Bugatti news, 2020 Plus events

That Bugatti is nicknamed “Dulcie,” because of its registration number, which reads “DUL 351.” “Dulcie” has been with the same owner for 51 years, the late esteemed Bugattiste Bill Turnbull, but his estate has agreed to part with it.

It will be the highlight of the upcoming Legends of the Road auction at Bonhams, taking place on February 19, 2021, and is expected to fetch between £5 million and £7 million. It will sell without reserve.

This 57S, chassis no. 57503, is in highly original and excellent condition. Turbull was not its first owner but he was the one to try and repair and restore it, as the video at the bottom of the page can confirm. Until just recently, he kept it hidden in his North Staffordshire workshop.

The 57 Surbaisse has a 3.3-liter twin-cam Bugatti engine and original body by Corsica Coachworks. The chassis is of the type made for the three Bugatti Type 57G “Tank” streamlined sports-racing cars, with the auction house saying that one of the two lost chassis was possibly re-used for this vehicle. Only 42 57Ss were ever made, but this one is all the more special for this reason.

It has "nearly perfect" black paintwork (In the article referred to above, it was not painted black yet), cream leather interior, and the original coachwork. It sells with certification and a well documented history file, including Turnbull’s correspondence with the previous owners, conducted as part of his efforts to restore it.

“This really is an extraordinary example of one of the most valuable and desirable pre-war motor cars,” Sholto Gilbertson, Director, Bonhams Motor Cars UK, says in a statement. “Other 57S Bugattis are in museums or known collections, and to offer the car to the open market for the first time since 1969 is going to be tremendous. This could well be the last “hidden” pre-war Bugatti of note and we are delighted to present this rediscovered true legend of the road next year at New Bond Street.”

His work has now been recognised internationally, as two of his scale Bugattis were recently decorated in the online 'Euro Scale Modellers 2020' contest:

• Type 30 'Carosseria Corona':
  Fellow award and silver medal in its category (civil vehicles >1/24)

• Type 51 Grand Prix:
  Gold medal in its category (civil vehicles >1/24)

The Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were elected by a Dutch jury of 20 modellers, out of 613 models in different categories.

The Fellow awards were elected by 160 contest participants, from Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Gibraltar, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungaria, Hong Kong, New Zeland, Brasil, USA, Canada, Ireland and England.

More info and pictures on this contest euroscalemodelling.nl/results-online-competition-2020/

More about Nik's models in articles previously published in the Bugatti Revue:

• Nik Levecque Bugatti miniatures
• Nik Levecque's Miniature Bugatti collection
• 1:24 scale Type 30 Carrosseria Corona

The future of Volkswagen seems to be in calmer waters now that the Board of Directors of the Volkswagen Group has expressed its support for CEO Herbert Diess. Under the leadership of Diess, the group is engaged in a considerable transformation, especially when it comes to electric models, new software and autonomous technology.
One would think that purely performance-oriented brands such as Lamborghini and Ducati no longer have a place within Volkswagen, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Board of Directors has decided that those two brands will remain under the umbrella of the group. Earlier plans to make Lamborghini more independent, therefore seem to have been canceled.

However, the Board of Directors is silent about Bugatti, the showpiece of the late Ferdinand Piëch. Previously, Porsche, Bentley and Bugatti were part of the "Sport & Luxury" industry within the Volkswagen Group. Now that Bentley comes under the responsibility of Audi, only Porsche and Bugatti would remain in this group.

With that, a possible sale of Bugatti seems to be increasingly likely. CEO Diess said earlier that Volkswagen is "constantly reviewing" its portfolio in the midst of a rapidly changing industry. Time will tell what Volkswagen has in store for Bugatti.

Thus: My earlier comment that Mr. Stephan Winkelmann became president of Lanborghini alongside Bugatti, to keep him inside the Volkswagen group when Bugatti will be sold, became much more plausible. Lamborghini remains with VW, and Bugatti will probably be out. Of course, VW will not publish about this before the deal with a buyer (Rimac?) is final. However, their silence about the future position of Bugatti within the VW group in itself is clear enough!

Another one which was not presented, but was also developed in 2015, is the Type 35D shown here.

The Type 35 D was developed by Uedelhoven Studios, a German company for design and fabrication of prototypes which works mainly for Audi and thus for the Volkswagen group. They also made the 2009 Bugatti Galibier Concept.
This studio now reveals images of a project realised in 2015 with Bugatti, in fact a modernised version of the mythical Bugatti Type 35 which dominated racing in the 1920's.

The prototype is called the Type 35 D, as if it would be a follow-up to the Type 35 C (wrong of course, as the Type 51 was what followed the T35C).
It sort of follows the design of the famous GP Bugattis of the nineteen-twenties, having a body sitting in between the wheels, leaving these open as on the original. The whole looks more like a remake of one of those VW-Beetle based Bugatti replica's, which in a way it is of course..

Like on a proper open-wheel race car, the suspension components and wheels are fully exposed. What is unlike the original, however, are the fat tyres, massive rear diffuser, and super-slim tail lights, with the third brake light neatly integrated into the central strip that runs from front to back.

There is no information on what would power this prototype. Electrical maybe, or would it share the V8 engine with the 2015 Atlantic concept? There seems to be no space for the W16 engine. Maybe there is no engine at all?? Clearly visible is that it is rear-wheel drive.

There is not much information on the interior, but we do get to see lots of beautifully finished wood, aluminium, and carbon-fibre trim, along with acres of brown leather. Apart from the ‘EB’ logo on the steering wheel, the centre stack bears more than a passing resemblance to the one in the Chiron’s cabin, especially the digital gear indicator.

So do I like it? In fact, no, it seems to me like a stressful try to create a modern version of the GP Bugatti. As the original was perfect from every angle, all attempts at trying to recreate it in a modern fashion are doomed to fail. Do you like it? Well; that is up to you to decide!

However, more and more people have either their own 3D printer, or have acces to one through a friend or relative or so. And, on-line quite a few toys (as above, quite a cute one, and it's almost Christmas) and miniatures are available. That is, the files, which you need to make the 3D printed model. And they are for free! My friend Bart Oosterling sent me both the above picture of the one which his brother-in-law printed for him, as well as links to the files themselves.

The links are given here:

• Lego Duplo-like "GP Bugatti"
• Snap together balloon Bugatti
• 1:24 Re-envisioned Bugatti T35C SlotCar
• Bugatti type 35 homage
• "Bugatti Atlantic" with female

  More serious:

• 1:10 Bugatti T35 for RC-model, there's a few youtube movies for this one: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

• For those without a printer, they can order 3D printed kits here.

BUGATTI IS HONOURING ITS RACING DRIVERS FROM THE “GOLDEN DECADE” WITH A NEW EDITION.
Hand-sketched racing scenes on and in the vehicle, diamond cut aluminum and a reminiscence that have come true of Bugatti's glorious Grand Prix days. Bugatti is honoring its “Daredevils”, famous racing drivers from the last century, with the Chiron Sport “Les Légendes du Ciel”. Many of them were former flying aces, daredevils, technically skilled pilots who flew without fear.

“Bugatti has had close associations with aviation since the company was established more than 110 years ago. Many successful Bugatti racing drivers, such as Albert Divo, Robert Benoist and Bartolomeo ‘Meo’ Costantini, flew for the French Air Force, the French aviator legend Roland Garros privately drove a Bugatti Type 18 to be as fast on the road as in the air,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “It is therefore almost an obligation for us today to pay tribute to the legends of that time and dedicate a special edition to them.”

Company founder Ettore Bugatti admired the fearless character and technical expertise of his drivers who were fascinated by high speeds – and also mastered them. On the road, the racing drivers benefited from the experience gained in aircraft cockpits. They in turn admired Ettore Bugatti for his talent as an engineer and were fascinated by his agile, light and speedy vehicles, embodying on the road what their planes were in the sky. Roland Garros even called him the “incomparable artist who alone knows, how to give life to steel.”

Ettore Bugatti has always been inspired by aviation. In around 1915, Bugatti himself designed aircraft engines and from 1937 he also developed an entire aircraft intended to break speed records. The project was stopped because of the outbreak of the Second World War. Ettore Bugatti kept in close personal contact with the pilots throughout his life.

The "Les Légendes du Ciel“ edition Bugatti is honouring these legends of aviation with the "Les Légendes du Ciel“ edition, based on the Chiron Sport and limited to 20 vehicles. The new edition references many features of the historic aircrafts in which Bugatti pilots gained profitable experience. In addition to the unusual colour of the paintwork, the vehicle includes a special full leather interior with hand-drawn sketches and diamond cut aluminum.

A striking feature of the Chiron Sport “Les Légendes du Ciel” is its special, matt-grey “Gris Serpent” paintwork, a modern interpretation of the exterior colour of the aircrafts from the 1920s. This stretches across the entire vehicle and is traversed from the front to the rear via the extending rear spoiler with a high-contrast, white gloss center stripe. The front wings are adorned with the "Les Légendes du Ciel“ logo. The “Le Bleu-BlancRouge” tricolour in Blue, White and Red decorates the front area of the side sills made of exposed black carbon fiber.

The horseshoe shaped radiator grille also has a black gloss finish. The radiator grille mesh is made of laser-cut and deep-drawn aluminum, on which the dynamic pattern of the stitched seams is repeated on the leather seats, reminiscent of planes flying in formation in an air parade. The door entry lights project the edition logo onto the ground when the doors are opened. The door sills are made of brushed aluminium with the "Les Légendes du Ciel“ logo on the middle console inlays also characterises the new edition. The W16 engine cover is made of black exposed carbon fibre. These lightweight components are contrasted by white lettering. Black exposed carbon fibre and a black-coated exhaust trim cover made of 3D printed, high-temperature-resistant Inconel dominate the rear.

The interior also visually evokes aircraft from the past century. Bugatti uses fine “Gaucho” leather for the entire vehicle interior of the Chiron Sport “Les Légendes du Ciel”. The light brown leather is reminiscent of natural leather in these aircraft of days gone by. The natural material is contrasted only by aluminum trims, an aluminum inlay with the logo "Les Légendes du Ciel" that can also be found on the headrests as well as the special edition numbering “1 of 20”. Bugatti optionally offers comfort seats and the glass roof “Sky View” through which occupants can gaze into the sky like in open-top aircraft of the past century.

On the door panels there is a hand-sketched racing scene between the Nieuport 17 aircraft and a Bugatti Type 13, which symbolizes the two souls honored by the edition.

The Nieuport 17 is a very special aircraft: it is a French biplane aircraft that was built from 1916 and was very popular with its pilots due to its reliability, speed, agility and manoeuvrability. The single-seater aircraft was powered by a 9-cylinder engine that delivered up to 130 PS.

The Bugatti Type 13 is a very special vehicle in Bugatti’s history spanning 110 years. It was the first model to bear the name Bugatti. From 1910, the Type 13 impressed with its lightweight design, agility and the high output for the time of more than 15 PS. More than 110 years ago, the "Pur Sang" (thoroughbred) already reached speeds of almost 100 km/h and won many races over the following years. The vehicle laid the foundations for Bugatti’s racing success. The perlée-finish, polished aluminum of the armrest tray and the centre console insert, are also reminiscent of the historic racing cars.

“The Chiron Sport “Les Légendes du Ciel” with a W16 engine and a capacity of 8.0 litres delivers 1,500 PS and 1,600 newton metres of torque. Its maximum speed is electronically limited at 420 km/h. Bugatti will start production of the Chiron Sport “Les Légendes du Ciel” towards the end of 2020. The edition, limited to 20 units, costs 2.88 million euros net each.

We are reaching the end of 2020, and without having the final figures yet I can already say that we are on our way to exceeding all expectations. We have kept our promise of delivering the first Divo to our customers, and also the Chiron stays hot, fueled by the great feedback we get for the Pur Sport.

Despite challenging months, we will outperform 2019 and, thus, register the best financial result in modern Bugatti history.

This third record year in a row makes me very proud of the Bugatti team – and of the entire Bugatti family.

BUGATTI BOLIDE – WHAT IF …

… Bugatti developed an extreme, track-focused hyper sports car with an unprecedented weight-to-power ratio of only 0.67 kg per PS.

Reduced, raw, authentic. With the technological concept of the Bugatti Bolide, the French luxury car manufacturer is now providing the answer to the question what if Bugatti built a radically light vehicle around its iconic 8.0-litre W16 engine? The experimental study of the Bugatti Bolide is a track-oriented hyper sports car featuring a W16 engine derived from series production as powertrain combined with a minimal body for maximum downforce. It therefore promises to offer the ultimate Bugatti performance kick.

At the same time, the Bugatti Bolide is the most extreme, uncompromising, fastest and lightest vehicle concept in the company’s recent history – with an incredible weight-to-power ratio of 0.67 kg per PS. This is made possible by the combination of the W16 engine with 1,850 PS and a vehicle weight of just 1,240 kilograms 1,850 PS Using 110 octane racing fuel; Engine output with 98 octane fuel at 1,600 PS. The weight specification is based on the theoretically possible dry weight). The Bugatti Bolide achieves figures that are almost on par with Formula 1 while its top speed is well above 500 km/h – without compromising maximum handling and maximum agility. The Bolide takes 3:07.1 minutes to complete a lap of Le Mans and 5:23.1 minutes to get around the Nordschleife.

The idea – what if? An experiment.
“Bugatti stands for the continuous quest for technological innovations – in alignment with the company’s brand values of excellence, courage, dedication. And Bugatti never stands still. We are perpetually aiming for new and exciting goals, and the question that we always keep in mind is: what if?” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “We asked ourselves how we could realise the mighty W16 engine as a technical symbol of the brand in its purest form – with solely four wheels, engine, gearbox, steering wheel and, as the only luxury, two seats. Important aspects of our considerations were fine-tuning our iconic powertrain without any limitations as regards the weight-to-power ratio. These considerations resulted in the Bugatti Bolide. An uncompromising experiment, a thoroughbred, a Pur Sang that, in its brute exclusivity, impresses above all with high performance, low weight, and a driving experience in a whole new dimension. Driving the Bolide is like riding on a cannonball.”

The technology – powertrain designed specifically for the racetrack
“The Bolide is the ultimate answer to the question of what if Bugatti built a track-focused hyper sports car that met the FIA’s safety requirements. Designed around the W16 powertrain with the minimum body structure and unbelievable performance data. The result: the smallest possible shell for a breathtaking performance vehicle that allows the W16 to truly come into its own,” explains Stefan Ellrott, member of the Board of Management of Bugatti and Head of Technical Development. “All of Bugatti’s expertise has been condensed into the Bugatti Bolide. It is therefore an innovative information source for future technologies. The Bolide is thus more than just an intellectual exercise.

“In terms of technology and organisation, the Bolide was one of the most ambitious projects of my career,” says Frank Götzke. After playing a crucial role in the development of the Veyron 16.4 and the Chiron2, the engineer was also responsible for the technical concept of the Bolide. In only eight months, he created a completely new vehicle around the well-known Bugatti W16 all-wheel powertrain, which was highly modified for the project.

The 8.0-litre W16-cylinder engine with 1,850 PS and 1,850 newton-metres of torque is at its heart. Bugatti has designed the drive specifically for use on the racetrack and has optimised the engine and gearbox in particular for higher engine speeds. Among other things, this includes dethrottling the intake and exhaust system to achieve an even faster, more spontaneous, and extreme response characteristic. The four newly developed turbochargers are fitted with optimised blades in order to build up more boost pressure and power at higher engine speeds. In order to achieve optimum lubrication even under extremely high centrifugal forces, the oil circuit, oil pressure, check valves, baffles, oil tanks, oil reservoirs, and pump design of the dry sump lubrication have been optimised. The weight of the drive system is also significantly reduced at the same time.

Instead of water-to-air intercooling, the Bugatti Bolide has air-to-air intercooling with water pre-cooling for optimal performance on the racetrack. The inflow takes place from the front via one internal and one external air duct on each side of the vehicle. The two water coolers, which are arranged in front of the front axle, provide a more effective radiator system in terms of flow than is customary even in Formula 1. Three air-cooled oil coolers for engine, transmission, and differential with water pre-cooling reduce the temperature even on dynamically demanding race laps. Newly developed and hybrid carbon titanium turbofan radial compressors ventilate and cool the high-performance racing brake system.

1,850 PS and 1,240 kilograms – weight-to-power ratio of 0.67 kg/PS
In order to achieve a dry weight of 1,240 kilograms, all the stops have been pulled out with regard to the materials and production processes used, both in terms of what is currently feasible and what will be possible in the future.

All the screw and fastening elements of the Bolide are made completely out of titanium. In addition, hollow, thin-walled functional components made of an aerospace titanium alloy are used in many places. These originate from a 3D printer and are extremely thin with wall thicknesses of up to 0.5 millimetres. However, they are still very stable with a tensile strength of 1,250 newtons per square millimetre. Hybrid components, such as the 0.5- metre-long auxiliary drive shaft, combine wound high-strength and ultra-stiff carbon fibres with 3D-printed titanium end fittings and can withstand a continuous operating temperature of up to 260 degrees Celsius. In this example, this reduces the weight by around half to 1.5 kilograms and, due to the reduction of the rotating masses, increases the revving ability of the engine at the same time. The forces acting on the front and rear wings are transferred by ultralight but very solid titanium elements. They weigh a mere 600 grams at the front and an astounding 325 grams at the rear.

A worldwide innovation is the morphable outer skin of the intake scoop on the roof, which provides active airflow optimisation. If the vehicle is driven at a slow speed, the surface of the scoop remains smooth. In contrast, a field of bubbles bulges out when driven at fast speeds. This reduces the aerodynamic drag of the scoop by 10 percent and ensures a 17 percent reduction in lift forces. In addition, the flow onto the rear wing is optimised. At 320 km/h, the downforce is at 1,800 kilograms at the rear wing and 800 kilograms at the front wing.

As in Formula 1, the Bolide decelerates with racing brakes with ceramic discs and coatings. The brake callipers weigh only 2.4 kilograms each. The front forged magnesium rims with central lock weigh 7.4 kilograms, while the ones at the rear weigh 8.4 kilograms – with a very wide tyre size of 340 millimetres on the front axle and 400 millimetres on the rear axle (Chiron: 285 mm at the front and 355 mm at the rear). A compressed-air-driven jack system with four rams makes tyre changing easier, a quick refuelling system allows pressure refuelling.

Among other things, a push rod kinematics system with horizontal dampers ensures precise handling. The oil reservoirs are arranged inside the dampers, which improves aerodynamics. Weighing only 100 grams, the push-rods are designed as a thin-walled and flow-optimised titanium lightweight construction with a buckling load of 3.5 tonnes, which corresponds to a dry weight of nearly two Chirons. The welded control arms made of aerospace-grade stainless steel have a tensile strength of 1,200 newtons per square millimetre and are also designed as wing profiles.

Light monocoque made of carbon
The Bugatti team developed a light monocoque made of carbon around the drive. The integral front end flanged to it is also made of high-strength carbon fibres, as are the fully aerodynamically effective underbody and the monocoque itself. The single-fibre tensile strength of the fibres used is 6,750 newtons per square millimetre, the single-fibre stiffness is 350,000 newtons per square millimetre. These represent figures that are only reached in the aerospace industry. The rear frame, designed as a welded steel assembly, offers a maximum tensile strength of 1,200 newtons per square millimetre, despite a wall thickness of only 1 millimetre – this is made possible by the use of high-strength stainless steel, which is otherwise only used in aviation.

With an overall height of only 995 millimetres, the Bugatti Bolide is exactly the same height as the historic Bugatti Type 35, depending on the steering wheel and truncated windscreen, and about 300 millimetres flatter than the Chiron. The wheelbase is 2.75 metres and the width 1.99 metres. Like in an LMP1 racing car, the occupants fold up the doors that are hinged at the front at an angle, sit on a sill that is only 70 millimetres wide, as in a Type 35, and then position their feet in the interior. Thanks to a side wall that is about 150 millimetres lower than that of the Type 35, the procedure is quick and easy – for drivers up to a body height of 2 metres.

Safety is ensured with safety equipment designed in accordance with FIA regulations. These include HANS device compatibility, an automatic fire extinguishing system, a towing device, pressure refuelling with fuel bladder, central locks for the wheels, lightweight polycarbonate windows, and a six-point harness system. The monocoque side floors with integrated carbon coolant pipes are simultaneously designed as side impact structures and structural reinforcement of the monocoque. The driver can see all the relevant data on a motorsport display. For an optimum sitting position, both the pedals and the passenger footrest can be moved by 150 millimetres.

The design – the quintessence of form follows performance
The experimental study of the Bugatti Bolide is also a very special project for Achim Anscheidt, Director of Design at Bugatti. “In my 16 years at Bugatti, I have never worked on a more extreme concept.” The design of the Bolide is radically tailored to the idea of lightweight construction, and the design principle therefore follows on from the overriding goal of achieving a fascinating weight-to-power ratio of 0.67 kilograms per PS.

“It is the very first time that my team had the freedom of creating an absolutely minimalistic design around the W16 engine. The result is the most provocative proportion of a modern Bugatti ever and the distilled quintessence of our Bugatti design ethos that form follows performance,” says Anscheidt. “The Bugatti Bolide, however, is a project more technically driven than shaped by style.”

The stylistic challenge was to transform the unyielding demands of aerodynamics and lightweight construction into an aesthetic that reflects the unique Bugatti DNA, but at the same time illustrates the ambition of an impressive weight-to-power ratio. The overall appearance is dominated by air ducts that are more reminiscent of aerodynamically sophisticated Formula 1 racing cars than classic sports cars. The seemingly filigree and half-open front end is a striking example of the combination of air duct expertise, lightweight construction requirements, and aesthetic dynamics.

The dramatic effect of the overall proportions is made clear by the aerodynamically favourable overall height of only 995 millimetres. The driver’s ultra-sporty seating permits the low-slung shape of an automotive low-flying aircraft. It is therefore not surprising that the appearance of the Bugatti Bolide invokes the so-called X-planes of aviation history and shows a clear X signature from every perspective. It is indirectly reminiscent of the Bell X-1 jet aircraft which was flown by Captain Charles “Chuck” Yeager 1947, the first person to break the sound barrier at Mach 1.06. The Bugatti Bolide “X-periment” has the shape of an aerodynamically optimised, uncompromising racing car and offers ultra-sporty, superlative performance – with no hint of luxury.

As with other Bugatti vehicles, the Bugatti design team also makes use of a colour split in the Bolide. Compared with other models, the share of visible carbon parts is increased by up to 60 percent. Only around 40 percent of the surfaces are painted – in a re-interpretation of the historic French Racing Blue.

“Fifteen years ago, Bugatti succeeded in creating a new segment with the Veyron 16.4: that of the superior hyper sports car. With the Chiron launched in 2016, we systematically developed this segment further. The models bear witness to power and elegance, uniquely combining technology, design, luxury, and quality in a hitherto unknown combination,” explains Anscheidt. “In contrast, the Bugatti Bolide is an absolute rebel. It is clear to see that its only aim is to convey the pure power of the W16 engine in a visually and technically unadulterated form. Reduced, raw, and authentic – like freshly-caught sashimi”.

The DNA – Bugatti Type 35
With the Type 35, Bugatti produced one of the most successful racing cars of all time. The open-top sports car achieved over 2,000 victories between 1924 and 1930. Today, the Type 35 is a legend in racing history. It was inimitable in terms of technology, design, and performance in its time – and still is today. Ettore Bugatti used a double roller bearing and triple ball bearing crank mechanism for the first time. This allowed the engine to rotate at up to 6,000 rpm to move the eight pistons. Two carburettors increased the power to an initial 95 PS. With this engine, the first Type 35 cars were able to reach speeds of over 190 km/h. In the later Type 35 B evolutionary models with a 2.3-litre eight-cylinder engine and compressor, the power output increased to 140 PS, and the Bugatti achieved a top speed of more than 215 km/h.

As well as their incredible power, the engines were primarily renowned for their reliability and endurance. And their lightness. Ettore Bugatti did not compromise when it came to lightweight construction and best possible driveability. He developed special smooth-running wheels to reduce the unsprung masses and, as a result, improve the response of the suspension. The new hollow-bored and forged front axle weighed only 10 kilograms and was nevertheless still stable. A race-ready Bugatti Type 35 weighed only around 750 kilograms. A masterpiece in terms of the weight-to-power ratio.

The Bugatti Bolide is the unrivalled technological concept of a track-focused Bugatti hyper sports car. The combination of 1,850 PS and 1,240 kilograms dry weight ensures an unbelievable weight-to-power ratio. This puts the Bolide with its W16 engine at the absolute pinnacle in terms of combustion engines used in automotive engineering. “For the first time, we are showing what the W16 engine is really capable of. We have freed the vehicle of all baggage and have illustrated and combined the engine with the lightest possible chassis to create the ultimate Bugatti and to ensure the ultimate driving experience. With the Bolide, we are presenting our interpretation of a Bugatti track car of modern times to Bugatti enthusiasts all over the world and finally make their most fervent wishes come true,” explains Stephan Winkelmann.

Whether the Bugatti Bolide will go into series production, has not been decided yet.

A free virtual celebration day of vintage Bugattis hosted by The Bugatti Trust in its official Facebook group with contributions from international clubs, restorers, enthusiasts, historians, artists, and educational establishments. Full programme announced closer to the event and everyone is welcome!

The curator of The Bugatti Trust was inspired to organize the first ever Virtual Vintage Bugatti Day by the Trust’s contribution and involvement as a volunteer for Adam Gompertz’s three successful online REVS Limiter events (www.facebook.com/groups/revslimiter/) during the 2020 lockdown period in the UK.

For November 14th, the team is bringing together an engaging day of visual material by much valued contributors to celebrate virtually vintage Bugattis, their history, their beauty, their legacy, their active community and their educational power. Entirely done in the spirit of enthusiasm, the contributions will come in all shapes and sizes, some filmed by a professional some by a keen Bugattiste on his or her mobile and some in between.

Confirmed so far are contributions from the Bugatti Owners’ Club in the UK, a number of overseas Bugatti clubs including France, Italy, America and Australia, the Cité de l’Automobile Museum in Mulhouse, France, artist Stefan Marjoram, the historic archives, interviews with authors, driving footage, workshop tours including a presentation by Tim Dutton and some lives. (NB: actual Prescott site will be closed on the day as this is an online event only.)

Everyone is invited to attend ‘virtually’ and to contribute with their own images, videos and memories if they wish. Simply join the Bugatti Trust’s Facebook group at any point between now and November 14th. The group can be found using the following link www.facebook.com/groups/889331591127366/ or using the Facebook link on the Trust’s main website www.bugatti-trust.co.uk/

Bugatti continues to publish teasers (apart from the photo's of a camouflaged prototype which appeared), apparently the last one today..

In this case it is a photo of the inside of the car, showing the huge engine (seems to be the same W16 with 4 turbochargers) and the extremely low seating position. Definitely not a variant of the Chiron.

On the Bugatti.com website the announcement is for tomorrow:

Something else what Bugatti has been publishing as part of the teaser is the number 0,67, as on the right. Without explanation, so this can be? Kg/HP? Fuel consumption in miles per gallon? Acceleration from 0-100?

I'm sure we will know more tomorrow!

Apparently, the car is intended for the circuit. The official presentation should have been already 2 months ago during the Monterey Week, which was of course cancelled due to the global pandemic.

The presentation will now be organised on-line, though the exact date has not been revealed, just the photograph above, revealing an X-signature of the rear lights.

However, even before the presentation, news has come out about this Bugatti track car. A more or less camouflaged car was photographed on the Circuit du Castellet (Paul Ricard) in France. Rumours are that the car will be a one-off (like the "La Voiture Noire") and until now we do not know neither it's name, nor the manner of propulsion, though there are some rumours that it will be 100% electric. However, if it is electric, it will be a new platform, and can not be a one-off based on the Chiron. And, comparing the silhoutte with that of the Chiron, it seems to be too different to be based on that car. Also the windshield is an entirely different shape. There is a large quantity of air-intakes in the body, too much for just the cooling of the brakes, which indicates a large number of radiators, so probably not electric...

Well, we will know more, probably within a few weeks.

Carlo BUGATTI ( 1856-1940), Two Frog-style horns

Art-Nouveau style horn, head and legs in nickel-plated bronze on a brass horn body. The exorbitant red tinted glass eyes accentuate the fantastic and caricatural aspect of the animal, which is characteristic of Carlo Bugatti's work influenced by nature, plants and insects, which he interprets to his own taste.

• Small model, L: 40 cm, Lot n° 5, Sold for 30 380 € (Including premium)
• Large model, L: 50 cm, Lot n° 10, Sold for 59 520 € (Including premium)

So, I hope we can see one of these (or both) on a Bugatti soon!

• 2007 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Coupé, Chassis no. VF9CA15B26M795037
  Estimate: £ 970,000 - 1,100,000: Not sold
• 2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport Coupé, Chassis no. VF9SG25252M795032
  Sold for £ 1,559,253 inc. premium
• 2013 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse Targa Coupé, Chassis no. VF9SV25233M795005
  Estimate £ 1,400,000 - 1,800,000: Not sold

The 2007 and 2013 Veyrons which were not sold, say "Amended" on the website, but I believe that is very much the same....

A report from the U.K.'s "Car" magazine says Volkswagen is in talks to sell Bugatti to Croatian EV startup Rimac.
Media have spoken with CEO Stephan Winkelmann, he commented that it would make sense if a Bugatti model to be developed in the future were all-electric.
Rimac has already built an electric hypercar, the C_Two, with nearly 2000 horsepower, so it's not out of the question that it would look toward Bugatti.

Bugatti is refusing to comment on a report in the U.K.'s Car magazine that the Volkswagen Group is planning to offload its grandest subsidiary to Croatian performance EV maker Rimac. Given that Bugatti's entire portfolio is currently powered by a quad-turbocharged W-16 engine, that doesn't seem like the most obvious fit—but Rimac is intent on producing an even more powerful all-electric hypercar, so there could actually be some synergies. However, the most synergy is for Volkswagen itself, who is very eager to expand it's knowledge on Electric Vehicles.
"This is a rumor, and we don't comment on rumors," a Bugatti spokesperson said. "I can say that we are profitable and have had very positive results over the last two years."

Magazine "Car and Driver" did get the chance to interview Bugatti boss Stephan Winkelmann at an event in Italy this weekend. That was before this sale story broke, but some of his answers are very interesting in light of this new development.
Winkelmann confirmed that development on what is meant to be Bugatti's second model line has been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This might well be an EV—Volkswagen Group insiders have told that discussions have taken place between Bugatti and Rimac on sharing technology—and Winkelmann admits he sees a straight switch from gasoline to electric power as making more sense than hybridization.

"You have to make the right step at the right time," he told us. "I think that a [straight switch] would be the better one, as hybrid brings additional weight and complexity."

What Do Bugatti Buyers Want?
But Winkelmann was also adamant that Bugatti's current buyers are entirely happy with their use of W-16 powerplants. “For the super sports cars for sure, they want internal-combustion engines, and this is also our feeling," he said. Rimac's expertise on performance EV powertrains is world-leading, but it is harder to see how the Croatian brand would cope with the engineering challenges around getting Bugatti's hugely complex gasoline engine through increasingly tough emissions standards.

Other issues with a potential acquisition include the fact that Rimac is working closely with other automakers, several of which already own a stake in it. Porsche has 15 percent of Rimac's stock, with Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, and Koenigsegg all holding smaller shares. Rimac is also working with clients including Pininfarina Automobili, which is planning to use the C_Two’s underpinnings as the basis for its forthcoming Battista megacar. Would it be possible to also use the same architecture for a Bugatti?

Volkswagen made a huge investment in Bugatti when it was controlled by Ferdinand Piëch. Consider that the Veyron project alone cost around $1.6 billion to make 450 cars. So it would seem strange for the larger company to get rid of its prestigious subsidiary just when it has become modestly profitable. Bugatti is still able to sell every car it can produce, and Winkelmann's strategy of creating more dynamically focused models seems to have resonated well with the company’s clientele. To surrender control of Bugatti could potentially bring leadership in the race to produce the high-performance EVs that will ultimately persuade supercar buyers to shun combustion. If so, Volkswagen Group’s leadership could well see it as a price worth paying.

• 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports "King Leopold", Chassis: 57248, Engine: 5.
  Estimate: In Excess of £10,000,000 : Sold for £9.535.000 (€ 10.695.721)
• 1928 Bugatti Type 35C Grand Prix, Chassis: 4871, Engine: 139.
  Estimate: In Excess of £3,000,000 : Sold for £3,935,000 (€ 4.414.018)
• 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante Earl Howe, Chassis: 57502, Engine: 26S.
  Estimate: In Excess of £7,000,000 : Sold for £7,855,000 (€ 8.811.210)

• 1937 Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux
  Chassis No. 57584, Engine No. 507 , Estimate $550.000 - 700.000: Not sold

The picture was drawn by Richard Wade

• 1914 Peugeot Bebe
  Chassis No. 11034, Estimate 66 000 - 88 000 €: Not sold

Gooding & Company, Geared online auction, August 3 – 7, 2020

no location

• 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet, Coachwork by Letourneur et Marchand
  Chassis: 57644, Engine: 470, Estimate $1,300,000 - $1,600,000: Not sold

• 1939 Bugatti 57 Cabriolet 4 places by Vanvooren
  Chassis No. 57780, Engine n° 546, Frame n° 438, Body n° 2940
  Estimate 600 000 - 800 000€, No reserve, Sold at 500 640€ (Including premium)

• 1939 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet by Gangloff, Chassis No. 57731, Engine No. 527, Estimate €750,000 - €850,000: Sold for €770,000 inc.premium

Despite its title, this is a 21st-century tribute to Bugatti’s voluptuous Type 57S Atlantic by Terry Cook. It's wearing a glassfibre body and is powered by a BMW fuel-injected 12-cylinder engine mated to an automatic transmission, with mod cons including air-con and electric windows.

Nevertheless, it is definitely a head-turner! Imagine driving up to the start of a Bugatti Rally in one of those!

Bidding closed on 28 May, with the top bid being $220,000.

1. Bugatti La Voiture Noire - € 17 million
With an asking price of € 17 million, La Voiture Noire is the undisputed number one. This car is so unique that only one copy was produced which has already been sold. This car was presented in 2019, but will not be finished until 2021. In terms of specs, this most expensive car in the world doesn't really have much extra to offer over the already sufficient 1600HP of the Chiron from which it was derived. The high asking price is mainly justified by the design and the fact that there is only one copy. That exclusivity ensures that the car will only increase in value.

2. Rolls-Royce Sweptail - € 11.5 million
The world's second most expensive car was built at the request of one customer. The car was worked on for four years to meet all customer requirements. The most striking features of this car are the all-glass roof and the recessed cooling system in the center console. With one press of a button, a bottle of champagne and two crystal glasses emerge.

Does the asking price of the Sweptail seem a bit too high? A slightly more affordable Rolls-Royce was launched last year. Maybe this is more within your budget. However, compared with the La Voiture Noire, this Rolls-Royce sure is ugly, especially from the front!

3. Bugatti Centodieci - € 8.1 million
Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the 10 buyers who will receive this car next year. More copies will not be produced. This car is based on the current Bugatti Chiron and the EB110 from 1991. The Centodieci has four-wheel drive and 8.0-liter W16 engine with four turbochargers. The top speed of this car is limited to 380 km / h. The car reaches 100 km / h in 2.4 seconds, 200 km / h in 6.1 seconds and 300 km / h in 13.1 seconds.

4. Mercedes Benz Maybach Exelero - € 7.3 million
This car is also a unique example: there is only one. The car was introduced in 2005 but was only sold to rapper Birdman in 2011. It amounted to more than € 7 million for this exceptional car. The Maybach Exelero has a V12 biturbo and 700 hp on board. The maximum speed of the car is 350 km / h. The Maybach Exelero can reach 100 km / h in 4.4 seconds. Nice detail: the car made its appearance in the video clip “Lost One” by by rapper Jay-Z.

5. Bugatti Divo - € 5 million
Only 40 copies of this Bugatti Divo were produced. One was bought by a Dutchman. The Dutch buyer was allowed to assemble the car in detail, but had to take one thing into account: a top speed of 380 km / h. The Divo is based on the Chiron and gets 1500 hp and 1600 Nm of torque from an 8.0-liter W16 engine with 4 turbos. The Divo, like the Chiron, reaches 100 km / h in 2.4 seconds. What is the difference with the Chiron? This car is lighter and more aerodynamic. The rear spoiler of the Divo is also wider than that of the Chiron.

So, I hear you think, after so much dreaming; get back on your feet and realise that compared with some of the classic Bugattis, these are cheap automobiles. Relatively that is. We know that the Type 57SC Atlantic was sold to Peter Mullin and an associate for over 32 million $. If any of the Royales would come to market now, one should think more in the region of 50 million....

On the other side; one does not always need a deep pocket to buy something completely unique. I did last week, it's the last one in existence, which is something that can't be said of most Bugattis!

The above is an excerpt of a publication by the Bugatti company in 1948, which was mostly a review of the history of Ettore and the Bugatti company in Molsheim. The 4-page document was called "Les 50 Années de Génie Mécanique d'Ettore BUGATTI 1898 - 1948" (The fifty years of mechanical genius of Ettore Bugatti, 1898 - 1948)

It clearly states that the year 1910 was the year that the company started in Molsheim, translated in English it reads:

So hopefully this will finally end all discussions and that 2020 is the year that the Bugatti company was founded 110 years ago. Of course I would not mind if any of my readers, in these times that outdoor water activities are banned, dive into their libraries of books and other documents, and see if they can help me find the exact date that the Bugatti company was established in Molsheim!

Lastly: I hope you and your families are all well, with only some computer virus popping up now and again, but not the real desease!

The entire world is hit by the Covid-19 virus (or Corona in some countries, even called the "Chinese" virus by our friend the president of the USA), and the strict measures in an attempt to control it.
First of all; I hope that all of you, my readers, and your families and relatives are well. I wish you can cope with these difficult times, healthwise of course, but also financially for those in danger of losing thier job, or their business.

The virus even affected this website; I have seen an increase in visitors over the last week, by about a quarter. Rest assured that this website will remain enitrely virus free; you can access it without mouth protection, can even sneeze at it without risk, and do not need to keep 1.5 meters distance....

So for all of you: Heads up, and if you're feeling bored: You can enjoy yourself for several hours reading all Questions, all news items and event announcements since 1995, and all 62 back issues of the Bugatti Revue!

Jaap Horst

However, there were rumours about a smaller Bugatti, and thus it seems now, that these rumours were in fact true!

So what were the characteristics: A front mounted twin-turbo 4-litre V8, in fact the same one which was used by Bentley and produces more than 500 HP there, it might have produced even more in the Bugatti. Other options would have been a fully electric Atlantic, which would have had 4 electric motors. And there were even plans for a roadster!

Pricewise: it would have been "cheaper" than the Chiron, probably around 1 million only.

"Our president at the time, Wolfgang Dürheimer, pulled all the strings just to get Bugatti to a black zero so we were at least not costing the group money. We needed to be on the safe side to avoid being sold off from one day to another, because, in the first year, nobody could really judge the dimensions of the coming financial catastrophe. Everything was play it safe. It stayed that way for us for nearly two years," Anscheidt explained.

The Chiron was at a much more advanced stage in the development process so it was too late to cancel it. "We were five months away from the 2016 Geneva Auto Show where we planned to unveil it," Anscheidt explained. He candidly told me executives would have otherwise pulled the plug on the project to save as much money as possible, and they would have put Bugatti in a "freeze frame" while they riddled out what to do with the brand.

"We showed it to Stephan Winkelmann. He said 'I really, really like it, it's super exotic, we would find customers that would be interested in that. But, there's no chance in technical development we can make this fly, we have so many things do to. Can we not create this story, La Voiture Noire, on the base of the Chiron?' That's where it all started," he revealed, referencing the one-off, $19-million coupe unveiled in 2019. The former Lamborghini executive gave Anscheidt the freedom he needed to make the La Voiture Noire a reality, and he played a key role in fast-tracking other projects (like the Divo and the Centodieci) to production.

Below: video by "Supercar blondie", where you can see how annoyingly slow the doors actually open. Though, that may have been faster in the production model.

• Ettore Bugatti's personal pasta machine, Estimate € 4,600 - 9,200: Sold for US$ 37,575 inc.premium (€ 33,839)
• 1925 Bugatti Type 30 Sports Tourer, Chassis no. 4725, Engine no. 418, Estimate € 370,000 - 420,000 Not sold ("Amended")
• 1928 Bugatti Type 44 Cabriolet by F. Gerber, Chassis no. 44857, Estimate € 300,000 - 330,000: Sold for US$ 335,000 inc.premium (€ 301,693)
• 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Super Sport Roadster, Chassis no. 55220, Engine no. 21, Estimate € 6,000,000 - 8,800,000: Sold for US$ 7,100,000 inc.premium (€ 6,394,092)
• A large metal Bugatti sign, Sold for US$ 10,700 inc.premium (€ 9,636)

RM Sotheby's - Amelia Island Auction, USA, March 6 - 7, 2020

• 1927 Bugatti Type 38A Supercharged, Chassis No. 38470, Engine no. 209, ex 38275, Estimate: $350,000 - $400,000: Not sold.
• 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet by D'Ieteren, Chassis No.57589, Engine No.464, Body No.5219, Estimate: $1,500,000 - $2,000,000: Sold For $1,655,000 inc.premium
• 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff, Chassis No. 57834, Engine No. 103C, Estimate: $800,000 - $950,000: Sold For $797,000 inc.premium

So, apart from the T55 and T57 Cabriolet by D'Ieteren, which both sold quite nicely close to their lower estimates, Pasta machines sell better than automobiles!

Flat front end, dynamic design and impressive rear spoiler – it’s clear from the outset that the new Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport yearns for corners and challenging country roads. Pure and unadulterated. A genuine thoroughbred.

Bugatti has been producing sports cars homologated for public roads for over 110 years. In the past, vehicles such as the Type 13 and Type 35 have claimed countless victories at international hill climbs and road races. The Chiron Pur Sport is no exception to this long-standing tradition. The new model is an uncompromising hypersports car for exactly those winding roads – a new aerodynamic configuration generates more downforce while the lower weight increases agility. Even travelling at average speeds will stimulate all the senses thanks to a close-ratio transmission, high-performance tyres with a new material mix geared towards extreme grip as well as an agile chassis and suspension setup. By contrast with the Chiron Super Sport 300+, the recordbreaking car that exceeded the threshold of 300 miles per hour for the first time, the Chiron Pur Sport focuses on extraordinary, tangible performance throughout the entire range of speeds.

“We spoke to customers and realised they wanted a vehicle that is geared even more towards agility and dynamic cornering. A hypersports car that yearns for country roads with as many bends as possible. An unadulterated, uncompromising driving machine. Consequently, the vehicle is called Chiron Pur Sport”, explains Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “By cutting the weight by 50 kilogrammes while simultaneously boosting the downforce and configuring an uncompromising, sporty chassis as well as suspension setup, the Chiron Pur Sport boasts incredible grip, sensational acceleration and extraordinarily accurate handling. It’s the most uncompromising yet agile Bugatti of recent times.”

Extraordinary design
The Chiron Pur Sport’s concept has been geared towards agility in every sense of the word. The Design Development department’s focus was to lend the Pur Sport a confident appearance. As a result, the front end is dominated by an intentionally dynamic expression. Very wide air inlets and an enlarged horseshoe panel at the bottom serve as perfect radiator air outlets. The vehicle’s striking splitter generates maximum downforce by protruding considerably at the front while also making the vehicle seem wider. Primary lines run across the air outlets on the front wing like tendons on a muscle, radiating the design image of a well-honed athlete.

A new optional split paintwork design has been developed for the Chiron Pur Sport. The entire bottom third of the vehicle features exposed carbon fibre to make the vehicle seem even lower. From the sides these dark surfaces merge with the colour of the road surface and make the Pur Sport appear even flatter.

The rear of the Pur Sport proudly carries the vehicle’s rear spoiler spanning 1.90 metres to generate serious amounts of downforce, and the striking diffuser also significantly boosts the vehicle’s aerodynamics. In this process, angled wing mounts form a large X in conjunction with the rear apron, a feature that is inspired by elements of science fiction and motorsport . The design is rounded off by the extremely lightweight and highly temperature-resistant exhaust tailpipe made of 3D-printed titanium. This production method gives the components very thin walls, thus helping to save weight where it really matters.

The vehicle interior is deliberately sporty and raw, and has been reduced to the absolute minimum. Large surfaces have been upholstered with Alcantara to save weight. Dynamic patterns have been lasered into the Alcantara door trim panels featuring contrasting fabric highlights with a metal look. Alcantara guarantees an ideal grip on the steering wheel and improves the side support on seats – even at extreme lateral acceleration levels. All trim and controls are made exclusively of either black, anodised aluminium or titanium. Contrasting cross-stitching adds colour highlights, as do the steering wheel’s 12 o’clock spoke and the blue centre spine.

Sophisticated aerodynamics and exhaust system
A large diffuser and fixed rear spoiler generate plenty of downforce at the back end, while also helping to boost agility. At the same time, doing away with the hydraulic component of the otherwise automatically extending spoiler reduces the weight by ten kilogrammes. Rear wing mounts and diffuser form an aggressive and sporty X-shaped design. “We focussed particularly on the agility of the Chiron Pur Sport. The vehicle generates more downforce at the rear axle while the large, front splitter, air inlets, wheel-arch vents featuring optimised air outlets and a reduced vehicle height strike a clean balance at the front”, Frank Heyl, Head of Exterior Design and Deputy Head Designer at Bugatti, explains.

New wheel design
Frank Heyl and the Technical Development department teamed up to devise a magnesium wheel design featuring optional aero blades for the Pur Sport. Arranged in a ring, the blades guarantee ideal wheel ventilation while also boosting aerodynamics. While the vehicle is in motion the rings fitted to the rim extract air outwards from the wheel where it is immediately drawn towards the rear. This invention prevents adverse turbulence in the wheel area and also improves the flow across the side of the vehicle. A special cover on each of the five wheel nuts minimises turbulence and adds a final visual touch to the wheel’s design. Cutting the weight by a total of 16 kilogrammes results in a lower unladen weight and also reduces the unsprung masses of the already ultra-light Bugatti wheels. “All of the modifications make the Pur Sport’s handling more accurate, direct and predictable. Lower unsprung masses result in improved grip because the wheel maintains contact with the road surface more easily. Anyone behind the wheel will immediately feel its lightweight character through bends”, Jachin Schwalbe, Head of Bugatti Chassis Development, adds. An accomplished interpretation of “form follows performance”.

New tyre development
Bugatti and Michelin developed the new and exclusive Bugatti Sport Cup 2 R tyre in 285/30 R20 dimensions at the front and 355/25 R21 at the rear to match the new Aero wheel design. Thanks to a modified tyre structure and a rubber mix that creates more grip, this combination boosts the vehicle’s lateral acceleration by 10% to additionally increase its cornering speed.

Uncompromising chassis and suspension setup
Bugatti specifically configured the chassis and suspension to be uncompromising on winding roads – without any detrimental effect on comfort. A new chassis setup featuring 65% firmer springs at the front and 33% firmer springs at the rear, an adaptive damping control strategy geared towards performance as well as modified camber values (minus 2.5 degrees) guarantee even more dynamic handling and added agility in bends. Carbon-fibre stabilisers at the front and rear additionally minimise roll. “This setup makes the Chiron Pur Sport steer more directly and accurately through bends and maintains the grip levels for a very long time – even at high speeds. In conjunction with 19 kilogrammes of weight reduction of the unsprung masses the Pur Sport almost glides across roads”, Jachin Schwalbe explains. In addition to the wheels’ weight reduction totalling 16 kilogrammes, titanium brake pad base panels cut the vehicle’s weight by a further two kilogrammes while brake discs strike yet another kilogramme off the total weight. “These 19 kilogrammes fully contribute towards the performance. Less weight results in more grip and tangibly more comfort, as adaptive dampers are forced to deal with lower masses to thus be able to maintain the wheels’ contact with the road surface more easily”, Jachin Schwalbe adds. Engineers have guaranteed more direct contact with the road surface by making the connection between chassis, suspension and body 130% firmer at the front and 77% firmer at the rear.

Apart from the four familiar EB, Motorway, Handling and Sport drive modes, the Chiron Pur Sport[1] features the new Sport + drive mode to make this enhanced performance more emotionally tangible. In contrast to Sport mode, the traction control system kicks into action on dry race tracks at a significantly later point in the new mode aimed at more skilled cornering experts, making it possible for drivers to change their personal driving style even more than before from razor-sharp ideal lines to drifts, also through fast corners.

New transmission development
A new transmission featuring an overall gear ratio that has been configured 15% closer together guarantees even more dynamic handling and further improves the power distribution of the 8.0-litre W16 engine generating 1,500 horsepower and 1,600 newton metres of torque. The vehicle now unleashes its full power at 350 km/h. “We were forced to reduce the speed as a result of the vastly increased downforce, generated by the new rear spoiler”, Schwalbe explains. 80% of the transmission has been revised while the entire gear set including four shafts and seven forward gears has been adapted to the new conditions. “We reconfigured each gear and calibrated new ratios despite this iconic engine boasting an abundance of power. The gears are closer together now to enable shorter gear jumps and also benefit performance. Most of all when coming out of corners the Chiron Pur Sport accelerates even more aggressively in conjunction with the added grip as well as the more direct chassis and suspension”, Gregor Gries says as the Head of Major Assemblies at Bugatti. At the same time Bugatti has increased the maximum engine speed of the W16 unit by 200 rpm to 6,900 rpm. In conjunction with the closer overall gear ratio this creates significantly better elasticity. As a result, the Chiron Pur Sport accelerates from 60 to 120 km/h almost two seconds faster than the already lightning-fast Chiron.
All in all the elasticity values are 40% better compared with the Chiron.

Production output and cost
2020 will be a special year for Bugatti. The French manufacturer based in Molsheim will be delivering the first Bugatti Divo vehicles this year, a creation showcased at Pebble Beach in 2018, as part of a limited small-scale series totalling 40 units. Production of the Chiron Pur Sport will start in the second half of 2020. Limited to 60 units at three million euros excluding VAT. “With the Chiron Pur Sport we are showcasing an outstanding vehicle that makes your heart race shortly after having started the engine to push the limits of driving physics even further to the limit than any vehicle ever has done before. This means we have come full circle, back to the good, old Bugatti tradition”, Stephan Winkelmann adds confidently.

• D'apres Rembrandt Bugatti 1884-1916, Petit éléphant dressé, circa 1920-1930, Sold at €33,800

Silver sculpture, old lost wax cast bearing the stamp of the founder Valsuani. According to a model created in 1904 and chosen by Ettore Bugatti to serve as mascots for the radiator caps of the Bugatti Royale produced in the workshops of Molsheim from 1926

Model similar to that auctioned on July 5, 2009 during the sale of the Estate of Madame Fritz Schlumpf by the house of Gasser Audhuy in Strasbourg.

Provenance: sale June 16, 2013, Châlon auction house, SVV Dessaut, lot 100.

To start with, the "Bugatti Chassis number contest" only received one reaction. Ulf Kossenjans had 12 out of 18 of the Bugattis (one of which appeared twice) in the 5 collages correct. So he is the deserved winner. Congratulations Ulf!

The correct answers were:

After long deliberations amongst the team of judges, considering quality, originality of the subject and of course also the important matter of taste, the winners are Nik Levecque and Geoffrey Severin.

Nik sent in an original short story, The Bordoli Bugatti, though in the meantime he is also competing in another category...

Most of us know the original Bugatti drawings by Francois Chevalier, as collected in his book "Le petit Bugattiste Illustré" from 2003. There are loads of fantasy Bugattis in the book (see on the right), some of which Geoffrey turned into 3D miniatures, the one at the top of the article, as well as the one shown below. He also made some of his own fantasies in 3D though! Well executed and original! Congratulations Geoffrey!

The winners will be asked to take their pick of the available prizes (I'm sorry to say, but I never did receive a reaction from Mr. Winkelmann). All entrants for the contest, from the winners and all other esteemed contestants, will be available soon in a special issue of the Bugatti Revue.

So, what do we have?

In fact there are two contests, one for the mathemagicians amongst the Bugattistes, the other for the Artistic ones!

Bugatti Chassis number contest
The first contest is an easy one for those who enjoy Bugatti chassis numbers, know them by heart for 95% of the existing Bugattis, and probably know all the owners of these Bugattis from new until now as well.
What you have to do is easy, there are 5 collages here of Bugattis, for the classic Bugattis you give the chassis numbers for all Bugattis visible in each of them. That's 4 collages, the last one is of the modern Bugattis, all you have to do here, is to give the specific type and/or name. Chassis numbers not needed.
The photographs are just cut and put together, all have been on my website in the last few years, or still are, and they are not changed in any other way (though I may have mirrored one or two images, just to make the nose of the car point in the right direction). There is the one collage above, and four below. Each can be clicked on to view a larger size image. In total there are 18 parts of Bugattis in these collages, the Bugattiste with the most correct answers will win.

Bugatti Artistic contest
As all of us know, the chassis number approach is one way to be a Bugattiste, but there are many more. I am in fact one of those who does not know many chassis numbers, I'm also interested in the artistic side of Bugatti, both the automobiles as well as the furniture, paintings and statues. Following in the footsteps of the famous family, you are requested to make some artistic contribution for this contest.
This may be a nicely written story, either an anecdote of an event that really happened, or total fantasy. Other contributions can be drawings, paintings, photographs, collages (better than mine!), miniatures (preferably not a standard built kit, anyone who feels tempted to build a collage in 3D?), websites? or something which I have not thought of yet but has an artistic side to it, and Bugatti related of course.

Worldwide Auctioneers Riyadh auction, November 23, 2019

• 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Coupe Chassis no. 57641, Coachwork by Gangloff: Not Sold

RM - Sotheby's Arizona Auction, January 16-17, 2020

• 2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4, Chassis No. VF9SA25C78M795066, Sold For $1,105,000 incl. premium

RM Sotheby's - PARIS Auction, February 5, 2020

• 1925 Bugatti Type 23, Chassis No. 2400, Engine No. 898: NOT Sold
• 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff, Chassis No. 57737, Engine No. 50C: NOT Sold
• 2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, Chassis No. VFSG25282M795011: Sold for €1,523,750 (including auction costs)

Bonhams Auction, Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais, Paris, February 6, 2020

• 1913 Bugatti Type 13 Sports, Chassis no. 13 506 R, Estimate € 190,000 - € 240,000: Sold for €184,000 inc.premium
• 1922 Bugatti Type 23, Estimate € 500,000 - € 600,000: Not sold
• 1926 Bugatti Type 39, Chassis no. 4607, Estimate € 1,050,000 - € 1,400,000: Not sold
• 1927 Bugatti Type 40 'Grand Sport' Roadster, Chassis no. 40273, Estimate € 350,000 - 450,000: Sold for € 333,500 inc. premium
• 1931 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster Figoni, Chassis no. 55221, Estimate €4 - 7 M: Sold for € 4,600,000 inc. premium
• 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Coupé, Chassis no. 57633, Estimate € 1,500,000 - 1,800,000: Not sold
• 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Cabriolet Gangloff, Chassis no. 57836, Estimate € 1,350,000 - € 1,650,000: Not sold

Artcurial Retromobile Auction, February 7, 2020

• 1927/28 Bugatti 37/44 monoplace, Châssis n° 37334 , Estimate € 380,000 - € 460,000: Not sold
• 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet par Vanvooren, Chassis no. 57162, Estimate € 450,000 - € 650,000: Sold for €500,640 inc. premium
• 1935 Bugatti 57 torpédo "Paris-Nice", Chassis n° 57300 , Estimate € 420,000 - € 560,000: Not sold

One thing I had missed, and which sold for €2550 at the Bonhams Auction, was a rather special Mascot by Bugatti (and stamped Bugatti!), the "Oiseau de Vitesse" or "Speed bird".

It is nickel-plated brass, stamped with Bugatti emblem to underside and with stamped number 37 to underside of tail, of simple form (or one could say, a cubist approach to a flying bird) and believed to be a mascot design for Bugatti Type 37A, 21.5cm long. Apart from the famous Royale Elephant, it is the only mascot by Bugatti that I know of.

An example of this mascot was fitted to the Comte Souza Dantos "La Cage a Mouche" ("The Fly Cage") Type 37A Bugatti with coachwork by Million-Guiet.

The New "La Maison Pur Sang" Program
“Bugatti vehicles have always been special automobiles. Exceptional design, outstanding performance and the latest technology characterize each Bugatti,” emphasizes Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “In order to allow owners to experience and enjoy the outstanding technology flawlessly, we have decided to provide intensive support in our factory with the “La Maison Pur Sang” program.” Luigi Galli, a new specialist for Tradition and Certification at Bugatti, has been in charge of this special task since September. In his role, he is the first point of contact for customers of historic Bugatti automobiles and the various Bugatti clubs.

The program is being rolled out gradually, based on the certification of the authenticity of historic cars. The genuineness of an automobile is determined by Luigi Galli and his team of experts through intensive research of all available information - historical documents, admission registers, photo documents, or even the comparison of certain component numbers. After successive stages of expansion, the restoration of historic automobiles from Bugatti will also be carried out in the future.

“Tradition and history are a great privilege, but also a great responsibility for us. We are always faced by it. We’re conscious of our 110+ years of tradition and want to enable many of our historical vehicles to continue to drive perfectly on the road or to be in collections even after decades,” explains Stephan Winkelmann. "With 'La Maison Pur Sang' we offer an official framework for these automotive treasures. It is very important to protect and preserve Bugatti's tradition and heritage, as well as the existing knowledge of the brand. ”

Bugatti Veyron Turns 15 - with a New Loyalty Program
Fifteen years have passed since its world premiere - and yet the Veyron is as fit as ever with appropriate maintenance. It is not for nothing that Bugatti offers a loyalty program for the Veyron, which makes it possible to extend the guarantee. This makes Bugatti the only manufacturer to offer a warranty on its vehicles even after more than twelve years. Regular, annual maintenance at the authorized Bugatti contract partner is required. Preventive measures and comprehensive service can ensure that the hyper sports car is guaranteed to bring its inner beast to the road in a controlled and reliable manner. The best thing: technical solutions and shorter service times with regular maintenance reduce the total cost for the customer by half.

If you want to give your Veyron a fresh new look, you can do so in the future. In the first step, reconfiguration and restoration is offered for the Bugatti Veyron, followed by recertification. Specially trained technicians in Molsheim examine the vehicles closely and record every detail. Then they combine the results in an extensive booklet. Measurement taking as part of the loyalty program and “La Maison Pur Sang” will further support the positive performance of the Bugatti Veyron in recent few years.

Several outstanding models, a world record and a great 110th (109th) anniversary celebration. 2019 was an eventful year for the French luxury manufacturer of hyper sports cars. Bugatti celebrated its 110th anniversary in this year, making the company one of the oldest hyper sports car marques still in existence. Bugatti also developed several exclusive Edition models in what turned out to be a record year in all respects.

“We designed some outstanding hyper sports cars in 2019,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. These included the Chiro “110 ans Bugatti”, a homage to the French homeland. There was also the “La Voiture Noire”, for Bugatti enthusiasts the most exclusive, beautiful and valuable Gran Tourismo there is. It’s the haute couture of automotive engineering – elegant, powerful and unique. Since the summer, Bugatti has also referenced the Italian intermezzo of the Bugatti marque with the “Centodieci”. At the same time, this is a nod to the Bugatti EB110, the super sports car of the 1990s.

“Although we’re proud to look back on our past, we’re looking forward to the future with purpose and pleasure. In 2019, we were again able to increase our production and also deliver more customised Chiron vehicles to our customers. This year, the first Divo model will leave our studio in Molsheim,” explains Stephan Winkelmann. With the Divo, Bugatti has extended its longstanding tradition of coach-building, which involves placing specially designed bodies on an existing chassis. This is a concept which has received great interest. The small series, limited to 40 cars, is sold out even before the official world premiere. Moreover, production of the Chiron is planned through to the end of 2021, and fewer than 100 of the 500 hyper sports cars are still available.

Stephan Winkelmann promises further highlights in the model series for 2020. “We’re living in a revolutionary era. We will present further high-performance vehicles in 2020, because Bugatti remains true to its philosophy of developing the best cars in the world.” At the same time, Bugatti will retroactively make its locations worldwide and the kilometres driven by Bugatti vehicles CO2-neutral from 2018. “By doing this, we’re taking responsibility for generations to come and placing Bugatti in a sustainable position for the future,” says Stephan Winkelmann.

La Marque is followed by continuing speculation. Rumours revolve around new models and bear witness to the enormous passion of Bugatti enthusiasts worldwide. However, Bugatti will not reveal its plans for the year. “All I can say is this: we’ll be presenting a few interesting surprises in 2020. We have several ideas and are continuing to work on the future of our traditional marque,” promises Winkelmann.

However, the paintwork directly rang a bell in my head, I had seen this exact type of paintjob before, a kind of leather-look never before seen on a GP Bugatti.

So, it is certainly not original, I saw this exact same car at Retromobile in February 2018, on the stand of Pur Sang, see: www.bugattirevue.com/revue59/retro.htm Scroll down quite a bit...

Since I saw it on Retromobile, some more instruments have been added to the dash, as well as some ornaments to the front. They stuck a pair of "old" licenseplates to it and tried to make the car look old. They also found documents from somewhere, which maybe the original documents of the real 37186 (the chassis of which is now in another Bugatti). Or if not, they are convincing fakes. They also stamped the number 37186 in the engine (using the wrong type of numbers). I communicated with another friend of mine in the Bugatti world, he also knew about this car being offered, though for € 450k in that case.

So, this car, how original it may look, is a full replica, with Pur Sang origins.

I'm afraid the owner has an asking price which is a factor 10 too high (I'd value it at around 150,000 euro in this shape, if you get it registered in the country you live in. This is usually difficult for a replica these days...
Below, various details of the car now, and how it was at Retromobile 2018.

Left, in 2018, the right two photographs as it is now. Added reflectors and number plate. Ugly number plate illumination.

Original front of the T37A, and as it is now. Many details added, and the Pur Sang badge replaced by a Bugatti one. A lot more corrosion also...

Dashboard in 2018, and as it is now, two years later. Some instruments added, and a whole lot of emblems which try to give the car an appearance as if it has lived 92 years. However, it is much too clean around these instruments and badges; the edges are always where you can not clean or polish.
The "Pur Sang" type recognisable distributor cap has been replaced by something which does look more period correct. Maybe one of few original parts on the car?

Not many changes to the engine compartment. Spark plug holder added and some other parts. Everything looks rather new. Look at that shiny waterpump!

No, it wasn't. 110 Years of Bugatti is now, 2020. Did Bugatti SAS make a mistake? Yes they did, the same as what they did in 2009, when they said it was 100 years of Bugatti. Of course they had to continue that error of 11 years ago last year.

But what is the truth about this? In fact yes, Bugatti was talking with investors about starting for himself, already in the summer of 1909. Some sources state that Ettore Bugatti and Ernest Friderich were in the Hardtmühle in Dorlisheim painting the walls of the building towards the end of that year, while another source (Steinhauser) states that it was Friderich alone who was in Dorlisheim during Christmas of 1909, to make preparations to the building, and also was looking for new staff for the company.

However, the official papers to register the company were signed not earlier than Januari 1 (or 2, depending on the source), 1910. While (again Steinhauser) states that Bugatti did not come to Molsheim / Dorlisheim before January 13, 1910.

Thus, the conclusion is, that the Bugatti company was founded not before January 1910, and that the exact date of the start of the company changes a bit depending on the source you are using, ranging from January 1, to maybe the 14th of January, 1910. And thus, 110 years of Bugatti can be celebrated the whole year 2020!
Of course, if anybody has any proof that Bugatti started in 1909, I'd be happy to see it!

Luckily, the exact start of the BugattiPage is better known. It started on February 27, 1995, as can be read in the "birthday" article of one year later. In 1996, I also started the Bugatti Revue, on April 1, 1996.

The oldest save of this website (at the then address dutoc74.iotudelft.nl/bugjaap.htm) which I could find was from January 19, 1997, see below. These old versions of a website (any website in fact) can be found on the "Wayback machine", at https://archive.org/web/web.php.
I started in a time that the Internet was still a domain for enthusiasts, with promises of absolutely open and democratic free communication between people all over the world. In part this did become a reality, see my BugattiPage, but largely the Internet became the domain of Ultra commercial companies like Facebook and Google who know all your most intimate details, Fake news and Russian and Chinese hackers....
My website however remained largely the same, basically non-commercial, with only a very limited amount of adverts....

On the occasion of 25 years BugattiPage, I plan on organising a contest again, like I have done in the past. The last one was back in 2008, and was a writing contest. The ones before that were in 2005 (a photo contest) and in 2002 (General contest of art, stories, miniatures). Results of these past contests can be seen in the "past issue" part of the Bugatti Revue.

So stay tuned to this page where the announcement for the next contest will be published soon!

This may well be the most famous of all sporting Bugattis, having scored massive success in the 1930s, including multiple Grands Prix victories, in the hands of such luminaries as Robert Benoist, Louis Chiron, René Dreyfus, Piero Taruffi, Achille Varzi and Jean-Pierre Wimille.

It retired from the sport in 1937 and was then sold to King Leopold III of Belgium – it goes to auction in gloriously unrestored condition.

The other Bugattis on offer are hardly much less notable.

In the care of the current owner, chassis 57644 benefitted from a complete, concours-quality restoration overseen by esteemed Bugatti authority Scott Sargent of Sargent Metal Works in Vermont. This work saw the car returned to its original splendor, with the Cabriolet coachwork beautifully refinished in a dynamic two-tone green color scheme. Consequently, the experts at Leydon Restoration completely rebuilt the original engine and included the fitment of a Brineton Engineering supercharger, bringing the car up to full 57C specification.

Upon completion of its three-year restoration, the Type 57 entered the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® where it successfully won a class award, and has since participated in several American Bugatti Club events across the US. Featuring spectacular original coachwork by Letourneur et Marchand, a history chronicled by respected marque historians, and exceptional provenance, chassis 57644 offers an exciting opportunity to acquire a historically significant and exquisitely restored Type 57 Bugatti.

• One of the last five Bugatti Type 57 built
• One of the legendary Bordeaux Orphans
• The last 4-seater Bugatti Cabriolet built by Vanvooren
• Exhibited at the Paris Motor Show
• Restoration to the highest level
• Award winner at Masterpieces / Schloss Dyck
• Fully documented
• From the Volante Collection

Chassis n° '57780' / engine n° 546
With the assistance of Bugatti specialists Pierre-Yves Laugier, David Sewell, Julius Kruta, Helge Hauck, Kees Jansen, Sandy Leith and Patrick Arnaud, the current owner of the car, himself an automotive historian and Vanvooren specialist, has uncovered the remarkable 80-year history of this special Bugatti after years of meticulous work. It all begins with the last five Type 57s built at the Molsheim factory, whose story Kees Jansen describes in his article "The Fate of the Bordeaux Orphans", published in 2014 in Bugantics Vol. 77, No. 2. It says there accordingly:
"With the threat of war in sight, the French government decided to impose a new policy: Bugatti was to be made part of the military operation being ordered to produce aviation parts for the French air force. As it was very close to the German border and an easy target for bombardments, the government decided to relocate the entire factory to Bordeaux. The current production of cars had to be stopped and Bugatti made an inventory of the remaining stock of cars and other material. Some cars were finished as rolling chassis, some were unfinished and a number of cars from clients that were present at that moment were also recorded.

Amongst others, the list included 5 finished cars (2 type 57 'C's, 3 non-supercharged type 57s). As usual, the rolling chassis were all denoted by their respective engine numbers. They were: Moteur 110C, 109C, 546, 539 and 547. None of the finished or unfinished rolling chassis were given a chassis number, which was usually only allotted at the very last moment when the chassis left the factory. And none of these would ever be given a chassis number by the factory, even at a later date. They had simply been stamped with the engine number, and the chassis numbers that were later used were 'numbers of convenience'. In the factory records (the 'Pracht Carnets') Pracht usually noted the chassis number in pencil and added the engine number, the customer and the delivery date later; this was made definite in ink once the car left the factory. For the non-supercharged cars, he had noted in pencil the following chassis numbers: 57780, 57781, 57782. He assigned the number '57780' to engine 546, and this is clearly what it would have become if the circumstances had not dictated otherwise. This car was the latest model, with vertical telescopic shock absorbers, factory hydraulic brakes (standard since 1938) and a type III 57 engine. It has always been, and still is, registered as 546."

Chassis '57780'/546 is still completely original. It bears the frame number 438, which shows that the engine 546 was installed in the frame after June 1939. The number 546 can also be found on the rear axle differential. The engine block bears the number 446, which is also stamped on the original cylinder heads. The entire powertrain with all assembly numbers has not been changed since production over 80 years ago. For comparison: the famous last Bugatti Coupe Vanvooren 57835/102C has frame number 430 and engine block 432.

In 1941, after the occupation of France by the German Wehrmacht, the Bugatti inventory that had been transferred to Bordeaux, including the new chassis, was taken back to Molsheim by the order of Hans Trippel. It is not possible to date exactly when the car received its coachwork there. But there are indications that this happened during the time of the German occupation.

Vanvooren body n° 2940
Gustave Achille Vanvooren was born in Paris in 1857 and started working for his father's carriage building business at the age of 12. He took over in 1888 and by the turn of the century, the Carrosserie Vanvooren, based at 33 rue Marbeuf in Paris, had established a reputation for high quality and distinctive, luxury coachbuilding. In 1906, construction of carriages ceased and the company turned their attention to automobile coachwork, manufactured at new facilities at rue Pierre l'Homme, Courbevoie in the NW of Paris.

In 1922, a brilliant engineer from Lyon, Marius Joseph Daste took over the company and his patents revolutionized the world of coachbuilding. In 1929, together with his new partner René de Prandières, a former Bugatti race driver, he developed and patented a metal-panelled, flexible body, using 'Silentbloc' mountings and joints. In 1930 he introduced their pillarless four-door saloon design at the Paris and London Motor Shows. Patented as the 'Silent Travel' system, it was considered by many to be the best of the post-Weymann systems, successfully combining the advantages of a lightweight, flexible body with a quiet drive, housed in attractive coachwork.

In 1932 Daste moved to Hispano-Suiza, which led to a strong relationship between Vanvooren and the manufacturer. Between 1931 and 1937, approximately 200 of 450 Hispano-Suizas built were bodied by Vanvooren. De Prandières was on good terms with the established agent Dominic Lamberjack, and as a consequence, some 150 Bugattis were fitted with Vanvooren bodies, including at least 36 cars of the 57 and 57S types, 20 of which were 2- or 4-seater cabriolets. Between 1900 and 1950 Vanvooren created approximately 2500 unique bodies that were fitted to chassis belonging to over 40 different manufacturers. Today, it is thought that only about 150 Vanvooren cars are still in existence. Among them are famous cars, which today can be found in the most important collections of the world. All of them are unique pieces, which are committed to the restrained elegance of the Vanvooren design lines, and which always took into account the wishes of the customers. The quality was of the highest standard and beyond any doubt.

Body n° 2940, intended for the stand of the 'Carrosserie Vanvooren' at the 1938 Paris Motor Show, was completed in September 1938. It was mounted on Bugatti chassis 57757/52C with frame n° 339, which had been delivered from Molsheim on August 12th of that year. On 30 September, one week before the Salon, the car was sold for 110,000 francs to the Brussels agent D'Ieteren and his customer Jean Washer. It was then delivered to Belgium on 15 November 1938, and both the design sketch by Vanvooren and three advertising pictures of the car, taken in the Bois du Boulogne, have been preserved. They were kindly provided by the Washer family, as well as pictures of Jean Washer himself and, incredibly, a silver trophy that he had won during his time as a tennis pro. Jean Washer, who was born on 22 August 1894 in Berchem and died on 22 March 1972 in Geneva, came from a family involved in the textile industry in Brussels. He started playing tennis after the war and his most successful year came in 1923 when he was ranked 9th worldwide. Professionally, he was responsible for the synthetic fibres department in the UCB Group (Union Chimique Belge). In 1928, Jean Washer acquired a splendid park in Drève de la Meute, Bois de Waterloo, in which the property "le Manoir" was situated. There the Bugatti found a home in November 1938. A photo taken during the winter of 1939 is showing Jean Washer, in gloves and helmet, posing next to his new acquisition, which was fitted with Belgian number plates. Half a year later, on May 10, 1940, the Germans invaded Belgium. The country surrendered on 28 May and the occupying forces installed themselves in Wallonia. They set up their quarters in "Le Manoir" and an officer confiscated the fast 57C cabriolet for his own use. The next trace of the car is found in Germany, in a body shop north of Frankfurt. During the car's recent restoration, when the woodwork and seats were dismantled, the coachwork number was revealed. It was stencilled on the back of the seats, in blue crayon on the wood and lead pencil on other parts. In total, the Vanvooren number 2940 appeared on over ten pieces of the coachwork. In the chronology of Vanvooren body numbers, it corresponds exactly to a production date of September 1938. Analysis of various parts of the body has revealed the rest of the story. The inside of a door panel shows a long inscription written in Sütterlin, an old German script used only until the early 1940s: "Erwin Leun, Karosseriebauer, Giessen. Klein Linden, Dammstrasse 14, Deutschland". The town of Klein Linden is located 400 km east of Waterloo, to the north of Frankfurt, and Leun's workshop is known for his work for the Wehrmacht during the war. Leun was commissioned to convert the Bugatti into an officer's radio car - a vehicle with large rod antennae and a cabinet-sized field radio on a trailer. For this purpose, the position of the spare wheel had to be altered, which was prominently located on the left fender. It was placed in a specially made mould in the trunk, the hole in the fender was closed. This gave space for the mounting of the 4m high rod antenna, whose drill holes and reinforcement plates became visible after the paint was removed. Aesthetically this change was a gain, because the car has a more elongated appearance without a spare wheel. A tow bar was welded on at the back, which involved cutting out a few centimetres at the bottom of the rear bodywork. The name Hammerstein appears engraved in the metal of the two front seat sliders. This could be the name of a German officer from the famous military family von Hammerstein, and be connected to the name of the officer who considered the car as loot and took it with him to Germany. The work at Leun's workshop was carried out in 1940/41. As for why the Vanvooren body was subsequently separated from its original chassis 57757/52C - there is a likely explanation for this.

The assembly of chassis '57780'/546 with Vanvooren body 2940
There is a strong possibility that the work was carried out in the factory at Molsheim. The car's current chassis came from new stock that had been stored in Bordeaux in 1940, and taken back to Molsheim in 1941. An auction was organised at the factory that year and the body from chassis 57757/52C with frame 339, the ex-1938 Salon Vanvooren cabriolet, was put on the new chassis '57780'/546 with frame 438.

Thanks to the BIG (Bugatti Identification Group) today we know what happened to the old chassis. The rear axle 52C and the frame 339 appear to have been subsequently used on the car of an enthusiast from Colmar right after the war. It received engine 283 ex-57404 (a car that was also on the Bordeaux list and whose engine could possibly be purchased on the same occasion) and a Gangloff four-seater cabriolet body from 1938 - 1939. From then, that car became known under n° 57404. The engine 52C never appeared again. Therefore we may assume that the engine was blown and could not be used anymore, which gives us an explanation for the disassembly of the Vanvooren body of 57757/52C.

After the war
After the war, we find '57780'/546 with Vanvooren coachwork in Austria. Mr. Girardoni, owner of a large Austrian sugar refinery, bought the car in the early 1950s, and according to his wife this transaction took place in 1951. She remembers receiving the car as a present from her husband, and using it daily, as well as taking it to the factory in Molsheim several times to be serviced. At this point, the car was petrol-green with tan leather interior, the antennae and the tow bar had been removed. Between 1952 and 1954 it was registered in Saint-Gilgen on lake Wolfgangsee, in the province of Salzburg, with the number S 33.696, and later in Burgenland, close to the factory, with the number B 31.133. Mrs Girardoni's family albums include numerous photos of the car and include some shots of the dashboard, which show it as being the 57C model - it had four small dials to the left and two larger ones flanking the steering wheel, all set on a lacquered wooden fascia, which would have been an option chosen by the coachbuilder. In 1965 the car was sold to the great Swedish collector Mr. Soderstrom, from Malmo. When he died, the Bugatti was put up for sale by his son, and bought in 1996 by Mr. Bonnigal. During his ownership, the car was repainted dark blue and was used on several occasions.

In 2014 the car became part of the Volante collection in Germany. The owner, a Vanvooren enthusiast and for many years archivist of the Carrosserie Vanvooren, united the Bugatti in his collection with a group of 9 other vehicles with Vanvooren coachwork, the largest group of this kind worldwide. He did so without knowing the special history of this Bugatti, solely out of appreciation for the coachbuilder. What he then found out in the course of the subsequent comprehensive restoration in cooperation with the Bugatti specialists inspired him all the more. A thorough analysis of the surfaces, carried out by Dr. Gundula Tutt, revealed remnants of both the original nitrocellulose paint and the original interior and leather upholstery. According to these specifications, the two original colours black and blue were remixed and the blue leather, which had a unique structure, was dyed and embossed in Italy by a specialist according to the historical model. The Bugatti was then entrusted to the workshop of René Grosse for a full-scale two-year restoration that cost in excess of 300,000 €. The seat set turned out to be original Vanvooren, it only had to be upholstered and covered anew. The rear of the car, modified during the war, was restored to its original configuration. Over 4,000 photographs were taken of different stages of the restoration, documenting the meticulous attention to detail taken by the team at Grosse's workshop, who have been familiar with the manufacturing techniques of the Vanvooren workshop in Courbevoie for many years, thanks to the orders of the Volante collection. There was no-one more qualified to return this 1938 Paris Motor Show Vanvooren cabriolet to its former glory. In 2018, the Volante collection successfully sold part of its vehicles at the Artcurial Retromobile sale. This exceptional Bugatti now presents another opportunity to purchase a historically unique vehicle from this high-quality collection. '57780'/546 was awarded at the FIVA A Concours "Masterpieces" at Schloss Dyck in June 2018. In a group of no less than six Bugatti Type 57, the judges, led by Julius Kruta, honoured the car with the Bugatti Award - a wonderful recognition of the significance of this unique vehicle and the work carried out on it.

Since then the Bugatti has been on display in the Volante Collection and has not been moved. A service before putting it back on the road is recommended.

Like many drivers of his era, Wimille was not merely a component of Bugatti’s competition concern, but an active road-car driver and representative of the marque. After all, manufacturers could not create a better endorsement of their products than having one of their best drivers use the cars about town during social forays. To this end Wimille was the recipient of several Bugattis during his career, of which the featured car was an important example. In addition to benefitting from such significant ownership provenance, this Type 57 was also a company show car before becoming the centrepiece of a major collection for 56 years.

Chassis no. 57731 was one of 11 examples built in late 1938 as an official 1939 model. The chassis was specified with unique, one-off “special cabriolet” coachwork penned by Lucien Schlatter and was dispatched to the nearby Gangloff carrosserie in Colmar, which was contracted to clothe the company’s open Type 57 models, the Stelvio and the Aravis. The resulting coachwork was quite similar to the Stelvio design, yet it incorporated several nuanced differences in its lines. Distinguishing details included a more steeply raked windshield, a single side-mounted spare, and an unusual rear deck treatment, while more common Type 57 cues were evident in the dual front bumperettes and headlamps integrated into the fenders. Differences from the Stelvio are no doubt partially attributable to the chief builder, as most Stelvios were built by Gangloff employee Schmitt, while 57731 was instead built by an employee named Zubern.

Completed in October 1938, the Type 57 was first utilised by the factory as a show car, debuting on the manufacturer’s stand at the 16th Geneva Salon in March 1939. The Bugatti was then employed as a factory demonstration car and entrusted to Jean-Pierre Wimille for his personal use. Although the Type 57’s history is unknown during World War II, the car was re-registered in Rouen, France, in 1950, according to the research of marque expert Kees Jansen. In the early 1960s it was purchased by the marque dealer Paul Sac, under whose ownership the car is recorded in Hugh Conway’s seminal 1962 Bugatti Register. In 1964 the cabriolet was sold to Italian enthusiast Gianni Mazzocchi, the founder of Quattroruote magazine, and the car went on to become a centrepiece of his important Quattroruote Collection, where it spent the following fifty years.

Refinished in a colour combination of cream and black and still retaining its original engine, the Bugatti was then acquired by the consignor in 2016, and he has continued to fastidiously maintain the car. Over the last few years, the cabriolet has been treated to a variety of maintenance measures by the consignor’s private staff, including an overhaul of the carburettors, fuel pump, fuel tank, and exhaust system. Claiming important history as a factory show car and demonstrator, and the significant ownership of the great Jean-Pierre Wimille, as well as 56 years of ownership within the respected Quattroruote Collection, and retaining its original factory-equipped engine, this impressive Bugatti is ideal for presentation at major concours d’elegance and premium motoring events. Such an important Type 57 would make a splendid complement to any pre-war collection, ideal for Bugatti enthusiasts worldwide.

Photographs by Remi Dargegen

Ettore Bugatti's personal pasta machine
Custom fabricated to Bugatti's design in his factory in Molsheim and accompanied by three pasta dies, 17 inches long x 7 inches wide x 10 inches high not including the wheel.

Besides being a legendary craftsman and car maker, Ettore Bugatti was also a very particular gourmand. Famously well mannered, and expecting the same from his guests, he is understood to have refused to sell a gentleman of royal lineage a car on account of his poor table manners. Ettore's attention to detail when it came to dining stretched from his building a hen house on his property to provide the freshest eggs to a personalized table setting with his own custom made cutlery-all of which were engraved with his initials.

The story of this contraption goes that Ettore's Italian chef reported that the pasta machine had broken and it would be some time before a new one could be delivered to Alsace. Not wishing to go without his noodles, Ettore drew up a design for his own machine and had his team in the Bugatti factory custom fabricate it. While most pasta makers are powered by a hand crank, Bugatti pulled a Type 46 steering wheel out of the parts bin and installed that instead. It seems rather fitting that he would rather steer his way to spaghetti than tirelessly crank as if attempting to start a dead car.

There is an alternate story from the one Bonham's gives; this is that the pasta machine is in fact a gift by the factory workers to Ettore Bugatti. I don't remember where I read it, but it does sound more credible!

Fitted with a mounting bracket, it is designed to be mounted on the edge of a table with the steering wheel perpendicular to the ground. Three beautifully assembled pasta dies accompany the device, any one of which can be fitted into the tightly fitting threaded aperture at the bottom of the pasta maker.

It is pretty safe to say that this overbuilt pasta making machine solved Ettore's pasta plight permanently, and as such he never made another. While most of Bugatti's products just produce fumes out the back end, this one makes something much more delicious!

1925 Bugatti Type 30 Sports Tourer

• Chassis no. 4725, Engine no. 418
• Front Hydraulic – Rear Mechanical Drum Brakes
• Well-documented and pedigreed Type 30
• Desirable and handsome open Sports Tourer coachwork
• Researched by Bugatti historians and formerly part of prominent collections
• A powerful, 8-Cylinder Bugatti eligible for prominent tours and rallies

'Bugattis encapsulate concepts of engineering which, once seen, change your ideas radically and definitively. Drive them, and you realize that each car is form and engineering in equilibrium, and a work of art.' – William Stobbs, Les Grandes Routières.

Introduced in 1922, the Type 30 Bugatti has a special place in motoring history, for it was the first small 'straight-eight' to go into production and the first to use Bugatti's classic single-overhead-cam engine, one of the most famous automobile power units of all time. Typical of the time, the Bugatti 'eight' was a 'long-stroke' design of 60x88mm bore/stroke for a capacity of 1,991cc. The three valves per cylinder were operated by single gear-driven overhead camshaft, while the crankshaft was carried in three roller bearings with plain big ends. Breathing via twin Solex carburetors, this jewel-like power unit produced approximately 100bhp at 4,500rpm.

This engine was installed in what was essentially a Brescia type chassis, resulting in a car that was notably fast and powerful for its day, possessing many of the characteristics of the racing Bugattis. The eight-cylinder engine was very flexible and, once mastered, the Brescia-type gearbox a delight to use. Of some 600-or-so Type 30s produced, fewer than 50 are known to survive today, with original examples possessing known history especially desirable.

Offered here is a lovely example of the racing-derived, eight-cylinder Bugatti Type 30, featuring elegant open Sports Tourer coachwork. Well documented and recached, Dutch Bugatti historian and expert Kees Jansen has compiled a dossier on this fine example, chassis no. 4725, and notes that the new Bugatti was ordered by Bugatti agent Dubuisson of Saint-Quentin, France for his customer Monsieur Chavel. The chassis was completed at the famous Bugatti Works in Molsheim, Alsace France in January of 1926 to then be clothed by a coachbuilder of Dubuisson's choice in the elegant two-door Sports Tourer configuration featuring the rakish vee'd windscreen as seen on the car today. The Bugatti was driven on garage plates 1651 WW5 by Bugatti racing driver, Louis Charavel, who was known to compete under the pseudonym of Sabipa. Once delivered to Monsieur Chavel, Bugatti Type 30 chassis no. 4725 would remain in his ownership until 1960, when it was acquired by J.P. Le´ger of Dreux, France. A photograph from this period in Yan Verdier's famous book Une Vie pour Bugatti shows Bugatti Type 30 chassis no. 4725 at Henri Novo's famous Bugatti garage with the engine removed, and at this point the Sports Tourer would receive the engine fitted in the car today, engine no. 418; a period correct Type 30 engine. Bugatti Type 30 chassis no. 4725 would receive its current and very appropriate color scheme of yellow over black chassis, fenders and wire wheels around this time. The next custodian of Bugatti Type 30 chassis no. 4725 would be renowned French collector Monsieur Henri Chambon, who would acquire the car in 1972. Chambon would use the car and showed it at a Bugatti meet in Denmark during the 1970s.

From Chambon's ownership, the Bugatti passed on to another well-known French collector, Monsieur Bernard Viallon. Viallon had many great Bugattis, and his cars were famously used for color illustrations in the legendary book Bugatti Magnum, written by renowned Bugatti historian Hugh Conway. Type 30 chassis no. 4725 is illustrated on page 111 and 112. The elegant Bugatti Type 30 Sports Tourer would later be exported to the United States, where it has resided in a prominent collection for the past two decades.

Today, this stunning Bugatti shows beautifully throughout. The engine compartment displays the powerful eight-cylinder all-aluminum engine, featuring the overhead camshaft operating 3 valves per cylinder. The two brass Solex carburetors are polished and give the compartment an impressive look. The cockpit is trimmed in dark wood and neatly contrasting chocolate-colored leather hides. The classic four-spoke wood rimmed Bugatti steering wheel sits in front of the beautiful white-faced instruments and gauges by Jaeger, Paris. A black convertible top and rear mounted spare wheel is fitted, and large Marchal headlamps with yellow reflectors grace the front, as does the classic Bugatti horseshoe shaped radiator.

According to contemporary press reports, the Type 30 was 'A full blooded, real man's motor-car, by intention and performance' and '4724', with its graceful Sports Tourer coachwork, is a particularly fine example of the marque.

• Chassis No. 38470, Engine no. 209, ex 38275
• Formerly of the John Rich Collection
• One of 39 factory supercharged Type 38A models
• Originally owned by racing driver L.G. “Batch” Bachelier
• Well-maintained older restoration by Donald Koleman
• Veteran of numerous tours and rallies

The Type 38A offered here, chassis no. 38470, was one of reportedly 39 examples built with a powerful supercharged engine. Fitted with the factory’s attractive boat-tailed aluminum Grand Sport coachwork, it remained at the factory for over a year before it was delivered at a special price to London dealer Colonel Sorel on 23 October 1928. Colonel Sorel, in turn, sold the car to the original owner, L.G. “Batch” Bachelier, a well-known racing driver of the period, who drove the car in the JCC High Speed trials of July 1929. In the early 1930s the car was sold to Denis Evans, who raced it in the British Automobile Racing Club Open Meeting Mountain racing handicap in 1931 and in the JCC High Speed Trial at Brooklands in 1932.

The car’s subsequent owner was named Child and lived near Rotherham, who in turn sold it to a B. Rees of West Hampstead, London. By this time its chassis and body had been shortened to make a two-seater, and the engine was replaced with the current unit. In this form the car was exported from England in the early 1960s and enjoyed a handful of new owners in the USA, including Richard Winer of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who sold the car to Dr. Terry Bennett of New Hampshire.

At the dissolution of Dr. Bennett’s collection in 1991, the Bugatti became one of the early acquisitions in the noted collection of John Rich, Sr., in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Rich commissioned a full restoration of the car to its original configuration by noted Bugatti specialist Donald Koleman’s Competition Motors. After restoration the car was regularly shown by Mr. Rich, appearing at the 1993 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, at Meadowbrook in 1994, and Amelia Island in 2004.

The current owner acquired the car from the Rich Collection in 2016 and has invested in sorting it for the road, including fitting a custom-made reproduction Bennington Blower. The engine, which runs on roller bearings, was prepped for spirited driving with an electric fan and a polished radiator expansion tank, and a 12-volt plug was fitted under the dashboard. The result is an excellent event car, which has reportedly been very reliable on several tours, including the most recent North American Bugatti Owners Tour. It is well suited for the same use with a new, enthusiastic caretaker.

Editor: This same car was sold in "The Finest Automobile Auctions, The elegance at Hershey, June 11, 2016", for $440,000, see announcement and auction result in the BugattiPage, 2016.

• 1,327cc 8-valve engine
• Alan Wragg replica chassis
• New body by Michel Blanchard
• Registered in Belgium

The Type 13 offered here consists of the 1,327cc 8-valve engine number '155' (ex-chassis '506'), a replica chassis frame built by Alan Wragg, and a new body made by Michel Blanchard. This car's major mechanical components passed through the hands of several well-known Bugatti collectors over the years before coming together as a rolling chassis while owned by John F Comey Sr of Ohio, USA. Among the genuine Bugatti parts Comey used were a non-braked front axle, a steering box and column, an oval radiator, and non-demountable wire wheels. In this form the Bugatti was sold from the late Mr Comey's estate at a US auction in June 2005, finding a new owner in France. The new body was ordered circa 2007 while the car was with Atelier Renaissance Automobiles. In early 2015, the body was modified by Theo and Juri Castricum of Castricum Collector Cars; the handbrake was moved outboard, new wings fabricated, a new fuel tank made, and the rear end redesigned to accommodate luggage.

Since returning to Europe, this Type 13 has been displayed at Époqu'Auto, Lyon (2008 and 2013), Rétromobile, Paris (2011) and Techno Classica, Essen (2010, 2011 and 2014). The Bugatti has belonged to the current (Belgian) owner since 2017. A full account of this Type 13's history and owners may be found in the accompanying Provenance Report compiled by Kees Jansen of The Bugatti Registry.

1922 Bugatti Type 23, (No further info yet)

• Pre-war built
• Well documented, known history by David Sewell
• High performance

This car began its career as a Bugatti 37 with a 1.5-litre engine. When it was owned by the wife of John Houldsworth, who used to race it, the car suffered a major engine failure, with the conrods going through the block. Houldsworth, a Bugatti enthusiast, then contacted a specialist who also raced Bugatti, Jack Lemon Burton, suggesting he buy the car for scrap. Which Burton promptly did in the 30's, for approximately £50, using it to build himself a " special " that was fast and suitable for hill-climbing. In place of the modest 4-cylinder original engine, he decided to install a 3-litre 8-cylinder Type 44 Bugatti engine, twice as big as the Type 37 engine and fitted with a supercharger. He recalls in a letter dated 23 July 1976 " That was hard work. (…) The steering wheel was a gift from R. Thomas to the younger brother of J. Duller, who thought it would go well on this car. " As the 3-litre engine was considerably longer than the original 1.5-litre engine, the Type 37 chassis, the hood and the engine mountings were all modified. The front axle was replaced with a wider Type 43/44 element with bigger brakes, better suited to the increased weight. The gear box and rear axle came from a Grand Prix Bugatti, although the transmission was subsequently replaced with an Armstrong preselector gearbox, which is still on the car and has made it possible to remove the standard clutch. It was then given a single-seater body allowing Jack Lemon Burton to take part successfully in his machine in various hillclimb and sprint events.

Burton then sold the car to his friend Kenneth Bear, another Bugatti enthusiast. Bear ran the car without the supercharger (powered by four carburettors) with a bit more gusto than his predecessor, finishing 2nd in a hillclimb at Prescott in 1939, just behind the Type 59 of Arthur Baron. When he died at the end of the 1940s, the car was bought by Bert Raven who continued competing in it, achieving some good results in the late 1950s. He kept the Bugatti until he passed away at the end of the 1980s, when it was restored by the specialist Ivan Dutton and offered for sale by Dan Margulies, one of the most well-respected British dealers. A copy of a letter dated from 1992 from the Bugatti Owners Club, coming in the file, confirms to him the car was built by Jack Lemon Burton before the SWW and is fitted with a genuine original Grand Prix Bugatti chassis frame.

According to a letter from the Bugatti historian and specialist David Sewell, the chassis is an authentic Type 37, in all probability n°557, which corresponds to car n°37334. It has a Grand Prix radiator with parallel sides and the centrally-mounted steering box has " R " stamped on the top and the side. The aero screen is an Avro and curiously, the bodywork has an Ettore Bugatti coachwork plaque fixed in the cockpit. The registration number, NPH 254 dates from August 1949. The engine is stamped with number 686 as well as the number of the chassis it came from, n°44999. The car comes with a history file and various letters and we advise anyone interested in this particularly original machine to consult these.

Eligible for VSCC and other historic events, this car has a lightweight chassis and an engine that is considerably more powerful than the original one. It has an unusually high performance, with the personality of a " muscle car " ahead of its time. Created as an indirect result of the failure of the original engine, it is typical of the modifications carried out by experienced enthusiasts, at a time when the value of the car didn't prevent creativity. Such a modification wouldn't be carried out today making this car an exciting testimony to the period, appealing to those enthusiasts who like the unusual.

1934 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet par Vanvooren
Chassis n° 57162, Engine n° 134

• Original body, matching numbers
• One of two surviving examples
• Owned by a number of art lovers
• Unregistered

Bugatti and Vanvooren
The collaboration between the Molsheim constructor and the coachbuilder from Courbevoie coincided with the arrival of Robert de Prandières at Vanvooren in 1929. He was largely responsible for the relationship with Bugatti, and also happened to be a close friend of Dominique Lamberjack Junior, the largest Bugatti dealer in Paris with a showroom at 68 rue Bayen. From 1930, Vanvooren designed for Bugatti several closed bodies on 3-litre Type 44 chassis. There was also a coach and a faux cabriolet body available for the 5-litre chassis. In 1931, a 2-door, 4-seater coach Type 49 was added to the range. At the end of 1931, Lamberjack obtained exclusive rights to sell Type 55 chassis delivered in Paris, and between 1932 and 1935, six Type 55 chassis were bodied at Courbevoie.

The Type 57s bodied by Vanvooren
When the Type 57 went into production in 1934, Lamberjack sent several of these chassis to Vanvooren to be fitted with 4-seater cabriolet bodies. There were numerous 4-door, 4-seater Type 57 saloons built in Courbevoie between 1934 and 1936. Four Type 57S chassis were given Vanvooren cabriolet bodies between 1936 and 1937. Three coupés and a roadster were built between 1938 and 1939.

The Type 57 cabriolets by Vanvooren 1934-1939
The numbers of this type of body produced were limited compared to the number of coach and saloon bodies built for different chassis between 1930 and 1936. Following extensive research into the Type 57 chassis delivered and not bodied by Bugatti or Gangloff, we have compiled a fairly accurate list of Type 57 chassis given cabriolet bodies by Vanvooren. It appears that there were no more than twelve examples built between 1934 and 1939, the whole period of production. Two cabriolet designs were offered to clients by the coachbuilder from the spring of 1934. The first design was for a cabriolet with fold-down windscreen, with sloping vents on the bonnet, suicide doors, flanges on the rear wings and no sign of a trunk. The second cabriolet model had doors opening from back to front, a fixed windscreen, vertical vents in the bonnet and metal rear trunk.

The car presented in the sale, chassis 57162, was built from the second design. In 1934, just four Type 57 cabriolets were produced by Vanvooren and 57162 was the last of these, delivered to Lamberjack on 10 November 1934. It had the spare wheels on the front wings. In 1935, Vanvooren produced three Type 57 cabriolets including 57269, which was the fourth and last car to be built from the second design, and the only one not to have spare wheels on the front wings. Between 1936 and 1939, only four other 4-seater cabriolets were built by Vanvooren, with a 2-seater cabriolet, chassis 57430, delivered in 1936 and a 2-seater roadster, chassis 57808c from 1939, completing the list. Of the twelve known cabriolets built, just four bodies have survived on their original chassis, including 57162.

The Cabriolet Vanvooren chassis 57162
The chassis 57162/engine 134 was assembled at the factory in October 1934 along with 22 other chassis fitted with engines 100 - 124. It was delivered by rail, on 10 November 1934, to the largest Bugatti dealer in Paris, Dominique Lamberjack, at 68 rue Bayen. His client was Baron Charles Brincard, son of the President of Crédit Lyonnais. The coachwork was built in the Vanvooren workshop on Rue Pierre Lhomme in Courbevoie to be finished by Christmas 1934. The car was delivered to the Baron's private mansion at 1 rue Saint Dominique, Paris VII.

Charles-Henri BRINCARD (1899-1970)
Brincard was born in Deauville on 31 August 1899, at his parents' holiday home on Rue des Villas. The family lived in a huge private mansion on the corner of rue Saint Dominique in the 7th arrondissement in Paris. Baron Charles Brincard was a regular client of the Molsheim marque. He acquired a 3-litre Lavocat & Marsaud Torpédo in 1928, and another 3-litre car in the spring of 1929, before ordering a 5-litre model in February 1930 and a Type 50 roadster the following July. A typed note from the showroom on avenue Montaigne states : " 57162. Mr Brincard Charles ,Baron, 1 Rue St Dominique, Paris. " The car was delivered to him, as was his Type 50, by the Parisian dealer Dominique Lamberjack .
We know of no other Bugatti Type 57 in the Baron's name, and assume that he kept his cabriolet 57 for several years. The car left Paris for a period of time to return again in the spring of 1940. It was registered at the Paris Prefecture with the number 9879 RM 3 on 28 May 1940. It is believed to have spent the war in a Parisian garage, before being sold in Gironde afterwards.
We come across it again in Arcachon at the end of winter 1947. The cabriolet was registered 3792 GC 3, on 5 February 1947 in the name of : Jean Bové, Insurer, Villa Vermeil, Boulevard de la Teste, Le Moulleau, Arcachon. There is a photo of the car, probably taken in Arcachon that shows the 1940 Parisian number plate. This leads us to believe that Bové drove around for a while with the old 1940 plates, and must have bought the car in Paris before 1947. Three years later, on 27 June 1950, the cabriolet returned to the capital, with the registration 2674 G 75, in the name of Fernand Bezé, engineer, living a 22 rue d'Estienne d'Orves in Colombes. He kept the car for two years before selling it at the end of 1952.
On 29 December 1952, the Vanvooren cabriolet was acquired by: Pierre LOEB, retailer, living at 2 rue des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He was not a simple retailer, however, and the address 2, rue des Beaux-Arts, was a special place.

Pierre LOEB (1897-1964)
The twins Edouard and Pierre Loeb, were born in Paris on 24 September 1897 to Alsatian parents, at their home, 11 rue Ambroise Thomas in the 9th arrondissement. The twins were called up in 1916, and at the end of the war, they joined the family wholesale lace and tulle business, as travelling salesmen. In an interview for the Express in 1964, Pierre Loeb recalls : " I sold lace for my father, and with my savings I bought paintings… My father said to me, you love painting, well, go and sell them ! Et voila ! "
It was a family friend, Doctor Tzanck, a collector of artists such as Pascin, Derain and Friesz, who introduced him to painting and encouraged him to take this path. The Galerie Pierre opened on 17 October 1924 at 13 rue Bonaparte, with an exhibition of work by Pascin. At the opening, Loeb met Picasso. By 1925, the gallery had already shown work by Gromaire and Miro. The first Picasso exhibition at Galerie Pierre, which had moved to 2, rue des Beaux-Arts, was in December 1927. Forced into exile during the war, the Loeb family went to Marseille in December 1941 and on to Havana. It was due to Picasso's intervention that the gallery was returned to Pierre Loeb in November 1945. After the Liberation, the gallery hosted work by such artists as Giacometti, Artaud, Dora Maar, Zao-Wou-Ki…The first exhibition of the Canadian painter Jean-Paul Riopelle took place in May 1953. Pierre Loeb bought a large part of his work and once the artist's career had been launched, success came quickly. At this time, Loeb was using his Bugatti cabriolet Vanvooren and offered his friend Riopelle the means to enjoy the same passion : Riopelle bought two cabriolets in 1956 and 1958 that he kept until his death in 2002.
On 15 April 1955, the cabriolet Vanvooren was registered in the name of : Bernard Dufour, Artist painter, living at 7 rue de la Grande Chaumière, Paris VI. His studio was opposite Gauguin's at number 8, the residence of painter Charles Maussion who drove a Bugatti Type 40 roadster.

Bernard DUFOUR (1922-2016)
Born in Paris on 21 November 1922, Bernard Dufour was originally an agricultural engineer before becoming an artist after the Second World War. He exhibited at the Salon in May 1946 and at the Galerie Maeght in 1948. It was Pierre Loeb who really launched the artist's career. He held exhibitions for his friend Dufour at the Galerie Pierre every year between 1955 and 1963. The first show was held on 10 - 25 June 1955, shortly after the transfer of ownership of the Bugatti. In an interview published in 2012, Dufour confided : " I had two Bugatti, a large eight-cylinder cabriolet, and a small four-cylinder car from 1924. I had a passion for these machines that I had repaired at the Bugatti factory in Molsheim. "
On 30 October 1957, the Bugatti moved to the department of Eure, registered with the number 454 CM 28. The new owner is believed to have been an American by the name of Phillips. Shortly afterwards, the car sold to Jean Chevalérias, 101 avenue du Maine. He was a great Bugatti enthusiast who also owned a Type 57 Galibier, a cabriolet 57C Gangloff and several Type 40s. At some point before 1961, the cabriolet Vanvooren was acquired by Henri Petiet, of 8 rue de Tournon in Paris. He appears as the owner in the " Bugatti Register " published by H.G.Conway in 1962. The car was then registered in the department of Eure, with the number 252 EK 27.

Henri PETIET (1894-1980).
Petiet was a visionary collector. His father, a railway engineer, was the 4th Baron of the Empire. His older brother, Baron Charles, was Vice-President of the A.C.F., who had many roles in the automotive field including being the constructor of Ariès vehicles, an adventure that Henri Petiet became involved in. In the mid-60s, the cabriolet Bugatti Vanvooren was sold by Petiet to the collector André Laporte (1915-1996), president of the F.F.V.E from 1980 to 1991, who lived in Hérault. He didn't restore the car which was no longer driving by then as the engine had seized. After his death, the Bugatti sold at a Poulain-Le Fur auction in Montpellier on 4 October 1998. During this sale, it was noted that the car, with just 32,320 km on the odometer, had light blue coachwork, blue leather upholstery and a hood requiring repair. The buyer undertook a full restoration and the cabriolet Vanvooren then joined a big Spanish collection.
The car presented today is one of two survivors of four Type 57s by Vanvooren to design no.2 (the other being 57274). If it is permissible for an artist to produce eight examples of a work, the " type 57 model N°2 " series was never finished by Vanvooren. In the garage that will be this car's new exhibition space, it should be surrounded by a portrait of Pierre Loeb by Denise Colomb, next to a nude by Bernard Dufour, a lithograph by Riopelle and a print by Picasso from the Petiet collection. If you take the car from Rue de Beaux-Arts, to Rue de la Grande Chaumière and on to rue de Tournon, it will show you the route it knows so well.
The Bugatti is not a static work of art, but a rare industrial object displaying precision in movement, created by a brilliant artist and built by talented craftsmen. The enlightened visionaries who have spent time looking at it were not mistaken.

1935 Bugatti 57 torpédo "Paris-Nice"
Chassis n° 57300, Engine n° 57300/154

• Outstanding competition history
• Just one owner between 1940 and 2004
• Restored to original configuration
• German title

Presented in 1933 and equipped with a brilliant 3.3-litre twin-cam engine, the Bugatti Type 57 was one of the best Grand Touring machines on the market, while not claiming to have particular sporting pretensions. At the Paris Motor Show in 1934, the constructor made an initial attempt to give it a more dynamic image by presenting a " Grand Raid " version with several modifications to the chassis. One of the most notable of these was the driving position, moved further back to allow sportier coachwork to be fitted. In total, it is believed Bugatti built 10 examples of these special versions.

It was one of these chassis that caught the eye of Gaston Descollas, who was then the Bugatti agent in Marseille and an amateur rally driver : in 1934, he won the French Rallye des Alpes and the international Coupe des Alpes at the wheel of a Type 57 Galibier, and no doubt the more sporting character of this new version is what appealed to him. He bought chassis n° 57300 and had a lightweight and minimalist torpedo body fitted, in aluminimum over a wooden structure. According to a friend of the Descollas family, this was carried out by the coachbuilder Dubos, from Marseille, and the car was registered on 3 January 1935 with the number 5822 CA 7.

Once the car was ready, it took part in the Ladies' Paris-St-Raphaël rally on 27 February, driven by Gaston's wife, Claire Descollas. This was a very popular event amongst women drivers, and over the years many well-known names have taken part, including Hellé Nice, Betty Haig, Claudine Trautman, Annie Soisbault and Marianne Hoepfner. In 1935, the winning driver was Olga Thibault in a Peugeot 201. Soon after this Gaston Descollas entered the 'Critérium international de tourisme Paris-Nice' known simply as the " Paris-Nice ", which set off on 13 April. There were over 100 participants, and this was a rally attracting experienced drivers. The previous year it had been won by Jean Trévoux who, at the wheel of a Hotchkiss 20 CV, was just beginning an impressive career that would see him win the Monte-Carlo Rally. Gaston Descollas performed magnificently, winning the event, before clocking up two other victories in the Rallye de la FNCAF and the Alpes Françaises. He had less luck in the Liège-Rome-Liège, in August, when he was forced to retire.

In 1936, the Bugatti was fitted with a closed Ventoux body, built by Gangloff, more comfortable for touring. On 24 March 1936, the car was registered in the name of Mr Giniès, with the number 4473 ZA 3 (Vaucluse), before returning to the Bouches-du-Rhône a few months later. It was registered in the name of Mr. Vives on 6 May 1936 with the number 6426 CA 8. Vives was a Spanish businessman, and it is possible that he imported the car into Spain. The Bugatti was still there on 18 December 1940 when it sold to Mr Senchermes, based in Barcelona, who registered it B-67.700. Astonishingly, this Bugatti then stayed in the same ownership until 2004, the year it was bought by the current owner, a German enthusiast. By 2004, the Ventoux coachwork had been replaced with an open body. Using photos sourced by the Bugatti Trust, the owner was able to restore the car to its torpedo configuration at the time of the 1935 Paris-Nice rally.

Apart from the rebuilt bodywork, most of the components are original, including the gearbox and the rear axle n°154, with assembly number 024. The engine block, which had been damaged, was replaced with an original block, and various parts were sourced through the Bugatti Owners Club. The bonnet is original and the car was repainted by the Matzner workshop. This is a piece of history, the 'missing link' between the Type 57 tourer and the future 57 G competition model that would win the Le Mans 24 Hours. Having rediscovered its original configuration, it is a stunning testimony to a period when an amateur driver could take part in an international rally without extensive race prep, and win.