January 27, 2026 Artcurial Auction, The Peninsula Paris Paris, France
According to the history established by the specialist Kees Jansen, from which the information regarding the car has been taken, it was probably damaged in an accident in 1930. It was later to be found in Austria, where it was registered A 15-745 on 25 November 1932 in the name of Heinrich Opitz, a coachbuilder in Vienna. By then, it had been fitted with a new body, no doubt by It is likely that he died in 1952, as the car was transferred into the name of Magdalena Opitz, no doubt his wife or daughter. She evidently did not wish to keep it, as she consigned it to a scrap merchant, from where it was salvaged in 1954 by Herbert Lackner, a young engineer from Krems, in Austria. He stored it in a shed belonging to a neighbour, but, needing to reclaim the building, the neighbour later dismantled the car, put the mechanical components into storage and disposed of the body in the Danube.
The two brothers were Austrian, but Hans, a classic car restorer, had married a British woman and gone to live in England. He gathered several missing parts (both old and remanufactured), but did not complete the restoration. The project was inspected on several occasions by the specialist David Sewell: on 26 October 2009, 4 July 2017 and 4 May 2018. Sewell mentioned that several René Winkler ended up selling the car during its restoration to Jaap Braam Ruben, who turned to the Dutch specialist Simon Klopper to complete the work. He had previously asked the Dutch authorities, who were very wary of the proliferation of Bugatti replicas, to inspect the car and confirm its authenticity.
The Bugatti factory asked the Police in Strasbourg to get car licence 4799 NV 1 the first of five types. We can tell, from pictures, comparing 51132 at Spa in july 1931 and 51132 the delivery day to Wimille in december 1931, that it is really car engine 15 which first got car licence 4799 NV 1 for Spa and not any of the two other factory 51 in that race. On 12th july 1931, together with type 51 cars engines 13 and 14, 51132/15 went to Belgium to enter the 3rd Belgian Grand prix in Spa.
The chassis number 51132 is definitely allowed the engine number 15 when it was delivered to French pilot Jean- Pierre Wimille. During the 1931 season of races, J.P. Wimille made progress in driving his friend's Jean Gaupillat type 51 chassis 51130 in some races.
The Bugatti Type 51 chassis 51132 was purchased for only 80.000 ff. The factory price in October 1930 for the newly coming type 51 was 165.000 ff, but very few first owners in 1931 got strictly new cars. Many of the 20 cars built in 1931 were sold as second hand cars as they entered one or two races for the factory before being sold to private pilots.
We were lucky to find a dozen of pictures of brand new 51132, the day it was driven for the first time by M. Mareuse and J.P. Wimille on the Monthlery circuit. The Molsheim temporary plate 1764 WW 5 left no doubt about its identity. The car is registrated in Paris on 12th january 1932 with number plate 3397 RF 5. As Wimille was not living in Paris but in Ville d'Avray which is in Seine et Oise department, we suppose the car was registrated in the name of Marguerite Mareuse at her parisian address on 81-83 Boulevard Hausmann.
The Wimille Mareuse racing period 1932-1934. Wimille drove the type 54 but had to retired because of oil pressure trouble, M. Mareuse finished 14th at the wheel of her 51A chassis 51138, race number 24. Three weeks later for the Grand Prix of Oran on 24th April, Wimille drove for the very first time in a race, his new 51132, number 8 and won the race. It is the first victory of the young Bugatti driver in a Grand Prix. His original silver trophy marked « A.C.O » (Automobile Club d'Oranie) is preserved in the Sport Museum in Nice. M. Mareuse has an accident with 51138. The last race of the North African trip was the Casablanca Grand Prix on the circuit of Anfa on 22nd May 1932. Wimille is on the first line at the wheel 51132, race number 2, which is the only left running car of the team. He was leading the race during 32 of the 67 laps, breaking the lap record, but had to retire having blown up his engine! For the Picardie Grand Prix at Peronne on 5th of June, Pierre Leygonie, Wimille’s best friend was supposed to enter the 2300 cc Type 51 but he didn't appear, the 2300cc engine was surely not repaired.
The Dieppe Grand Prix on 24th July 1932. M. Mareuse owned two Bugatti 51s, 51132 and 51138. On April 24, 1932, M. Mareuse had an accident in Oran with 51138, which damaged the car's chassis. M. Mareuse's mechanics, so she could continue racing, installed the 1,500 cc engine from 51138, which was in good condition, in the chassis 51132 frame 704, which is the car we are interested in. The original 51138 car was completely overhauled by M. Mareuse's mechanics and fitted with a replacement frame from the factory (No. 732, a 1933 number) and continued to race using the papers of 51132, from which it received the 2.300 cc engine. This car was sold to Robert Brunet in December 1932 and is now in an American collection. When this car, on the replacement frame no. 732 from 51138, with the 2.300 cc engine from 51132, was sold to Robert Brunet, it was given the chassis plate from 51132 and its French title by M. Mareuse, on the grounds that the registration document for 51132, showing 18 hp, was correct for its new 2.300 cc engine. The registration document for 51138, for a 12 hp engine, was no longer suitable. She drove the car during the four first laps but it began to rain and she preferred to give the car to her copilot Pierre Leygonie.
The pictures of the car on the side of the road, after P. Leygonie caught fire, clearly show some important points: The body is still 51132 body. It is well possible the car already got the back axle from 51138, number 380, but the swap may have occured later in the life of the car. After the Dieppe 1932 race, 51132 / 51138 engine (as we will designate it from now on, following the identity assigned by M. Mareuse to the car presented, which retains frame 704 of 51132) went back to M. Mareuse garage. It was possibly overhauled by Framezelle in Neuilly sur Seine. In 1933, M. Mareuse planned to enter Le Mans race in June with 51132/eng 51138 with Wimille as co-pilot. They are already in the list of the 1933 Le Mans entries as early as 26 december. Early in 1933 M. Mareuse and Mlle Lamberjack enter the Monte Carlo rallye with good success. In a newspaper dated 14th February 1933, Mareuse confessed her plan for the year: "I want to enter any Grand Prix with my 1500cc 8 cylinder Bugatti, and my big wish is to enter Le Mans with JP Wimille. " Actually, 51132/51138 would never enter any Grand Prix in 1933 and Wimille had moved to Alfa Romeo since june 1932... even if M. Mareuse seemed to try and convince him to race again on her 51A Bugatti at Le Mans. That information confirms that in early 1933 the car is still in Grand Prix configuration as M. Mareuse wished to race it. In l'Auto dated 14 th june 1933, we still have a note telling Mme Mareuse and Wimille are supposed to enter the Le Mans event, but 3 days later they are not in the official entry list!
The Mareuse Paris-Nice Type 51A Torpédo 1934. We wonder if the car could have been modified as a Torpedo as early as June 1933. On 24th March 1934 the cars of the Paris Nice left Paris at 6am. M. Mareuse drives a Bugatti 1500 cc with rallye number 27. On 25th March, M. Mareuse did the best time of the Marseille Boulevard Michelet hill climb in 1500 cc class in 42 sec 1/5 at the average of 84.500 km/h. On 29th March in La Turbie hill climb, M. Mareuse won the 1500 cc class in 5 min 15 sec at the average of 72 km/h. A rare photo of the car in la Turbie hill climb shows partially the parisian plate which should read 7398 RF 6 or RF 8, which are plates dated January and March 1932. The car has the large radiator model and is equipped with lamps and sports wings. The race number 27 is painted on the bonnet. When we look carefully, we can see that the body has two small doors and a special undertrail with big louvers, which are quite similar to the ones still on the car the following year when modified by Figoni. The car has rear axle 14x54 as noted in the Paris-Nice results. But the 1934 Paris-Nice body doesn't seem to be a first Figoni job, as there is no mention of any Bugatti in 1933-1934 which could have been that car in Figoni records. In Newspaper l'Auto dated 12th February 1935 the car is put for sale by the garage owner who was probably in charge to overhaul the car for M. Mareuse. « BUGATTI 1.500 cmc.8 cyl.,2 arb.à cames, équ.pr 24h du Mans ou Gd Px. Vites. Framezelle, special Bugatti,18,r.Perronet, Neuilly sur Seine » « Bugatti 1500.cc 8 cyl twin cam, equiped for 24 hours Le Mans race or Racing Grand Prix. " It is an incredible advertising which tells us so much on 51132/51138 in February 1935! It is the proof the car was prepared to race at Le Mans, probably in 1933, and that the Grand Prix body was still with the car, on the car or rather next to and ready to be put back for racing, which is quite logical.
The Pinay Figoni Roadster 1935. One note gives the clue of the enigma of the new 1935 owner of 51132/51138. “Bugatti 1500 2 arbres à cames. M PINAY.” That note is not dated, but two more documents will let us determine it has to be 1935. In the archives of famous French coachworker Joseph Figoni, there is a mention of a body made by the shop for Mr Pinay. “May 1935.M.Pinay.Paris.bill N° 49.Roadster 2 places s/chassis Bugatti type 1500 14.000 ff » Strangely enough, the car seems to have been advertised for M. Pinay by the Bayard garage as soon as 4th july 1935. The advert reads: "Bugatti roadster double arbre à cames, 1.500 cmc, voit splendide, 22 bis rue Bayard." During the october 1935 Paris Show at Grand Palais, near by the Champs Elysees, the car was still for sale by the Bayard garage which was located very near by the Show. Advertising about the "1.500 cc roadster double arbre" were put in L'Auto newspaper on 5th october and 15th novembre 1935. We don't know exactly when Paul Pinay sold the car. The next information on the car is its exportation to Great Britain and by Bugatti dealer Jack LEMON- BURTON, surely late in 1937.
GREAT BRITAIN 1937-2022. The car is described as "Bugatti 1,5 Double cam sold to C.I. Craig of Wimbledon for £ 227 in February 1938." The rest of the history of the car in M. Morris reports states the following owners after C.I. CRAIG. Gerald M. CROZIER bought it in 1939 from Craig, and raced it in July and August 1939. The car suffered from a fire in a London Mews garage around september 1940. In 1947 the Bugatti went to the garage of J. BLAKES & COMPANY LTD of Liverpool and was sold to Geoff RICHARDSON who registered the car with FWP 555 Worcester CC in April 1947. After racing in summer 1947, he sold the car to Blakes, having advertised the car in the November issue of Motor Sport. It is clear that when Richardson raced the car in 1947, it already had narrow type 35 rad and unblown type 35 bonnet, but was still on type 51 wheels. The rebuild had been done by Vic DERRINGTON and MARSHALLS of Watford had also worked on the car. During Christmas 1950, the Bugatti was bought by Mrs Avril SCOTT-MONTCRIEFF (1915-2006) in Forfar, Scotland, from Blakes. She entered the car with her husband David as copilot, in the "Paris St Raphael Feminin" rallye in February 1951. Soon after the Monthlery control on 27th February, they broke the crankshaft in a Speed raliability test, the car was sent to a garage in Levallois to see the damage. It was too expensive to be fixed, so the car went back to UK later and waited for a rebuild which never happend and was sent to a crook called Ted.E. LLOYD in Welshpool, Powys, Wales, who asked to have the car dismantled in his shop to check what was wrong... He disappeared before Scott Montcrieff went to take it back when he realized there was something wrong with the guy. In the 1954 "Bugatti Book" by C.W.P. Hampton and B. Eaglesfield, Llyod proclaims to be the owner of the car! He sold the 51A engine to Eri Richardson in the USA. In the mid fifties Alan Kershaw HAWORTH (1920-1988) in Heywood, Lancs, acquired from Ted Lloyd the rolling chassis still with its 51 bulkhead, 51 front axle and other parts attached to the frame.
In December 1988, Alan Haworth passed away and his collection of cars and spares, were sold at auction by Sotheby's on 29 March 1989. The lot 684 in the sale was acquired by Bugatti enthusiast John WILSON, in Stevington, Bedford, a private airplane pilot, whose family owned since the 50s a rare type 46S Coach by Billeter & Cartier on which he used to work. Soon after his purchase J.Wilson obtained from T.J.Cardy the 55 engine 17 ex 55229 and put it in the car instead of the type 40 unit. In 2014 the car was put on the market and exhibited on Dutton stand at Retromobile in February 2015. Bought by English architect Mark NEWSON from London,it went to Derek Hitchman’s shop for a complete restoration, including a new body by Chesterton Coachwork and the engine from 51138 was acquired from T. Cardy and put back in the chassis it had left around 1954 when T. Lloyd sold it in the USA. The current owner bought it recently from M. Newson in 2022.
The closed inspection of the frame and parts around let us discover the number 15 on various parts and the number 14 on the front axle. The various parts numbered 15 relating to chassis 51132 on which they were still fixed proved that the car still retains many original components which had never been dismanteled from 51132 original chassis.
Conclusion The car still has the following parts from 51132: chassis, aluminum body panels, hood and dashboard, extra-long levers, steering arms, steering box mount, seat cross member, aluminum transmission output shaft cover.
Today, at the request of the owner, based on the analysis by P.-Y Laugier, FIVA and the German registration authorities have officially restored the car's original identity, with frame no. 704 corresponding to chassis 51132 of the Bugatti Type 51. The car has just been overhauled, and its engine has been increased to 2,300 cc. It has a superb patina.
Bugatti vice, First series
Among the pillars of this classic car Golden Age in France was Bernard Pigelet. As a leading automotive engineer, he set up his workshop (called "Racing Diffusion") at 52 Rue Carnot in Levallois-Perret in 1984. Just 150 metres from his home was a taxi depot which, in the late 1980s, was about to close its doors to make way for the construction of a new building. It was at this location that Bernard Pigelet spotted "the golden opportunity" and purchased this particular Etau Bugatti.
In need of restoration, the specialist carefully restored it, repainted it, adjusted the bits and preciously stored it in his workshop, where it remained unused. Only the bronze stop between the bench vice and the crank handle was replaced, but the original part is supplied with the bench vice. A test with a folded sheet of paper brilliantly demonstrates the tool's precision and its high-quality design. This is a rare and desirable model from the first series, instantly recognisable by its Bugatti logo, which is less prominent than on later versions. The number 17 is stamped on one of the bits and here's an interesting anecdote: the official Bugatti repair workshop was located at 75 Rue Carnot, only a few steps away from the workshop where it was found!
The example presented here is one of these cars and was imported by a delegate of the FFVE, who kept it for some 15 years and took part in numerous Bugatti rallies. Its second owner kept it for about 10 years, deriving just as much pleasure from his powerful thoroughbred. All these years of rallies and historic races have given the 35B an exceptional patina, built up over time and many miles, whilst erasing some of the defects with which it was born. This example therefore clearly stands out from more recently built Pur Sang cars thanks to its thirty years of use. In 2022, it was given a full service, and the tyres, fluids and some of the hoses were replaced. The engine was also optimised, with changes to the carburettor jets and spark plugs; the ignition system was overhauled and the clutch tension adjusted. Since buying the car in 2022, its current owner has only driven it a few miles, but has enjoyed starting it up each month.
 Supplied with its French title as a Bugatti 35T, this racer will give its next owner some true thrills and, above all, let them enjoy the most famous pre-war sports car, for a fraction of the price of a real one, which is virtually impossible to find!
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January 28 - February 1, 2026 Retromobile Paris, France
In celebration of its 50th anniversary and as a nod to its origins, Rétromobile pays tribute to the genius of Ettore Bugatti by showcasing one of the Italian inventor's lesser-known creations: the Presidential Railcar. Alongside it, 7 other mechanical oddities will highlight the craftsmanship and avant-garde vision of the artist-engineer.Bugatti Autorail and Unusual Prototypes: Bugatti’s Genius at Rétromobile 2026 Get ready for an extraordinary exhibition! In partnership with the Cité du Train, the Musée National de l’Automobile, and Eiffage Rail, Rétromobile will celebrate Ettore Bugatti’s genius by presenting one of his most monumental creations: the last surviving Bugatti Autorail. But that's not all! This exhibition, illuminated by the Mathieu Lustrerie workshops (certified as "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant"), will also feature some of the artist-engineer’s most unique creations. A Formula 1 single-seater with a rear transverse engine, a prototype Type 73 sports sedan, and Ettore Bugatti’s personal Type 56 electric-powered vehicle… these are just a few of the mechanical oddities that will be showcased in Pavilion 7.1
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January 28, 2026 RM Sotheby's Paris Auction Paris, France
Bugatti Type 35 Children’s Car, handcrafted by Radek Bina
Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Children's Car by the Cyclekart Company
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January 29, 2026 Gooding Christie's Retromobile Auction Paris, France
The Bugatti Type 40 model was introduced in mid-1926 to replace the highly successful Type 22 and Type 23 “Brescia” Modifie 16-valve models, which had been in production with several improvements since 1920. Built on a chassis similar to the longer-wheelbase Type 23, the Type 40 was powered by the well-known Type 37 engine. This four-cylinder unit (69 mm × 100 mm) employed a five plain-bearing crankshaft, plain connecting rods, three valves per cylinder, and featured parallel crankcase arms – a contrast to the stepped arms found on the Type 37 sports model. A variety of coachbuilders, including Jarvis and Gangloff, supplied coachwork; however, many examples wore factory-supplied four-seat torpédo bodies. This was the famous Grand Sport, which would be later adapted to the larger Type 43.
After Bill Harrah’s passing in 1978, the Type 40 was sold at auction the following year to noted collector Darryl Greenamyer. Mr. Greenamyer retained the car for 16 years, until it was sold to Emilio Comelli and exported to Italy in 1995. At that time, it was described as unrestored and retaining its original interior – although a driver’s door had been integrated into the Grand Sport coachwork at some point.
Under Mr. Comelli’s ownership, the Type 40 received a restoration that included changing its exterior color from black to the With its original coachwork and matching-numbers engine, this Type 40 Grand Sport presents a splendid opportunity to acquire an entry-level, sporting Bugatti with a well-documented ownership history and eligibility for many of the world’s most exclusive driving events.
Introduced in 1934, the Type 57 represented the pinnacle of Jean Bugatti’s creative and engineering vision. Powered by a jewel-like 3.3-liter twin-cam straight-eight and built with the marque’s customary delicacy, the Type 57 embodied everything that defined Molsheim’s artistry: superb mechanical refinement, extraordinary aesthetics, and an unmistakable sense of exclusivity. As the model evolved throughout its production, Bugatti steadily improved the chassis with strengthened rear-axle components, a cross-braced frame, rubber engine mounts, and upgraded brakes. To complement these refinements, Bugatti unveiled the supercharged Type 57C in 1937. Equipped with a Roots-type blower, four-wheel hydraulic brakes, and additional instrumentation, the 160 hp Type 57C delivered performance far beyond that of most contemporaries, achieving speeds comfortably over 100 mph with excellent braking and on-road composure. Of the approximately 710 Type 57s built, just 96 were factory-supercharged 57Cs.
Chassis 57718, fitted when new with engine 45C and Atalante body no. 30, is among the most desirable Type 57s ever constructed. It is one of only five Atalantes built on the supercharged 57C chassis, and crucially one of only three known to combine this mechanical specification with lightweight alloy construction. Within the canon of Bugatti production, this places 57718 at the pinnacle of road-going Type 57 desirability. In a broader context, few prewar sports cars combine such grace, rarity, and engineering sophistication.
Dr. Kocher’s passion for driving and deep loyalty to Bugatti made him an ideal customer for the most exclusive models. His succession of cars traces the evolution of the marque, culminating in this car, 57718 – his final Bugatti and the ultimate expression of his long association with Molsheim. Delivered to him in July 1938 and kept until 1950, it served as the pinnacle of his two-decade Bugatti ownership journey.
By 1958, chassis 57718 had crossed the Atlantic to the US. Its first recorded American owner was Lennart Erickson of California, followed in 1962 by Dr. Grant White, a respected academic and early member of the American Bugatti Club. A dedicated collector and restorer of prewar thoroughbreds, Dr. White owned 57718 for roughly three decades. Under his fastidious care, the car remained remarkably intact, its originality preserved at a time when many Bugattis were subject to heavy-handed restorations.
Today, chassis 57718 presents with uncommon originality and authenticity. A recent inspection by Bugatti specialist Mark Morris confirmed that the body number (30) is stamped or inscribed on numerous original components – including the wood structures, aluminum panels, and trim elements. Traces of original beige paint were also found in hidden areas, and the original Molsheim data tag survives on the beautifully engine-turned firewall. Mechanically, 57718 retains its matching-numbers engine, gearbox, and differential (all properly numbered 45C or C45), along with correct Type 57C-specific equipment such as the supercharger and hydraulic braking system. The car’s tasteful aubergine and black livery, mellowed with age, complements the handsome brown leather interior while reflecting its long, continuous preservation. Among the limited production of Type 57 Atalantes, 57718 stands out for its factory supercharged “C” specification, lightweight aluminum body, matching-numbers driveline, and superb provenance, which dates to its original delivery. Representing Jean Bugatti’s most celebrated road-going design in its purest and rarest form, it is an exceptional example of the model long regarded as the ultimate expression of Le Pur-Sang des Automobiles. For the connoisseur seeking one of the finest specifications imaginable in a Type 57, this rare alloy-bodied Type 57C Atalante offers a singular opportunity to acquire a masterpiece of prewar automotive design – one that has inspired admiration since the day Dr. Kocher collected it in the summer of 1938.
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January 30, 2026 Gros & Delettrez 100% Automobilia Arts & Cars Auction Paris, France
Various Automobilia items, of which many directly from Bugatti or about Bugatti, ranging from a Bugatti Vice to a book about the T57S (Laugier) as well as various brochures and a letter from Ettore Bugatti.See this PDF for the most important of these items. All items can be seen at Retromobile before the auction on the Arts & Cars stand (Baptiste Nicolosi): Hall 7.3 - Stand K.024. |
January 30, 2026 Bonhams the Paris Sale Auction Paris, France
Bugatti Type 57 Galibier chassis no. 57140, corresponding to production number 35, was the 18th example of its kind to leave the Molsheim factory, as confirmed by the number "18" stamped on various wooden and aluminium body components. It is the first of four "C-I" (Conduite Intérieure) bodies built at Molsheim in June 1934, with the coachwork completed on 7 June 1934. Bugatti factory ledgers record that chassis 57140 was invoiced on 1 June 1934 for 61,695 francs to the "Société Marseillaise", run by Gaston Decollas, located at 42 Avenue du Prado in Marseille.
Jean Storione retained his Galibier until 1936, when he sold it—almost certainly through Decollas—to Dr Gustave Cousin, of 27 Boulevard Montricher in Marseille, one of the city's most prominent physicians. Dr Cousin kept the car for many years, registering it under the new registration system on 24 December 1954 as 7983 AQ 13, by then residing at 7 Cours F. Roosevelt (formerly 7 Cours Devilliers). In 1966, Dr Cousin sold chassis 57140 to Jean Brignone, of 47 Rue Monte Cristo, Marseille.
Raffaelli sold the car in the spring of 1967 to Parisian architect Daniel Guidot, then registered as 71 GU 78 and located at 5 Allée du Colombier, Le Pecq. Shortly thereafter, Guidot participated in the Paris–Nice Rally with 57140. Born in 1922, Daniel Guidot had served in the French Resistance during the war as a navigator for the Royal Air Force. A devoted Bugatti enthusiast, he also owned a Type 46 Vanvooren coachbuilt car and a Type 35A.
Later acquired by Feierabend Klassic Technik, the Bugatti was offered for sale at the 40th Essen Classic Show in 2007. It was subsequently sold to Roland d'Ieteren and intended as the basis for a Type 57S project for Jean-Jacques Strubb. Sadly, Strubb's fatal accident at the wheel of his Type 51 in April 2010 brought the project to an end, and chassis 57140 was not sold again until 2013, when it was acquired by noted marque enthusiast José Piger. The car remained untouched until its sale in 2019 to a Danish owner, at which time it largely retained its 1960s condition.
The car retains its original crankcase stamped "35 – 57140" and still features its Jaeger black-faced instruments on the dashboard. Several body components retain the stamped number "18", confirming its position as the 18th Galibier produced by Bugatti's coachbuilding department. The original identification plate remains affixed to the bulkhead. The chassis frame is stamped 33 which seems consistent with the factory numbering sequence.
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