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New: Bugatti parts wanted (June 28)
New: Bugatti books for sale (June 28)
New: Bugatti parts for sale (June 28)
New: Events Auction and a new piece of possible Bugatti-related history (June 16)
New: Bugattis for sale (June 16)
New: Bugatti Questions (April 28)
New: Book : The art of Bugatti, A comprehensive retrospective of the Bugatti family of artists (April 21)
New: issue of the Bugatti revue (March 2) THE 50th ISSUE!
New: Book
: Bugatti Memories by
Gene Cesari (January 16)
New: Book : Firehawks 2 - Breath of the Dragon (December 18)
New: Bugatti Miniatures for sale (November 7)
New: Bugatti Replica for sale "Baby" (October 12)
New: Book : THE k. & k. BUGATTI REGISTER , by PÁL NÉGYESI, MILAN TYMEŠ, JAN KRÁLÍK, DANIEL TOMICIC, HELGE HAUK (June 23)
New: Bugatti Questions Answer! (June 23)
New: Book : The Bugatti 100P record plane , by Jaap Horst (May 21) Now available
New: books in the BugattiPage Bookstore (March 23)
New book announcements:
Picture Sheets of the Bugattis, per Catagory
Information on the Bugatti types is also included!
This site was missed since 2001, I put it back on line, thanks to Pascal van Mele, the version is of January 2001!
Especially the the Hunting for Bugatti Information, "Everything Bugatti" (articles) and the Bugatti cars database are of the most interest, but you will find much more!!!
However, of course Jacob does not respond to mails anymore, some older links may not work, the Pim Faber books, models and stamps databases do not work, and the Hunting Bugatti Questions are not followed up. As a service, I will post all answers to his existing questions on my pages, new questions will be published on my site also!
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Books
The ex 1930 Salon de Paris Bugatti 49, chassis number 49132 Gangloff Limousine: sold for 235,000 Euro's plus Premium and VAT
June 15, 2014
On April 13, 2014 (Yes, I know, I'm a bit late...) a Bugatti T46 won Best of show at "La Jolla"
Best in Show Pre-War is the 1930 Bugatti Type 46 Petit Royale Faux Cabriolet of Richard Adams
It is in fact chassis 46405, body by Gaston Grummer
May 17, 2014
Bugatti is sending two of its most successful historic racing cars to this year’s Mille Miglia: a Type 35 and a Type 51. Additionally, a current model of the long-established French brand will be represented on the legendary 1,000-mile race from Brescia to Rome and back with the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. This year, German actor Erol Sander will participate as part of the Bugatti driving team. The Mille Miglia runs from 15-18 May 2014.
Bugatti, a supercar manufacturer with a successful history in motor racing, is participating in the most famous classic car rally in the world, the Mille Miglia, with one of the purest cars built for Grand Prix: a 1926 Type 35. With over 2,000 victories and podium finishes, the Type 35 is the most successful racing car in automobile history. Beginning in the 1920s, this vehicle won all of the most important races for more than ten years, including five consecutive victories at the Targa Florio at the time it was considered the world’s most challenging open road race.
Following the motto “Race on Sunday, sell on Monday”, the Bugatti Type 35 played a key role in the Molsheim manufacturer’s golden era, with founder Ettore Bugatti selling numerous Type 35 vehicles to wealthy customers immediately after successful race weekends. In its time, the Type 35 was the only car that could be driven both on the race track and on the streets.
The Type 35 is powered by a 120 PS 2.3l in-line eight-cylinder engine. Its 750 kilogrammes are distributed perfectly across the axles (50 to 50 per cent), making the car incredibly dynamic.
The second racing car of the Bugatti factory team is a Type 51, which was manufactured between 1931 and 1934. The Type 51 represents the high point of Bugatti racing car construction. Designed as a successor to the supercharged Type 35B, it has a 2.3 litre double overhead cam engine, which produces between 180 and 190 PS. This was the first Bugatti race car to use a double overhead cam.
Bugatti achieved important victories with the Type 51, such as in 1931 at the Monaco Grand Prix with driver Louis Chiron and at the Tunis Grand Prix with driver Achille Varzi. In the same year, both won the 10-hour French Grand Prix in Montlhéry with a Type 51. Bugatti achieved another victory at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1933, when Achille Varzi won. The Type 51 won further victories in the same year in Monza, at the Grand Prix in Dieppe, and on the AVUS with Pierre Veyron as the driver.
This classic car with an incredible past will be accompanied by a modern day icon: the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. This representative of the current model range is handmade at the company’s historic headquarters in the Alsatian town of Molsheim, like all previous models, and has an 8-litre W16 engine. The Grand Sport Vitesse exhibits performance characteristics which are one-of-a-kind: 1,200 PS, 1,500 Nm of torque and exhilarating acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 2.6 seconds. With a top speed of 408 km/h with the top down, the Grand Sport Vitesse is the world’s fastest production roadster.
The most prominent driver in this year’s Bugatti factory team is the German actor Erol Sander. He will pilot the Type 35 and is excited to be part of this special challenge. “I am a huge car fan and have already taken part in various classic car rallies,” said the TV personality. “Taking part in the legendary Mille Miglia is amazing, but doing so at the wheel of a Bugatti means that I get to realise two dreams at the same time.”
Since 1977, the Mille Miglia has been run in homage to the legendary races of the past; between the début race in 1927 and its provisional end in 1957, it was known as one of the world’s longest and hardest motorsports events. Even though the race is now conducted as a regularity and reliability rally, it has lost none of its aspirations or fascination. The 1,000 miles (approximately 1,600 kilometres) will be driven over the course of four days of racing. The rules stipulate that only cars that took part in the original Italian classic races and are still in their original condition may participate in the competition.
The Mille Miglia runs from 15-18 May 2014. The Bugatti Type 35 will drive with the start number 22, and the Type 51 will have number 35.
Lot 123: 1993 Bugatti EB110 #GTZA9AB01E0PCD39031, Sold for €280,000
Lot 163: 1926 Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix #4761, Sold for €728,000
Thanks to Christophe Chanterault
April 28, 2014 Lidia Bugatti horse sculpture: sold for $13,000.
So what could this be? Well, it is impossible to say definitively what it is, but when recently quizzed about whether the Veyron’s replacement would utilise a hybrid engine like the LaFerrari, P1 and 918 Spyder, company boss Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber said “Maybe” with a smile.
What’s more, there is absolutely no engine noise being produced by this prototype and all you can hear are the tyres and wind passing over the French supercar!
“Over the course of its history, Bugatti has not only been responsible for crafting enormously successful race cars, but has also created some outstanding road vehicles,” notes Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. “As the fastest road vehicle of its time, the Type 18 was in a class of its own. It truly is the legitimate forerunner for the Veyron, and is therefore a Bugatti Legend.”
The Type 18 was one of the most important Bugattis of the pre-war era, both ahead of its time and in a league of its own thanks to its impressive technical features. With a 4-cylinder in-line engine and five litre capacity, the vehicle was capable of producing over 100 PS. With a top speed of 160 km/h (100 mph), a feat deemed virtually unbelievable for the times, the Type 18 was a true racing thoroughbred and the fastest road vehicle around.
The Type 18 was driven in races by company founder Ettore Bugatti himself; indeed he secured a win in his class in the important 1912 Mont Ventoux hill climb. Bugatti limited the production run for this model to just seven vehicles and sold them to an extremely select group of customers. One of these customers was the famed and celebrated French aviation pioneer Roland Garros, who successfully crossed the Mediterranean in an airplane in 1912 after racking up a host of successes at a variety of aviation events. It was Ettore’s victory at Mont Ventoux which drew Garros’ attention to the Type 18. A lover of speed through and through, Garros was looking for a car which would enable him to travel as fast on land as he could in the air. The Type 18 was an obvious choice. In counting Garros amongst his customers, Ettore Bugatti had landed a major marketing coup.
Bugatti delivered the two-seater bearing the vehicle identification number 474 to Garros on 18 September 1913. This Type 18, later named after the English racehorse “Black Bess”, is one of only three of the seven vehicles still remaining. Today, it can be found in the Louwman Museum, a private collection on show at The Hague in the Netherlands. Evert Louwman has kindly made the historic Type 18 “Black Bess” specially available for the world premiere of the current “Black Bess” Legend Vitesse at the Auto China in Beijing.
“Black Bess” Bugatti Legends: from fastest super sports car in the early days of the automobile to fastest super sports car of today
As is the case with all of the Legend vehicles, the “Black Bess” is based on the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. Its 1,200 PS, 8 litre W16 engine achieves an unparalleled torque of 1,500 Nm at 3,000–5,000 rpm, and can accelerate from 0–100 km in 2.6 seconds. With a maximum speed of 408.84 km/h with the roof down, the Vitesse is the fastest production roadster ever built.
“The ’Black Bess’ Legend Vitesse is yet another fine example of Bugatti’s innovative power when it comes to creating exclusive automobiles,” explains Bugatti Head Designer, Achim Anscheidt. “We have developed a new process for individually hand-painting the leather in the vehicle’s interior, the like of which has never been used before in the automotive industry. The leather and the ink applied by the designer have been technically developed and processed so that they can withstand the stresses inside the vehicle and fulfil the valid quality requirements demanded by modern day production.
Exterior. The body of the “Black Bess” Vitesse is constructed entirely of carbon fibre and, just like its historical predecessor, is painted completely black. The gold-coloured accents that make the Type 18 “Black Bess” so unmistakable are reflected in exquisite fashion on the modern Bugatti. For example, some of the Bugatti’s body components are coated in 24-carat gold. Indeed, this precious material has been used for the striking Bugatti horseshoe, which gleams against the background of the black front grille, creating a truly expressive front view for the Vitesse. This is reinforced by gold-coloured stripes that start below the headlights and radiate out over the front wings towards the rear, before tapering off at the end of the door line.
Sporting a similarly brilliant gold finish are the EB logo on the rear of the vehicle and the hub covers on the black rims, which also bear the initials of the company’s founder, Ettore Bugatti, in black. And let’s not forget the tank and oil caps, which have been engraved with the “Black Bess” nameplate and elegantly finished with gold paint.
Interior. The interior of the “Black Bess” Legend Vitesse has been fully upholstered using the finest leather. The headliner, footwell, seats, elongated centre console and rear bulkhead are bedecked in a light “Beige” tone, with the dashboard, dash panel, door trim panel and cowl panel offering a discreet contrast in ”Havanna”. Clad in red “Crimson” leather, the steering wheel rim draws a clear reference to the historic Type 18 “Black Bess”. This accent has also been picked up and continued in the red decorative stitching on the outer bolsters of the seats and in the seat belts.
New developments in the treatment of leather
The door panels are without doubt one of the car’s most impressive details. This is actually one of the most daring projects in the design of the vehicle’s interior. Both panels are upholstered in “Havanna” leather and bear scenes which depict the historic Type 18 “Black Bess” as well as Roland Garros’ airplane, a Morane Saulnier Type H. These sketches have been hand-painted directly onto the leather – just as the components in luxury vehicles were hand-painted in the early 1920s. In order to protect the images from abrasion and environmental impacts, both a special new ink and a new impregnation process have been developed. Never in the field of automobile manufacturing have traditional details been implemented so perfectly whilst also upholding the demands placed on quality by modern production standards. This reconfirms Bugatti’s strength in innovation. And it is coupled with a strong focus on individuality, as none of the six door panels in the three Legend vehicles is identical.
The demands placed by Bugatti on handling refined materials and on maximum faithfulness to the original vehicles can also be seen in the use of high-quality rosewood for the selector lever and the centre console panel in the vehicle’s interior. Gold can also be found inside the vehicle itself, such as the EB logo on the cover of the rear storage compartment, which is also finished in beige leather and hand-painted with a motif showing the historic vehicle.
Of course, typical Legend features have also been included in the vehicle, namely the beige, leather-clad insert in the centre console extension which bears the “Les Légendes de Bugatti” nameplate, the relief of the dancing elephant (the symbol for the Legends Edition which has been refined with a gold finish for this model), and the door sills bearing the image of the Type 18 “Black Bess”.
Technical description of the Type 18 ‘Black Bess’
The Bugatti Type 18 was manufactured from 1912 to 1914. At its heart was an impressive 5 litre, 4-cylinder in-line engine with 100 mm bore and 160 mm stroke, a crankshaft mounted on three bearings and an overhead camshaft. New for Bugatti: this design was fitted with a chain drive. It sported three valves per cylinder; two small intake valves and a large outlet valve. The extremely lightweight and small gearbox offered four forward gears and a reverse gear. The 2.45 m wheelbase and 1.25 m track width ensured the 100 PS vehicle’s exceptional manoeuvrability, particularly when cornering.
Auto China Beijing 2014 takes place from 21 to 29 April in the China International Exhibition Centre in Beijing. The Bugatti stand will be located in Hall E5.
Another "Legend", with what is basically a fancy paintjob and a few paintings in the interior, erroneous ones at that, because the car was never called "Black Bess" while in the hands of Roland Garros (thus the connection with the Morane Saulnier airplane is wrong), that name was give to the car much later. Maybe the name "Roland Garros" had been more appropriate to this legend? The whole line of these 5-litre 4-cylinder Bugattis were referred to as Roland Garros in later days.
But then again, the paintjob should have been different, and the interior lining made of the linnen from Roland Garros airplane....
Goodwood’s exclusive race for pre-war Bugatti race cars was staged in honor of William Charles Frederick Grover-Williams. Grover-Williams is remembered for his victories in the 1928-29 French Grands Prix, and for winning the inaugural Monaco Grand Prix in 1929 aboard his British Racing Green Type 35. During World War II he was recruited into the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and was executed in Berlin in 1945, a matter of weeks before the end of hostilities.
Introduced at the 1924 French Grand Prix, the Type 35 is widely believed to have won in excess of 1000 races, and inspired a generation of successful Bugattis. The Grover-Williams Trophy race at the 2014 Goodwood Members’ Meeting featured several variations on the Type 35 theme plus models such as the Type 51, Type 54 and Type 59. The winner was the Bugatti Type 35B of Charles Knill-Jones, who finished nearly a staggering 46 seconds ahead of the Type 35 of Duncan Pittaway. Charles McCabe’s Type 59 and the Type 35B duo of Chris Hudson and Bo Williams rounded out the top five.
More info and photo's on the Sportscardigest website
In fact, there were 2 "opening nights" after each other. On the Saturday there was the American Bugatti Club dinner at the Mullin museum, the day after was the opening event. The photograph above is of Peter Mullin, holding the speech at the opening event, with Caroline Bugatti on his left, and his wife Merle Mullin to his right.
(Sorry for the bad photograph at the opening of this article, I hope I will have a better one soon!)
The real star of the exhibit was the Bugatti Replica airplane. Above right Peter Mullin in between the main men of the "Reve Blue" team; From left to right: Scotty Wilson who started the replica project, Peter Mullin, John Lawson and Simon Birney.
The presence of the Bugatti airplane (which has not flown yet, but will be finished after some months in the exhibition, and then fly probably this year or early in the next) made this exhibition so very special, compared with all earlier ones (though there were occasionally models of the Bugatti 100P on show). On the Thursday - press day - many of the journalist passed the EB110SS, T101, T55 and a Royale, to see the most beautiful airplane of all times first! And, Mr. Mullin and his team, notably the lovely Brittanie Kinch who did a splendid job on the exhibition, for the first time to my knowledge showed many of the Lidia Bugatti art, illustrated on the right with a beautifully painted fantasy radiator mascot, reminding somewhat of her uncle Rembrandt's bronzes. Many of the Lidia Bugatti art is part of Mr. Mullin's collection.
Not only were there many unique items in the exhibition, it was also very well displayed, presenting the Bugatti family as a whole rather then each of the artists separately; Ettore's and Jean's automotive designs, were presented side by side with Carlo's furniture and Rembrandt Bugatti's fabulous bronzes, of which there were many, some 20 or so on loan by the Sladmore Gallery.
On the left: Scotty Wilson speeching about the Bugatti 100P airplane, and how it marked the end of an era in which Bugatti was THE name in automotive engineering, and a combined effort of both father Ettore and son Jean, as well as Louis de Monge of course. To the right of it a couple of overview photographs, taken from the upper level of the museum.
Ettore, Carlo, Rembrandt; from left to right: a special view of probably Ettore most splendid project the Bugatti Royale, here with the Binder Coupé de Ville body (Car owned by Bugatti SAS). Furniture and a stringed instrument and two bronzes of animals that could not be more different: The walking stork and American Bison (with Jean Bugatti's masterpiece, the T46 Profilée in the background)
With all of this art, I was afraid that the technical aspect of the Bugattis would be under-exposed, but I was very pleasantly surprised! Above left the gearing from the original airplane, which sits in front of the forward engine. On the right one of approximately 20 molds for Bugatti parts, mainly for engines. Molds ranged from T41 to T68, and showed part of the manufacturing process. Last but not least, there was the Type 64 chassis, which was shown in full splendor, revealing all of the details of this aluminium chassis Bugatti. Hovering above it was the body that the museum had specially designed and built for it, in the bare aluminium showing all the craftsmanship of the builders who made it very much in the same way as they would have 70 years ago. The wooden buck is shown alongside the T64.
Of course there were also the Bugatti cars in not-restored condition, from the Malmerspach collection and of course the Brescia from the Swiss lake.
There was a lot more; Bugatti automobile parts, workbench, vise and tyre stand, AutoRail engine, Bugatti factory door and hinges, You-you boat (engineless), Bicycle, carriages, many brochures and posters. Of Carlo there were also paintings, drawings and silverware, and of Rembrandt there were also sketches, apart from the bronzes.
But of course, the succes of the opening evening very much depended of the people present, I had quite a few interesting meetings and was a very happy man there, as the picture on the right shows! The museum had organised docents to inform the attending public, many friends of the Mullin's, about the cars, the plane (though Scotty was there all night talking about his project!) and all of the Bugatti history. Interesting people also, like Larry Crane, long time auto-journalist, and Randy Leffingwell, author of many books on a different marque, though the founder of that marque, Ferdinand Porsche, knew Ettore Bugatti personally.
For the time being, I do not know yet when the exhibition will be open to the general public. Please keep checking this site, as I will add that information once I have it, or check out the museum website www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com
Thanks to Peter Mullin for inviting me to the opening!
And thanks to Lance Baumberger for helping me out with many of the practicalities of the visit to CA. Lance also provided some of the photographs.
News flash!
After the opening an exceptional and unique Bugatti has been added to the exhibition! General William Lyon's Type 10!
I know that many Bugattistes think in numbers mainly, so here they are: 1361, 2461, 4634, 37129, 41111, 43272, 43289, 44739, 46136, 46360, 49377, 50117, 51132, 379A (Baby), T54/50 BC70, 55208, 57374, 57377, 57492, 57535, 57768, 57801, 64002, 101501, EB110SS, Veyron SuperSport WRC edition.
Bugatti Prize!
Turns out there was one prize for a Bugatti: Bugatti 57104, the Aerolithe Replica by The Guild of Automotive Restorers from Canada was shown at the Amelia island Concours and it did win Best New Coachwork or Recreation. See Photographs above.
Bugatti is continuing its six-part edition series, “Les Légendes de Bugatti”, at the Geneva International Motor Show (6–16 March) to honour some of the more important people in the company’s history. Last year the long-established French brand successfully presented the first three Legends models. All nine vehicles of these model series have been sold. Now Bugatti is celebrating another high point with its fourth legend – named in honour of Rembrandt Bugatti, brother of company founder Ettore and one of the most important sculptors of the early 20th century. One of his most significant works is the sculpture of a dancing elephant. It decorates the radiator of the Bugatti Type 41 Royale and became the brand’s symbol. The Legends model is based on the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse1. As with the other Legends models, only three will be manufactured. The “Rembrandt Bugatti” Vitesse costs €2.18 million Euro net.
“Rembrandt Bugatti was an exceptional sculptor. He represents the strong artistic roots of the Bugatti family, as did his father, Carlo,” said Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., at the presentation of the Legends edition. “As vehicle developer and founder of the Bugatti brand, Ettore was also inspired by this artistic heritage. Art is of course one of our three brand values, namely ‘Art, Forme, Technique’. This makes Bugatti unique in automotive history, and was the reason we dedicated this striking Legends model to Rembrandt Bugatti.”
The art world views Rembrandt Bugatti as one of the most notable and artistically independent sculptors of the early 20th century. He became famous through his animal sculptures, and cast a large part of his work in bronze. The pieces are now on display in several collections and museums across the world. In the same way that Ettore saw automobile creation as an artistic process, Rembrandt Bugatti’s fame was based on his extraordinary artistic talent and his formidable manual abilities in manipulating surfaces.
All first three model series of the Legends edition have been sold
The “Rembrandt Bugatti” is the fourth Legend from the brand. To launch the “Les Légendes de Bugatti” edition last year, Bugatti presented “Jean-Pierre Wimille” at California’s Pebble Beach, “Jean Bugatti” at the IAA in Frankfurt and “Meo Costantini” at the Dubai Motor Show.
“The Legends edition is a great success for Bugatti. The response from our customers is amazing,” said Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
“Rembrandt Bugatti”, the new Bugatti Legend
The “Rembrandt Bugatti” is based on the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. Its 8 litre W16 engine achieves an unparalleled torque of 1,500 Nm from 1,200 PS at 3,000–5,000 rpm, and can accelerate from 0–100 km in 2.6 seconds. With a maximum speed of 408.84 km/h with the roof down, the Vitesse is the fastest production roadster ever built.
Design
“Rembrandt Bugatti had a special talent for capturing the movement of animals at their most expressive moment,” explains Achim Anscheidt, Head Designer at Bugatti. “The patina, the soul and the crafted character of his bronze sculptures guided us to the colour and material choices in the Legend car that carries his name.”
Anscheidt continues: “The result is a super sports car that fuses beauty and elegance with great dynamics and sporting appeal.”
Exterior: The body of the “Rembrandt Bugatti” Legend Vitesse was designed in the “horizontal split”, and is largely composed of bronze-coloured clear-coated carbon as a gesture to the artist’s favoured material. The vehicle’s lower half is painted in an elegant light brown, “Noix”. The famous Bugatti horseshoe gleams in platinum from the front grille, with platinum also ringing the EB logo at the vehicle’s rear. The wheels are painted in dark “Firefinch” and light “Noix” browns, and these colours combine to complete the elegant appearance and set the super sports car off against the asphalt. In reference to the artist and Legends car’s namesake, Rembrandt Bugatti’s signature has been lasered onto the petrol and oil cap.
Interior: The elegant and harmonious appearance continues in the vehicle’s interior. The Vitesse is completely upholstered with leather in light brown “Cognac”. The rear centre box between the seats has a striking design. It proudly sports Rembrandt Bugatti’s famous elephant sculpture, the hood ornament of the Type 41 Royale and today is the symbol for both the brand and the Legends edition. The elephant was cast in bronze with great technical skill and worked as an insert into the cover. The cover is made of bronze-coloured clear-coated carbon. The door trim is impressive evidence of Bugatti’s reputation for working high-quality materials in a unique style, with braided leather in the softly contrasting colours of “Cognac” and “Coffee”. This elegant design was developed exclusively for this Legends car.
Platinum is also in evidence in the vehicle’s interior, on the EB logo on the steering wheel. Other interior details specific to this Legends Vitesse are the insert of bronze-coloured clear-coated carbon on the extended centre console with the lettering “Les Légendes de Bugatti” and Rembrandt Bugatti’s elephant, and the door sill plates displaying the sculptor’s portrait and signature.
Rembrandt Bugatti – remarkable sculptor and Bugatti legend
Rembrandt Bugatti (1884-1916) ranks among the most remarkable and individually artistic sculptors of the early 20th century. Born in Milan, Rembrandt was Ettore Bugatti’s younger brother. His exceptional talent was discovered early on, though his father Carlo Bugatti, himself successful as an artist and designer, had initially planned a future as an engineer for the young Rembrandt. After Rembrandt began sculpting at an early age, his father sent him to the Brera Art Academy in Milan. His very first exhibitions in Venice and Paris caused great sensations. Over the course of his short life, Rembrandt’s oeuvre came to include over 300 bronzes, paintings and drawings. Rembrandt’s great artistic passion for animals emerged at an early stage. He began modelling cows, horses and dogs, and was later inspired by the more exotic forms on display at the zoological gardens in Paris and Antwerp such as anteaters, tapirs, hippopotamuses and elephants.
Rembrandt created a great many elephant sculptures, but it was his dancing elephant that became perhaps the most recognisable symbol for the Bugatti brand. It is, after all, the silver hood ornament that adorns the Type 41 Royale. Because of his incredible flair for capturing the very essence of the animal in a sculpture, he was known across Europe and America.
The First World War drove Rembrandt Bugatti to take his life in Paris in 1916. He was only 31 years old.
Bugatti unveils its “Rembrandt Bugatti” Legends car just a few days before an exhibition on the artist opens in the Old National Gallery in Berlin
From 28 March to 27 July, a solo show at Berlin’s museum island will be dedicated exclusively to the work of Rembrandt Bugatti. The Old National Gallery will display over eighty of the artist’s sculptures from museums and private collections from across the world, and offer the fullest insight into the artist’s work ever seen. (www.rembrandtbugattiinberlin.com)
Dedicating this Legend to Rembrandt seems a bit strange; he had really very little connection to the cars, and of course died before his brother Ettore really came to fame.
And of course the standing elephant must be incorporated again, while Rembrandt did make many more impressive sculptures, like the famous "Walking Panther" or the "Hamadryas Baboon".
This amazing wooden crib was a gift offered to Ettore Bugatti for the birth of his son Jean and was built by the carpenters of the Bugatti factory. It was used for many years by the other children of Ettore Bugatti and eventually given to the family nurse. Her children later sold it in an auction in 2001, via the help of the Baron de Weibel, who was an antiquarian, neighbor and friend of the Bugatti family. This gentleman, who has now passed away, was a friend of the seller, a German lady and purposely decided to leave out the most interesting details when he described the crib during the auction. It is in excellent condition throughout and rests on four wheels with polychromed children in wood applied to all sides.
Price: £5000 Auction Estimate
The year says 1909, probably because Jean Bugatti was born in 1909, but he was born in Cologne, and there was no Bugatti factory at that time. Also, the crib is not for a small baby, but more for a little boy of between 1 - 6 years or so. So, the year is probably around 1911.
Though no Bugatti design, this is probably the cheapest way to acquire a 4-wheel vehicle built in the Bugatti factory!
February 11, 2014 Recreation of Rare Airplane to Take Flight following its Display in Southern California
Oxnard, Calif. (February 10, 2014) – The Mullin Automotive Museum, a Southern California institution devoted to the preservation of French art and automobiles from the Art Deco era, today announced it will debut the completed recreation of the Bugatti 100P airplane as part of its Art of Bugatti exhibition, a tribute to the Bugatti family’s enduring genius, opening March 25, 2014.
Originally designed in collaboration with Ettore Bugatti and Belgian engineer Louis de Monge, the original 1937 Bugatti 100P is considered by many to be one of the most technologically-advanced airplanes of the era. The 100P featured cutting-edge aerodynamics with forward pitched wings, a zero-drag cooling system, and computer-directed flight controls, all predating the development of the best Allied fighters of World War II. Powered by twin 450-hp engines, the plane was designed to reach speeds approaching 500mph, a feat previously only achieved by aircraft with twice the horsepower. The 100P was also much more compact than most aircraft of the era, with a wingspan of nearly 27-feet and an overall length of approximately 25.25-feet. In June 1940, Bugatti stopped work on the 100P and concealed the plane to prevent its discovery by the German military. Though the plane survived the war, it was left in a condition unfit for flight.
In 2009, Scott Wilson, John Lawson and Simon Birney of Le Reve Blue began construction on the first ever recreation of the Bugatti 100P. Handcrafted using largely the same materials and processes as the original, the recreation is dimensionally and aerodynamically identical to the original plane and includes elements of the five patents that Bugatti was originally awarded for the 100P. The recreation was teased as under construction at AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. in 2011, but will be seen as completed for the first time at the Mullin Automotive Museum, beginning in March 2014.
“We’ve searched for years to gather the best examples of the Bugatti family’s work and couldn’t be more thrilled to host the 100P at our museum,” said Peter Mullin, Founder and Chairman of the Mullin Automotive Museum. “Bugatti has always been known for their remarkable automobiles, but the 100P is one of the missing pieces that truly shows the breadth and depth of the family’s work.”
“There isn’t a better way to finish this project than to have the 100P be a part of the Art of Bugatti before it takes to the skies,” said Scott Wilson, Le Reve Blue Managing Director. “For the first time, this incredible piece of engineering and design will receive the broad recognition it deserves, 77 years later.”
The Bugatti 100P aircraft will be on display among the largest assembled collection of Bugatti artifacts and automobiles at the Art of Bugatti exhibition, opening March 2014. For further information on the Art of Bugatti at the Mullin Automotive Museum, please log onto www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com.
About the Mullin Automotive Museum
The Mullin Automotive Museum is a facility that pays homage to the art deco and machine age design eras (1918-1941) that produced exquisite art and magnificent automobiles. It officially opened its doors for the first time in the beach community of Oxnard, Calif., in spring 2010. For more information, please log onto .
www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com
March 20 until december 2014 The art of Bugatti exposition Oxnard, California, USA
A Comprehensive Retrospective of the Bugatti Family of Artists
The Mullin Automotive Museum houses over 50 pieces of furniture by Carlo Bugatti, numerous sculptures by Rembrandt Bugatti, paintings by Carlo, and the largest private collection of Ettore and Jean Bugatti automobiles in the world.
This exhibition brings together dozens of Bugatti models including carriages; the early Brescia race car; the race winning Types 35, 37 and 51; Jean Bugatti’s Type 64 Papillon and Atlantic Coupé; Types 57 Aravis and Atalante, and the incomparable Type 41 Bugatti Royale. The collection will also display the unrestored Schlumpf Reserve Collection and the new generation of Bugatti automobiles culminating with the breathtaking, record-breaking Veyron.
The design and engineering breakthroughs incorporated over the course of the Bugatti marque’s existence will be exposed and explored through drawings and factory artifacts, many unseen by the public prior to this time. The retrospective will also include an extensive overview of the Bugatti family’s influence on the automobile as art.
More info and public opening days: www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com
March 28 - July 27, 2014 Rembrandt Bugatti exhibition Berlin, GermanyREMBRANDT BUGATTI (1884–1916) was one of the most remarkable and artistically independent sculptors of the first decade of the 20th century. In his short life he produced more than 300 bronze sculptures, an oeuvre which is unparalleled for descriptive intensity and diversity of form and subject. Bugatti had an extraordinary sense for the ‘right’ moment, and his accurate observation and profound intuition lend great immediacy and authenticity to his works. From the start, Bugatti focused on the representation of animals. While he depicted domestic animals such as cows, horses or dogs at the beginning, he later modelled more exotic subjects like panthers, yaks, tapirs, anteaters or marabous. After his tragic death his brother Ettore posthumously chose an elephant sculpture as the hood ornament of his legendary Bugatti Royale model.
In the first solo exhibition of Bugatti’s work in Germany from March 28 – July 27, 2014, the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) Berlin will present around 80 of Bugatti’s sculptures throughout its entire building, vividly demonstrating how Bugatti’s work is embedded in the art of the 19th and early 20th century. This will be an one time opportunity to rediscover one of Europes most remarkable artists.
Please click here for a small pdf presentation on the life and work of Rembrandt Bugatti.
For more information and images, please visit the exhibition website www.rembrandtbugattiinberlin.de
March 29, 2014- March 29, 2015Around 1914: Design in a New Age Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada Opening March 29th at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto is a centennial exhibit looking back at the ROM’s decorative arts collections from the time of the museum’s opening. Works by artists Jensen, Tiffany, Lloyd Wright, Bugatti, Knox, Dresser, Emile Gallé, Hoffman and more will be on display.
Over 100 objects of European origin will be available for the public to view until the end of the centennial celebrations in March of 2015.
“The exhibition’s timing is no coincidence. With all areas of the ROM wishing to acknowledge the ROM’s Centennial, the European arts section is among the best positioned to make a statement! This exhibition establishes that the year of the ROM’s opening saw the era’s leading designers working in new ways. Given that the exhibition includes many of their innovative creations, we anticipate great interest in this timely display.”, says Robert Little, the Mona Campbell Curator for European Decorative Arts in the ROM’s World Cultures department and curator of the Around 1914 exhibit.
More info: www.rom.on.ca
May 21 - September 7, 2014 Dream Cars,
Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas Atlanta, USA
Exhibit of 17 of the most beautiful Concept cars of all time, including, of course, the Bugatti T57 Aerolithe (Replica).
The automobile has evolved from curiosity to daily necessity. Its form has advanced from the horseless carriages of the early twentieth century to the sleek, highly functional objects we know today. The experimental, concept, or “dream car,” as it became known in the early 1950s, has long been a dynamic tool allowing designers to showcase and demonstrate forward-thinking automotive design ideas. Concept cars were not objects the public typically could purchase, but rather the testing ground for innovations that might find expression in automobiles produced decades later. This exhibition explores the innovative designs that sparked ideas of future possibility and progress. It examines the dream car through five themes: individual makers, the impact of styling, visionary designers, the design process, and the influence of automobile fairs.
Chosen from hundreds of concept cars produced between 1932 and the present day, the visions for these automobiles are exciting to behold. Like most concept cars, those on display were never intended for production. Imagine an egg-shaped electric car, an exterior surface made of flexible fabric, or a jet fighter rolling down the highway – all of these were among the ideas dreamed up by designers and are featured in these galleries. The "dream" represented by these cars was that of future possibilities and pushing the limits of imagination and design.
More info: www.high.org
May 29 - June 1, 2014 90ème anniversaire du Grand Prix Bugatti en Baie de Somme, France
The Club Bugatti France is organising, in collaboration with Album (Alfa Bugatti Meeting) a rallye in Baie de Somme . This meeting will take place from 29th May to 1st June 2014 and will be dedicated to Bugatti Type 35, 37 and 51. Depending on the number of entrants, we will be able to accept Type 45, 54 and 59 which represents the lastest GP Bugatti before WWII.
June 3 - 8, 2014 International Bugatti Meeting Bamberg, Germany
As many friends of the Bugatti scene already know, the International Bugatti Meeting in Germany 201 will be held from June 3 to 8, 2014 in Bavaria.
On the magnificent background of the UNESCO world heritage site of the 1000 year-old imperial cathedral city of Bamberg the Bugatti will start to extensive trips around the historic region of Upper Franconia. Because of its forests, ranges of hills and valleys laced with its castles, chateaus, churches and monasteries and picturesque rows of houses this landscape is especially appealing.
The International Bugatti Meeting in Germany will be framed by a varied cultural program that leaves time for friendly, relaxed get-togethers with like-minded people.
The Bugatti Club Deutschland is pleased with the already obvious great interest and is looking forward to a good attendance.
Info and registration only on the webpage of the BCD: www.bugatti-club-deutschland.de
More info from Ralph Reinold: Ralph.Reinold@gmx.net
June 5 - 8, 2014 Sport and Collection France
June 14, 2014Marc Labarbe Auction house Auction Toulouse, France On auction: the ex 1930 Salon de Paris Bugatti 49, chassis number 49132
Engine nr 11, gearbox nr 11, rear axle nr 11, 2 spare wheels
The body is an extremely rare limousine and probably the only one with division.
Presented in a very good original condition.
The estimate is 150.000 to 250.000 euros.
More info: Auction catalogue
Announced Bugattis:
Bugatti T27 Bleu
Bugatti T57, Study T64, 3300cc - 1938
Many interesting Bugatti Pieces for sale:
Estimate: €250,000 - 310,000
Estimate: €170,000 - 220,000
Here Bonhams is delighted to offer for sale by auction one of the great ‘might-have-been’ projects from Formula 1 racing history. It comprises nothing less than a kind of Italian-manufactured forerunner of the rearengined, transverse straight-8 engined Bugatti Type 251 prototype, conceived and ‘almost’ completed in Milan over the seven or eightyear period immediately preceding the Molsheim machine’s one-off race appearance in the 1956 French Grand Prix at Reims-Gueux. The Ruggeri-Speluzzi would never reach so far, and its motor racing debut – in part perhaps dependent upon the result of this very Sale – has yet to be made…
In recent years the entire project has been saved for future posterity by the current vendor, himself a highly-respected Italian car specialist of particular Maserati renown. It is offered here as viewed, accompanied by “a mountain of spares including a complete spare engine. The drawings for the chassis seem to have come out of the backdoor of Colombo’s office whilst he was designing the Bugatti in Milan…and some of them even appear to have had the Bugatti name cut out of them…”.
Plainly the full story of this intriguing Ruggeri-Speluzzi project and that of the Colombo-designed Bugatti 251 remains to be fully disentangled, but as a potentially staggeringly-exotic and glamorous Historic Grand Prix car project we absolutely commend this most remarkable piece of earlypostwar Italiana – a fabulous beast, indeed.
So: who is going to dive into this project, and especially in it's connection with the Bugatti T251??
I can be reached by email at J.J.Horst@BugattiPage.com.
