique Mathern from Straatsburg was at the Salon du Chocolat this past weekend, and was surprised to see this Bugatti there, made of 380kg of Chocolate!

The Bugatti was made by Maitre Chocolatier and Sculptor Jean-Luc Decluzeau, he needed 400 hours to make it, at 2.8 meters long and 1.1 meters wide, it is in 3/4 scale.

The 27th Salon du Chocolat is the world’s largest event dedicated to chocolate and cocoa, and takes place from October 28 to November 1, 2022.

During 5 days at the Porte de Versailles, there are spectacular (fashion) shows, live demonstrations, fun animations and prestigious competitions.

Henderson Auctions, Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, AL, USA, October 29, 2022

• 1927 Bugatti T40A Grand Sport, Chassis 40575: Sold at €450,000
• 1937 Bugatti T57C Van Vooren Cabriolet, Chassis 57742: Sold at $710,000

• 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio, Chassis 57395: Sold at €346,000

For years a collection of the most extraordinary unrestored Bugatti cars has sat, meticulously cared for and researched, in a sprawling house in Switzerland. But now this collection, lovingly built up over decades by Hans Matti, has found a new custodian, and the cars’ first journey under their new ownership took them to Château Saint Jean in Molsheim – the home of Bugatti Automobiles.

To have these cars returning ‘home’, just a stone’s throw from where they were originally created is a fitting beginning for the latest chapter in these cars’ lives. Hans Matti dedicated his life to building this collection, gathering original photographs, magazine features, books and factory communications relating to them. He hadn’t just collected the cars, but he had completely researched their stories. As the Registrar of the Bugatti Club Suisse, he is one of the most knowledgeable experts in the world on Bugatti Grand Prix cars.

Among the extraordinary collection is Bugatti Type 51, thought to be one of the most original in existence, a remarkably preserved Type 37A, a short chassis Type 49 Faux cabriolet with Jean Bugatti coachwork - the only remaining example in the world, a Type 35B and a Type 35A fitted with the only existing Type 36 engine, gearbox and rear axle to have survived. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime collection that Hans Matti was understandably reluctant to part with. Discussions to acquire the collection had been underway for two-and-a-half years and even Caroline Bugatti - granddaughter of Ettore Bugatti had been involved in the negotiations.

The Type 51 – a dedicated factory Grand Prix racing machine – has never been restored or repainted, bearing the marks of nine decades of motorsport and enjoyment. The original craftsmanship of Ettore Bugatti’s team is on display and each chapter of its life is worn with pride. The Type 49, meanwhile, was the personal car of Jean Bugatti himself, with the initials ‘JB’ on the doors. It’s extremely rare to have a Type 49 with a body designed and built by the Bugatti factory, as this example does, and no other Type 49 in existence wears the unique Faux Cabriolet body. More incredible still, this Type 51 and Type 49 shared a transporter during their delivery to their respective first private customers. To have them reunited is the closing of a circle that started all the way back in the 1930s.

The Type 51 in the collection began life as one of the last Type 35Bs to ever be built, a factory Grand Prix racer, driven in period by Louis Chiron, who gave his name to Bugatti’s latest hyper sports car. As Bugatti looked to evolve the Type 35 – renowned as the most successful racing car of all time – it developed a new advanced twin-cam engine and a new car which it would power: the Type 51. This new powertrain was swapped into this car, at which point it became one of the very first Type 51s, fitted with engine number 1 and raced by Achille Varzi and other contemporary motorsport heroes. Varzi is revered to this day at Bugatti; to celebrate 100 years of the brand a special Centenaire Edition Veyron ‘Achille Varzi’ was revealed. With appearances at races in Monaco, Monza, at the Targa Florio and more, this car has incredible racing pedigree. In another important connection, the factory Grand Prix engine that was originally in this car as a Type 35B was swapped into another Type 35B in this collection by the factory, before later being sold as a new car.

One of the stand-out circuits of the early racing era was the Montlhéry track in France, renowned for its high-speed banking but also for its extraordinarily bumpy surface. Bugatti’s meticulously detailed approach to engineering saw them develop a new model to race at Montlhéry: the Type 36. Featuring a rigid rear axle, it would better handle the demanding conditions of this unique circuit. Two variants were built, the later model with a supercharger, becoming what many believe to be the first ever supercharged Bugatti. But their racing careers were short-lived and the only two Type 36 cars built were destroyed. All that remained was the engine, gearbox and rear axle of one of them, which now uniquely reside within a Type 35A body housed in this collection. Once more, it is another one-off piece of Bugatti history.

Completing the five Bugatti cars in the collection is a Type 37A, one of a long lineage of supercharged Bugatti cars that arguably began with the Type 36. It is again preserved in fully original condition with matching numbers – each era of its ownership and extensive racing history has been meticulously traced right back to its first owner in 1929 and it continues to race to this day. The Type 37 was considered a Voiturette class winning car by many of its drivers, but with the addition of a supercharger – becoming the Type 37A – its powerful four-cylinder engine became capable of propelling the car to more than 120mph (193kph), up from 90mph (144kph). Only 76 were supercharged by Bugatti, and they went on to race at Le Mans, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio and more.

This unique collection of cars now embarks on its third era; their first being when they were sold new and their second under the meticulous care of Hans Matti. Now, they will be kept in their original, unrestored condition, preserved as the important artefacts of Bugatti history that they are. And as they gathered at the Château Saint Jean – a place bought by Ettore Bugatti to entertain his customers, and still a core part of the Bugatti legend – it almost felt as though the cars had never left. A sense of history surrounds the Château, brimming with nearly a century of Bugatti heritage.

Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti Automobiles, said: “We are a brand that constantly looks to the genius of our founder for inspiration. For Ettore, the most important aspect of a Bugatti was that it be incomparable. It should be in a class of its own. Arguably nothing brings us closer to vision of Ettore than seeing his creations in the condition they left the factory in; the original rivets, paint, and, in particular, the meticulous engineering that came to define his cars and ultimately his success. This collection of cars and the stories that have been gathered around them are absolutely priceless, and we’re honored to have been able to welcome them to home of Bugatti Automobiles. As we look to a new era of Bugatti, it’s pioneering models like these that will be our inspiration.”

Thanks to Rock N Roll Classics and the owner of the cars for bringing together these important artefacts of Bugatti history in Molsheim.

Artcurial Auction, Automobiles sur les Champs, October 16, 2022

• C. 1990 Bugatti Type 35B Pur Sang Replica, Chassis "4874" Estimate €250,000 - €350,000: Sold at €327,800 inc. premium

This year no Bugattis nominated as "Car of the Year", though there are two Bugatti related finalists, in two different Categories.

• Category "Club of the year" finalist: Bugatti Owners Club
• Category "Personal Achievement" finalist: Angela Hucke (Bugatti Trust)

We congratulate the finalist, and of course hope they will each win their category!

The Bugatti Trust already won the Historic Motoring Award in the categories Museum of the year and Car of the year, in 2019!

The star-studded Historic Motoring Awards 2022 ceremony will take place on Wednesday 16 November at a spectacular new venue, The Londoner in the heart of the capital’s West End. The finalists for each category have been announced, and the winners will be presented at the Awards in November.

Top picture: The Bugatti Owners Club and the Bugatti Trust both present at Ivan Dutton's stand at Retromobile, 2019.

More info and voting, in some of the categories only....

Bonhams Auction, The Zoute Sale Belgium, October 9, 2022

• 1924 Bugatti Type 30 Torpedo by Carrocerias Casimiro Sola, Barcelona, Chassis 4224, Engine 233. Estimate €320,000 - €380,000: Sold at €345,000 inc. premium

RM Sotheby's auction, the Gene Ponder collection, September 22 - 24, 2022

• 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic Replica by Erik Koux, Chassis No. 57654: Sold at $1,155,000 USD
• "1932" Bugatti Type 55 Super Sport Roadster Replica by Pur Sang, Chassis No. "55227": Sold at $385,000 USD
• "1930" Bugatti Type 35B Replica by Pur Sang, Engine No. 397BO, Chassis No. 397: Sold at $220,000 USD
• "1936" Bugatti Type 57G 'Tank' Tribute, On 1953 Jaguar Chassis: Sold at $159,500 USD
• 1957 Bugatti Type 252 Tribute, On 1952 Jaguar Chassis (LHD!): Sold at $253,000 USD

Baby Bugatti and automobilia-results

During the annual Bugatti Festival last weekend in Molsheim Paul Kestler, now 92 years old, was awarded Honorary Citizen of Molsheim in the presence of Michel Bugatti and many friends of Paul and la marque.

Paul Kestler has researched the evolution of coachwork style of Bugatti, is a Co-founder of the Enthousiastes Bugatti Alsace and their annual Festival Bugatti and was one of the leading organisers of the unforgettable Centenaire Bugatti.

Besides the "Evolution of a style" book, and the one on the Royale, quite recently (in 2019) a comic book with the Bugatti history (also in English) appeared, after a script written by Paul and Monique.

May he have many more years surrounded by his supporting family, especially his daughter Monique.

During the annual Bugatti Festival last weekend in Molsheim, as always awards were given for the most special, most beautiful and other cars. The winners were:

• Grand Prix EBA: Guilain Benard (F) with his Type 57C Cabriolet Corsica (57485)
• Trophée Fondation Bugatti: Ladislav Novak (CZ) with his Type 46 "Petite Royale" Cabriolet (after an original by Gangloff, 46393) Photo on the right
• Trophée Lalique: Michel Perridon (NL) with his Type 57C Stelvio Gangloff (57834) Photo below
• There are many more trophy's, also one for each new participant with a Bugatti. More info on the trophees.

During the morning, the cars were displayed for adoring Bugatti enthusiasts from near and far to admire. Local Molsheim residents also enjoyed a closer glimpse of the Bugattis. In the afternoon, the cars were paraded through the streets of Molsheim, before halting to be judged by a panel of experts that included Christophe Piochon. The judges meticulously examined each car, searching for a Bugatti truly worthy of the Coupe Bugatti Automobiles. After much soul searching, the trophy was finally awarded to a Type 57C Cabriolet Corsica.

Other awards, including the Trophée Fondation Bugatti were also presented. This year's winner was a Type 46 Petite Royale' by Gangloff, which received the intricate trophy, itself built from the same materials used to create Bugatti cars, and crowned by a piece of Lalique crystal.

Below, two more photographs of Michel Perridon in his prize-winning Stelvio, in the one on the right he is being congratulated by your webmaster

• 1920 Bugatti Type 23 'Brescia Modifie' Roadster
  Coachwork by Baer of Berlin - Estimate: £200,000 - £250,000

• Reputedly 1 of just 3 Diatto-Bugattis to have survived from the 50 or so made
• Accompanied by a detailed report from the renowned Bugatti authority and historian, David Sewell
• Summed-up as 'a remarkably original car in the sense that there are no replica parts whatsoever to be found anywhere upon it'
• Current family ownership since 1989
• Rebodied using the Baer Roadster coachwork that was originally fitted to chassis 1828
• Potentially Mille Miglia Storica eligible

"Light cars as a class are surprising to those accustomed only to heavier boats; but the Bugatti holds revelations for those even well-accustomed to light cars in general. The suspension is uncannily perfect. The steering is a delight. The response to the spur makes one forget the lightness of the whole outfit; but the craft embodied in the complete make-up is such that a very tyro could come down off the banking on the forward side of the Members' Bridge at Brooklands well up in the 70s, and yet hit the Railway Straight without anything in the way of alarm" (E. Duffield, Automotor Journal, April 1921).

The interrelated Types 13, 22 and 23 were the cars which established Bugatti's reputation as one of the world's pre-eminent sportscar manufacturers. Known as Brescia Bugattis following the virtuoso 1-2-3-4 finish achieved by a highly tuned quartet of their siblings at a Voiturette race held in the Italian town of the same name during September 1921, the diminutive Molsheim machines became synonymous with class-leading performance and matchless agility. Available from 1923 onwards, the Type 23 `Brescia Modifie' was based around a lightweight chassis frame equipped with all-round leaf-sprung suspension (semi-elliptic front / reversed quarter-elliptic rear) and two-wheel brakes. Differentiated from its similarly `modified' Type 13 and 22 siblings by a longer 2.55 metre (100.4in) wheelbase, it was powered by the same 1496cc (69mm bore x 100mm stroke) 16-valve SOHC four-cylinder engine allied to four-speed manual transmission. With some 40bhp @ 4,000rpm on tap thanks to such race-proven niceties as a three-bearing crankshaft (two ball / one plain) and four valves per cylinder, the Type 23 `Brescia Modifie' was reputedly capable of up to 80mph. And while achieving such high speeds was coachwork dependent, it is sobering to think that front wheel brakes were only introduced on the model in 1925.

According to an accompanying report from noted Bugatti authority, David Sewell, who over the years has written some 600 – 700 similar dossiers, this Type 23 is chassis 968. Mr Sewell commenting: ‘Whilst there remains a remote possibility that the car could have a chassis number other than 968, the circumstances required for this to be so are judged to be insignificant’. He goes on to say that: ‘This is a remarkably original car in the sense that there are no replica parts whatsoever to be found anywhere upon it. Whilst it is conceded that it lacks its original front axle and gearbox, its replacements have evidently been in place for very many years, probably since prewar times, so have become a significant part of its history. Furthermore its coachwork, although sourced from another Type 23, is completely original and of the correct period and moreover it blends in perfectly well with the rest of the car . . . It will certainly be regarded as a particularly attractive example of the early 16-valve Bugatti, of which only a tiny proportion of those manufactured have survived to the present day and more specifically one of only three surviving Diatto-Bugattis from the fifty or so built’.

The original Bugatti factory records show that chassis 968 was fitted with engine 502 (the same unit found aboard the sale car today) and, like its fellow Type 23 Diatto-Bugattis, despatched from Molsheim as a rolling chassis sans bulkhead, bonnet and radiator. Known to have been delivered to the Diatto agent Louis Pabanel in Paris on 26th May 1920, the car’s next seven decades are a mystery. Purchased by Brescia exponent Hamish Moffat from specialist dealer Bruno Vendiesse in 1989 at which time it was erroneously thought to be chassis 985 (a shorter wheelbase Type 22), the Bugatti was substantially complete but dismantled and lacking coachwork. A handsome two-seater Roadster body that the Berlin coachbuilder Baer had used to clothe another Type 23 (chassis 1828) was subsequently acquired. However, little further progress was made before Mr Moffat sadly died in June 2002. Steeped in Bugatti lore not only as Hamish Moffat’s widow but also the step daughter of privateer racer Lindsey Eccles, the vendor commissioned David Murray of Trinity Farm, Cirencester to reassemble / restore the car.

Issued with the age-related registration number ‘BF 6460’ by the DVLA on 15th May 2013, the associated V5C Registration Document lists the chassis number as ‘985’ (which is how it was sold to Hamish Moffat by Bruno Vendiesse and the ID quoted on the import paperwork) and the engine number as ‘502’. Enjoyed by the vendor on various local journeys and driven by her to Prescott and back (and up the famous hillclimb course), the Brescia is nicely detailed with a well-stocked dashboard and Marchal headlights. Repeating Mr Murray’s advice to her that ‘the engine must not be thrashed’ due to its original block being cracked, she is only reluctantly offering the Bugatti for sale because it has become less comfortable to drive of late. True automotive jewels, Bugatti Type 13, 22 and 23 cars are rightly prized the world over. Potentially eligible for the Mille Miglia Storica, ‘BF 6460’ surely deserves another long-term custodian.

Accompanying paperwork includes a V5C Registration Document, the aforementioned David Sewell report, Bugatti Owners’ Club correspondence and numerous bills / invoices.

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Visitors can expect a gala evening, classic rally, daytime picnics and plenty of charming classics.

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We look forward to welcome around 80 Bugatti teams in central Switzerland. The registration forms will be available in the beginning of November.

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