“In 2019, we are celebrating a special anniversary. Bugatti was established 110 years ago. These two models pay homage to our long tradition and to our French homeland,” says Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann. The third model on the Bugatti stand is also in line with this approach: the Bugatti Divo2, is a hyper sports car which is being produced in a limited edition of 40 vehicles. With its modified aerodynamics, it is designed for even higher lateral acceleration than the Chiron3 and ensures extreme driving pleasure. With “La Voiture Noire“, the French luxury automobile brand has once again shown that it produces the world’s most precious and exclusive hyper sports cars. The two-door car with its breathtakingly sculpted bodywork is especially elegant thanks to the use of deep black carbon fibre. In the world of the automobile, “La Voiture Noire” is a name with a special resonance: Ettore Bugatti’s son Jean developed and drove one of only four Type 57 SC Atlantic coupés produced. He called his Atlantic “La Voiture Noire“ – the black car. This vehicle disappeared without trace before the Second World War. Nowadays, it is considered one of the great mysteries in the history of the automobile and it would be incredibly valuable.

“For Bugatti, ‘La Voiture Noire’ is more than just a reminiscence of the Atlantic. We are paying tribute to a long tradition, to France and to the creative work of Jean Bugatti,” says Stephan Winkelmann. “At the same time, we are transferring extraordinary technology, aesthetics and extreme luxury to a new age.” The special hyper sports car was hand-crafted for a Bugatti enthusiast. “La Voiture Noire” is a collection of superlatives,” says Stephan Winkelmann. Apart from design, quality and materials, this also applies to the iconic power plant. The 16-cylinder engine with a displacement of 8 litres produces 1,103 kW/1,500 PS. A car collector purchased this unique vehicle for €11 million net, making it the world’s most expensive new car and continuing the long tradition of Bugatti. Since the company was first established in 1909, the French luxury brand has produced the world’s best and most powerful sports and luxury cars, true to Ettore Bugatti’s: motto: “if it is comparable, it is no longer Bugatti.”

The Chiron Sport “110 ans Bugatti”, which is also being presented to the public for the first time in Geneva, is also in line with this tradition. In addition to all the benefits of a Chiron Sport, it not only includes the „Sky View“ option as standard equipment, but also several product features only offered for this model. This edition, limited to 20 units and with a net price of 3 million euros, has already sold out ahead of Geneva Motorshow. “The new edition of the Chiron is not only extremely exclusive but also a sincere tribute to France, says Stephan Winkelmann. The Chiron Sport “110 ans Bugatti” features the French tricolour “le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge”, with its colours of blue, white and red on several parts of the bodywork and in the interior. The body and the front end are made from carbon fibre, while aluminium features in the Bugatti line and the Bugatti radiator. The rear end of the hyper sports car and the typical Bugatti line, the dominant “C”, boast complex Steel Blue paintwork. The interior of the “110 ans Bugatti” features further French tricolours. “France is Bugatti’s home country. This is why it is an honour and an obligation for us to pay homage to our fantastic location in Alsace with these extraordinary vehicles,” says Stephan Winkelmann. Molsheim was and still is a key element in Bugatti’s brand history. It is here that Bugatti is planning its future and the celebrations of its 110th anniversary. This also includes a grand tour of places where company founder Ettore Bugatti was active. “This will be an exciting and thrilling year for us. It is only just starting with the new models on display at the Geneva Motor Show,” Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann is pleased to report.

Taking a first look at the Chiron, you may be surprised to see that the colours of the French flag are shown as a mirror image on the right-hand side of the vehicle. This is also the arrangement adopted on French official vehicles, where the standard has the colour of liberty (blue) to the fore on both sides. The body and the front end are made from carbon fibre and the Bugatti line and the typical Bugatti radiator from aluminium. The matt Steel Blue paintwork at the rear of the car, produced in a complex process, has a sheen like hot-rolled steel. The typical Bugatti line, the dominant “C” surrounding the passenger compartment, is also painted Steel Blue. The front end consists of exposed carbon fibre in Steel Blue Carbon, once again a matt colour suggestive of steel. The two-tone colour scheme is reminiscent of historic models: in the 1920s, this type of paintwork was a sign of luxury and exclusiveness, while it now signals a sporting character and high technological competence. In the case of the Chiron “110 ans Bugatti”, the colour scheme divides the bodywork into the monocoque and engine compartment. Behind the alloy wheels painted in “Nocturne” matt black, the bright blue (French Racing Blue) brake calipers are visible. To obtain an immaculate finish, the aluminium filler cap is sandblasted and hand-polished. The “110 ans Bugatti” emblem, with the French flag running vertically through the logo, features at the centre of the cap. If the customer so wishes, the base plate of the filler cap can also be painted blue or white. The rear end is dominated by the diffuser and bumper in glossy Steel Blue Carbon with the contrasting matt black exhaust system. The underside of the rear spoiler boasts the French flag over its entire width. The rear spoiler mechanism is anodized in matt black to harmonize with the matt black Ettore Bugatti logo on the centre of the rear, the matt black wheels and the matching sports exhaust system. The Sky View roof consisting of two fixed glass panels above the driver’s and passenger’s seats, available as an option on the Chiron, is a standard feature of the special edition. These panels have a newly developed laminated structure with thin glass and four intermediate layers. The French tricolour also features at several points in the interior of the “110 ans Bugatti” special edition. These include the two headrests and the back rests of the sports seats, decorated by high-quality embroidery with the French flag in a vertical position, and the 12 o’clock mark on the leather steering wheel. The sports steering wheel combines matt carbon fibre with a blue leather cover. Carbon fibre is also be found on the nacelle, steering wheel, steering column and seat trims. The interior is upholstered in soft Deep Blue leather. The door trims, sides and seat areas of the sports seats are covered in Alcantara. Bright French Racing Blue elements on the contours of the seats, stowage compartments, belt trims and the leather of the window buttons provide a sporting contrast. The key of the “110 ans Bugatti” is surrounded by three sewn leather patches in the colours of the tricolour. Another special feature bearing witness to the high level of craftsmanship is a specially crafted medallion in the central console stowage space, made of solid silver with enamel inserts, positioned on a carbon fibre plate.

Both models feature a superlative powerplant: the 8.0-litre W16 engine with four turbochargers delivers 1,103 kW/1,500 PS and 1,600 Newton-meters of torque. The engine compartment cover of the “110 ans Bugatti” is resplendent in Steel Blue and Steel Blue Carbon. The inserts on the cylinder banks are made from aluminium with a clear anodized finish. The car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 2.4 seconds, reaching 200 km/h in 6.1 seconds and 300 km/h in 13.1 seconds. Even the magic figure of 400 km/h can be reached in only 32.6 seconds. The maximum speed is far higher, at 420 km/h. “The ultimate hyper sports car from France is still the most powerful, highest-quality, fastest and most comfortable gran turismo in existence – a blend of elegance, quality, unique character and power,” says Stephan Winkelmann. This is an industrial product of considerable artistic merit. Form follows Performance. This applies especially to the new edition. The famed Bugatti line, the brand’s graphic DNA, also adorns this exclusive model. Behind the C line, set off by a contrasting colour, the extraordinary engine receives sufficient air for combustion and cooling. “The design element also establishes a link to the historic Type 57 SC Atlantic, which is now one of the world’s most valuable cars,” says Achim Anscheidt, Chief Designer of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. The special model celebrating the 110th anniversary of the brand’s existence in France keeps up this tradition.

Revealed at Retromobile

The Faux Cabriolet Gangloff 749G, Factory demonstration car in 1933. Chassis 49558 was transported to Gangloff, the coachbuilders in Colmar, around June 1933 to be fitted with a body described as " Faux cabriolet model 749 G, luxury roof and dark grey metallic paint. " Model 749.G relates to a reference dating from 1931 describing a " Faux Cabriolet two door, 4-seater with trunk on a type 49 long chassis " with a 3.22m wheelbase. The body was invoiced to Bugatti for the sum of 18,0000 ff plus extras of 1600ff. It was delivered to Molsheim on 25 July 1933. A letter from the factory, dated 28 July, to Mr André Bouchard, the " Inspector of Bugatti automobiles " for the west of France, states: " I am going to send the Faux-Cabriolet 749.G Spécial to Paris for La Baule, and it will be waiting for you in Montaigne. " A letter dated 3 August : " When you have got to Caen with the car for the Bordeaux show, you will return to Paris where the Faux-Cabriolet Spécial for La Baule will be ready for you to drive to Nantes. Please take every precaution to ensure the car does not come to any harm during the journey. " On 4 August 1933, the vehicle was transported by train to the Bugatti showroom on Avenue Montaigne. The factory sent confirmation to Bouchard : " I can confirm that the faux-cabriolet 749.G Spécial (49558) for the Concours at La Baule, left today, by train, on the same carriage as chassis 3L300 destined for Vanvooren. It will therefore be at your disposal in Montaigne from next Tuesday. There are chrome metallic covers for the spare wheels, supplied by Levallois, that you will take with you. " The factory wrote on the same day to the dealer in Nantes, Henri Matile : " Monsieur, Our representative, Mr Bouchard is collecting the car in Paris and will deliver it to you within a week at latest. For the presentation of the car, I have entrusted it to the daughter of one of my very good customers and suppliers, who will be on vacation in La Baule, during the concours and was happy to accept. I will pass on contact details in plenty of time as soon as I know the name of the hotel where she will be staying with her family. " In the middle of August 1933, the car was presented at the Concours d'Elégance de La Baule-les-Pins, returning to Paris on 17 August 1933. A photo from the Bouchard family archives shows R.A. Bouchard's wife standing next to the vehicle in front of the Pergola in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The coupé 49 was fitted with the factory plates NV1. The photo dates either from the start of August 1933, before it was delivered to La Baule, or during the autumn of 1933 before it was finally delivered to Nantes in October. Roger-André Bouchard (1899-1954) set up a garage in Périgueux in 1926, and was the regional inspector for Bugatti from 1928 to 1939. He met his death on the Tour Auto in 1954 at the wheel of an Austin Healey. At the start of October 1933, the Bugatti agent in Nantes who saw the vehicle when it was on show in La Baule, decided to buy it for one of his clients who had fallen under its spell. There was confirmation on 18 August 1933 of the order placed by Henri Matile, 4, rue Racine, Nantes, and Matile was invoiced for the sum of 52.000.ff., on 26 October 1933. Les Faux Cabriolets type 49 Gangloff of 1933 : This car was a one-off creation, built by the coachbuilder Gangloff, and corresponds to an order that came from the Bugatti factory. During the summer of 1933, it appears that Gangloff built three 4-seater type 49 faux-cabriolets, numbered 484, 485 and 486. The chassis numbers are not shown in the register, and neither are the exact dates of their construction. The three cars were delivered to the factory and not to a private client. Bugatti had asked Gangloff to build other type 49 faux cabriolets in 1931, but it appears that the three bodies built during the summer of 1933 were the last. The vehicle 49558 is the only one whose chassis and engine has survived.

History in Pays de Loire 1933-1939. The car was registered new on 20 October 1933, with the number 50 JH 3 in the name of the first owner's company " Les transports Paland " in Basse-Indre, Loire Atlantique. Henri Paland (1906-1999) was 27 years old when he acquired his only Bugatti. He got married the same year and had a daughter in 1934 and a son in 1938. He was the founder of " Transports Paland ", and also had concerns in Cameroon. He was, also at that time, the President of Transporteurs de la Loire Atlantique and the Aéroclub. At the end of the 1950s he founded Europcar. Having owned this Bugatti, he later owned a Talbot and in 1945 a Hotchkiss. His Bugatti was sold on 26 July 1935 in the nearby department of Indre and Loire. It was registered with the number 553 HD 3, in the name the enthusiast Pierre Parâtre, rue de l'Alma in Tours. This type 49 was the first Bugatti he had acquired, and he took his cars to be maintained by the Bugatti dealer in Tours, Gaillard, at 7 rue George Sand. Roger Gaillard took over the Bugatti dealership in 1933, the year he got married. He remained an agent for the marque until 1950. The spacious 900m2 garage was situated in the heart of Tours, near the Hôtel de Ville. Parâtre was the owner of a business called " Représentation Industrielle de l'Ouest " (R.I.O) whose offices were at 4 de la rue George Sand, opposite the Gaillard garage ! He lived on the rue de l'Alma and his wife was a milliner on rue Nationale. The company R.I.O. specialised in car brakes, bearings and clutch parts, and represented the marque Ferrodo. In 1935. Parâtre owned a private plane, which he used to join his wife on holiday in Saint-Jean-de-Monts. She travelled in the Bugatti. Henri Paland was Président of the Aero Club of Touraine, and Pierre Parâtre was a member of a rival club " les Ailes de Touraine " who also held the first pilot's licence for tourism in Indre and Loire at the start of 1932. The Parâtre couple didn't have children and the business sold to young buyers whose director died in 1965. At the end of November 1937, Parâtre bought a second-hand type 57 coach Ventoux, the 1936 model. He kept the faux-cabriolet type 49 until the end of 1938. On 3 November 1938, the Bugatti 49558 was acquired by another enthusiast from Tours by the name of Jean de la Chesnaye, who lived at rue Roger Salengro. Jean Hartford Martel de la Chesnaye (1905-1992) was born to an American mother and inherited a fortune from her. He enjoyed a comfortable pension. On leaving the Foreign Legion in Morocco in 1937, J de la Chesnaye rented outbuildings in the Château de Chanteloup before going to live in Tours, where he threw himself unsuccessfully into breeding rabbits. In the Second World War, he was involved with the American ambulances, and during the Occupation, he separated from his first wife who he had married in 1926. He left France for the US soon after, and lived the rest of his life in Mexico. The Countess of Chesnaye appears in the photo of the Bugatti taken in 1938 in Sare, on the road to Ascain, not far from St-Jean-de-Luz in Basque country. J de la Chesnaye was a talented driver but he terrified his wife when he drove the Bugatti. The car was sold at the start of the war in le Midi. On vacation on the Riviera 1939-1959. We discover the car registered in the Alpes Maritimes on 18 December 1939, with the number 8620 BA 6 in the name of Fernand Van Velsen who lived at 12 rue du Maréchal Pétain in Nice. We haven't been able to trace details of this owner, who was originally from Holland. On 28 April 1948, George LUTZ, who lived at 3 boulevard de la Madeleine in Nice, and a former Alsatian mechanic trained at Molsheim, became the new owner of the faux-cabriolet 49558. In his garage, where he would later restore the Bugatti type 35C of André Binda, Lutz had several camionnette-bodied Bugatti including chassis 49277. On 13 January 1950, the Bugatti sold to Canadian billionaire Duncan Orr Lewis at his property " Villa Zéro ", 416 chemin de la mosquée au Cap d'Antibes. This great Bugatti enthusiast had, in his garage on the Riviera, a type 57C Aravis Gangloff bought new in 1938 that he kept by his type 49 chassis as well as a Gangloff cabriolet chassis 49238 acquired in July 1949 from the Garage Friderich. The type 49 chassis 49558 was registered into the new system on 26 November 1954, at the same time as the Aravis, and given the number 850 CM 06. Sir Duncan Orr Lewis left the Riviera at the end of the 1950s to buy a pretty manor house, le Grand Courtoiseau, in Triguères, Loiret. The Aravis followed him there but the two type 49s remained on the Côte d'Azur. In 1959, chassis 49558 was bought by a dealer in Limoges, Jean-Louis du MONTANT, as shown on a document dated 13 May 1959. He owned an antiques business called " El Porron " situated in La Brague, on the RN7 in Antibes. It seems that du Montant also bought chassis 49558, the cabriolet 49555 and the engine ex-49238, at the same time in Nice. These last two pieces are currently in the museum in Mulhouse. J-L du Montant was the last known French owner before this car was bought by the Bugatti specialist and dealer Bart LOYENS in Luxemberg. It was exported to Holland on 3 March 1978, acquired by Dr F.J.P SPULS. In 1977, during his first visit to A.F.Loyens, the young enthusiast and dealer Bruno Vendiesse, accompanied by his friend Pierre Dellières, had come to buy spare parts and noticed the chassis type 49 in the garage. He was not in a position to buy it at the time and the car left for Holland. On 20 May 2001 B.Vendiesse finally succeeded in acquiring the Bugatti from Dr Spuls, and offered it to the current owner, who launched into a full restoration of the car. The vehicle was still in driving chassis form, equipped with a bulkhead with fold-down windscreen, a bonnet and front wings that appear to date from the Orr-Lewis period. Restoration of the vehicle 2002-2003. Once the decision was made to create a 4-seater cabriolet on the chassis, the Etablissements Marcadier in Charente were given the job of building the wooden frame and the metal work was given to Cornubert in Peujard, Gironde, who built a sheet metal body with aluminium doors. The job of making the beige alpaca hood and white leather seats was entrusted to Philippe Oncins in Bègles. Archive photos of the Marcadier coachwork show clearly that the vehicle was delivered with its original front wings, and its bonnet, as well as the complete dashboard. The central part of the frame, the doors and trunk were made of ash. The current owner repaired the bulkhead and made a start on the mechanical work. Didier Pacic from Bray en Val in the Loiret, was responsible for rebuilding the engine, supplying the rods, pistons, valves and guides A Cotal gearbox was installed, replacing the original Bugatti box, number 445, that will be supplied with the vehicle. The restoration work took place over a period of two years from 2002 to 2003. A two-tone red livery was chosen for this four-seater cabriolet. The Gangloff coachbuilder's plaque, at the bottom of the bulkhead, is likely to be from the cabriolet 49238, and remains on the car. Unluckily, it is fixed with a pair of screws which are of absolutely the wrong type.... (Ed.)

The vehicle presented : Analysis of the current mechanical components on the vehicle confirm the originality of the engine stamped with the numbers 49558/445. The gearbox also has the number 445 on the body and the cover. The axle is numbered 359 with the correct ratio of 12X50. It could come from a car with a serial number close to 49478. The chassis frame is original, numbered in the 500s but is difficult to read. The bonnet is old and has the number 132. It is the original bonnet from the second Gangloff type 49 belonging to Sir Duncan Orr-Lewis, chassis 49238. When the vehicle was found in Holland, the front wings had a section cut out for the two spare wheels. The cut-away sections were removed as part of the restoration. The original Gangloff plaque must come from 49238. Looking at old photos of faux cabriolet 49558, we can see that the front wings had a different cut-out to the wings it had when discovered in 2001. Our opinion is that the bonnet, bulkhead and front wings come from 49238, which was a Gangloff cabriolet model 349 G sold in Marseille in April 1931, whose design is very similar to the current body of 49558. It is highly likely that the fold-down windscreen also came from this car and that Duncan Orr-Lewis was the source of the spare parts from 49558 that are fitted to the car today. The car presented in the sale is originally a rare Faux-Cabriolet Gangloff. It is equipped today with numerous parts from the coachwork of the Gangloff cabriolet 49238, and it is likely that it was restored in a configuration close to the original car.