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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! Luxury or Budget Wedding in a Bugatti with AW Bridal
Books
Most local windshield repair companies do not offer OEM equivalent glass for automobiles that are older than 1981 and especially for exotic models like the Bugatti.
The good news is glass sourcing specialists like SunTecautoglass.com can help vintage automobile owners locate the proper fitting OEM product which will ensure a great fit just like the original.
March 21, 2020
The entire world is hit by the Covid-19 virus (or Corona in some countries, even called the "Chinese" virus by our friend the president of the USA), and the strict measures in an attempt to control it.
The virus even affected this website; I have seen an increase in visitors over the last week, by about a quarter. Rest assured that this website will remain enitrely virus free; you can access it without mouth protection, can even sneeze at it without risk, and do not need to keep 1.5 meters distance....
So for all of you: Heads up, and if you're feeling bored: You can enjoy yourself for several hours reading all Questions, all news items and event announcements since 1995, and all 62 back issues of the Bugatti Revue! Jaap Horst
March 15, 2020
However, there were rumours about a smaller Bugatti, and thus it seems now, that these rumours were in fact true!
So what were the characteristics: A front mounted twin-turbo 4-litre V8, in fact the same one which was used by Bentley and produces more than 500 HP there, it might have produced even more in the Bugatti. Other options would have been a fully electric Atlantic, which would have had 4 electric motors. And there were even plans for a roadster!
Pricewise: it would have been "cheaper" than the Chiron, probably around 1 million only.
"Our president at the time, Wolfgang Dürheimer, pulled all the strings just to get Bugatti to a black zero so we were at least not costing the group money. We needed to be on the safe side to avoid being sold off from one day to another, because, in the first year, nobody could really judge the dimensions of the coming financial catastrophe. Everything was play it safe. It stayed that way for us for nearly two years," Anscheidt explained.
The Chiron was at a much more advanced stage in the development process so it was too late to cancel it. "We were five months away from the 2016 Geneva Auto Show where we planned to unveil it," Anscheidt explained. He candidly told me executives would have otherwise pulled the plug on the project to save as much money as possible, and they would have put Bugatti in a "freeze frame" while they riddled out what to do with the brand.
"We showed it to Stephan Winkelmann. He said 'I really, really like it, it's super exotic, we would find customers that would be interested in that. But, there's no chance in technical development we can make this fly, we have so many things do to. Can we not create this story, La Voiture Noire, on the base of the Chiron?' That's where it all started," he revealed, referencing the one-off, $19-million coupe unveiled in 2019. The former Lamborghini executive gave Anscheidt the freedom he needed to make the La Voiture Noire a reality, and he played a key role in fast-tracking other projects (like the Divo and the Centodieci) to production.
Below: video by "Supercar blondie", where you can see how annoyingly slow the doors actually open. Though, that may have been faster in the production model.
March 14, 2020
RM Sotheby's - Amelia Island Auction, USA, March 6 - 7, 2020
So, apart from the T55 and T57 Cabriolet by D'Ieteren, which both sold quite nicely close to their lower estimates, Pasta machines sell better than automobiles!
March 4, 2020
Bugatti has been producing sports cars homologated for public roads for over 110 years. In the past, vehicles such as the Type 13 and Type 35 have claimed countless victories at international hill climbs and road races. The Chiron Pur Sport1 is no exception to this long-standing tradition. The new model is an uncompromising hypersports car for exactly those winding roads – a new aerodynamic configuration generates more downforce while the lower weight increases agility. Even travelling at average speeds will stimulate all the senses thanks to a close-ratio transmission, high-performance tyres with a new material mix geared towards extreme grip as well as an agile chassis and suspension setup. By contrast with the Chiron Super Sport 300+, the recordbreaking car that exceeded the threshold of 300 miles per hour for the first time, the Chiron Pur Sport focuses on extraordinary, tangible performance throughout the entire range of speeds.
Extraordinary design
A new optional split paintwork design has been developed for the Chiron Pur Sport. The entire bottom third of the vehicle features exposed carbon fibre to make the vehicle seem even lower. From the sides these dark surfaces merge with the colour of the road surface and make the Pur Sport* appear even flatter.
The vehicle interior is deliberately sporty and raw, and has been reduced to the absolute minimum. Large surfaces have been upholstered with Alcantara to save weight. Dynamic patterns have been lasered into the Alcantara door trim panels featuring contrasting fabric highlights with a metal look. Alcantara guarantees an ideal grip on the steering wheel and improves the side support on seats – even at extreme lateral acceleration levels. All trim and controls are made exclusively of either black, anodised aluminium or titanium. Contrasting cross-stitching adds colour highlights, as do the steering wheel’s 12 o’clock spoke and the blue centre spine.
Sophisticated aerodynamics and exhaust system
New wheel design
New tyre development
Uncompromising chassis and suspension setup
Apart from the four familiar EB, Motorway, Handling and Sport drive modes, the Chiron Pur Sport[1] features the new Sport + drive mode to make this enhanced performance more emotionally tangible. In contrast to Sport mode, the traction control system kicks into action on dry race tracks at a significantly later point in the new mode aimed at more skilled cornering experts, making it possible for drivers to change their personal driving style even more than before from razor-sharp ideal lines to drifts, also through fast corners.
New transmission development
Production output and cost
March 1, 2020
Model similar to that auctioned on July 5, 2009 during the sale of the Estate of Madame Fritz Schlumpf by the house of Gasser Audhuy in Strasbourg.
Provenance: sale June 16, 2013, Châlon auction house, SVV Dessaut, lot 100.
February 27, 2020
To start with, the "Bugatti Chassis number contest" only received one reaction. Ulf Kossenjans had 12 out of 18 of the Bugattis (one of which appeared twice) in the 5 collages correct. So he is the deserved winner. Congratulations Ulf!
The correct answers were:
After long deliberations amongst the team of judges, considering quality, originality of the subject and of course also the important matter of taste, the winners are Nik Levecque and Geoffrey Severin.
Nik sent in an original short story, The Bordoli Bugatti, though in the meantime he is also competing in another category...
Most of us know the original Bugatti drawings by Francois Chevalier, as collected in his book "Le petit Bugattiste Illustré" from 2003. There are loads of fantasy Bugattis in the book (see on the right), some of which Geoffrey turned into 3D miniatures, the one at the top of the article, as well as the one shown below. He also made some of his own fantasies in 3D though! Well executed and original! Congratulations Geoffrey!
The winners will be asked to take their pick of the available prizes (I'm sorry to say, but I never did receive a reaction from Mr. Winkelmann). All entrants for the contest, from the winners and all other esteemed contestants, will be available soon in a special issue of the Bugatti Revue.
January 9, 2020
So, what do we have?
In fact there are two contests, one for the mathemagicians amongst the Bugattistes, the other for the Artistic ones!
Bugatti Chassis number contest
Bugatti Artistic contest
Prizes
Jury
Timing
February 14, 2019
Worldwide Auctioneers Riyadh auction, November 23, 2019
RM - Sotheby's Arizona Auction, January 16-17, 2020
RM Sotheby's - PARIS Auction, February 5, 2020
Bonhams Auction, Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais, Paris, February 6, 2020
Artcurial Retromobile Auction, February 7, 2020
One thing I had missed, and which sold for €2550 at the Bonhams Auction, was a rather special Mascot by Bugatti (and stamped Bugatti!), the "Oiseau de Vitesse" or "Speed bird".
It is nickel-plated brass, stamped with Bugatti emblem to underside and with stamped number 37 to underside of tail, of simple form (or one could say, a cubist approach to a flying bird) and believed to be a mascot design for Bugatti Type 37A, 21.5cm long. Apart from the famous Royale Elephant, it is the only mascot by Bugatti that I know of.
An example of this mascot was fitted to the Comte Souza Dantos "La Cage a Mouche" ("The Fly Cage") Type 37A Bugatti with coachwork by Million-Guiet.
February 14, 2020
The New "La Maison Pur Sang" Program
The program is being rolled out gradually, based on the certification of the authenticity of historic cars. The genuineness of an automobile is determined by Luigi Galli and his team of experts through intensive research of all available information - historical documents, admission registers, photo documents, or even the comparison of certain component numbers. After successive stages of expansion, the restoration of historic automobiles from Bugatti will also be carried out in the future.
“Tradition and history are a great privilege, but also a great responsibility for us. We are always faced by it. We’re conscious of our 110+ years of tradition and want to enable many of our historical vehicles to continue to drive perfectly on the road or to be in collections even after decades,” explains Stephan Winkelmann. "With 'La Maison Pur Sang' we offer an official framework for these automotive treasures. It is very important to protect and preserve Bugatti's tradition and heritage, as well as the existing knowledge of the brand. ”
Bugatti Veyron Turns 15 - with a New Loyalty Program
If you want to give your Veyron a fresh new look, you can do so in the future. In the first step, reconfiguration and restoration is offered for the Bugatti Veyron, followed by recertification. Specially trained technicians in Molsheim examine the vehicles closely and record every detail. Then they combine the results in an extensive booklet. Measurement taking as part of the loyalty program and “La Maison Pur Sang” will further support the positive performance of the Bugatti Veyron in recent few years.
January 25, 2020
Several outstanding models, a world record and a great 110th (109th) anniversary celebration. 2019 was an eventful year for the French luxury manufacturer of hyper sports cars. Bugatti celebrated its 110th anniversary in this year, making the company one of the oldest hyper sports car marques still in existence. Bugatti also developed several exclusive Edition models in what turned out to be a record year in all respects.
“We designed some outstanding hyper sports cars in 2019,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. These included the Chiro “110 ans Bugatti”, a homage to the French homeland. There was also the
“La Voiture Noire”, for Bugatti enthusiasts the most exclusive, beautiful and valuable Gran Tourismo there is. It’s the haute couture of automotive engineering – elegant, powerful and unique. Since the summer, Bugatti has also referenced the Italian intermezzo of the Bugatti marque with the “Centodieci”. At the same time, this is a nod to the Bugatti EB110, the super sports car of the 1990s.
“Although we’re proud to look back on our past, we’re looking forward to the future with purpose and pleasure. In 2019, we were again able to increase our production and also deliver more customised Chiron vehicles to our customers. This year, the first Divo model will leave our studio in Molsheim,” explains Stephan Winkelmann. With the Divo, Bugatti has extended its longstanding tradition of coach-building, which involves placing specially designed bodies on an existing chassis. This is a concept which has received great interest. The small series, limited to 40 cars, is sold out even before the official world premiere. Moreover, production of the Chiron is planned through to the end of 2021, and fewer than 100 of the 500 hyper sports cars are still available.
Stephan Winkelmann promises further highlights in the model series for 2020. “We’re living in a revolutionary era. We will present further high-performance vehicles in 2020, because Bugatti remains true to its philosophy of developing the best cars in the world.” At the same time, Bugatti will retroactively make its locations worldwide and the kilometres driven by Bugatti vehicles CO2-neutral from 2018. “By doing this, we’re taking responsibility for generations to come and placing Bugatti in a sustainable position for the future,” says Stephan Winkelmann.
La Marque is followed by continuing speculation. Rumours revolve around new models and bear witness to the enormous passion of Bugatti enthusiasts worldwide. However, Bugatti will not reveal its plans for the year. “All I can say is this: we’ll be presenting a few interesting surprises in 2020. We have several ideas and are continuing to work on the future of our traditional marque,” promises Winkelmann.
January 22, 2020
This may well be the most famous of all sporting Bugattis, having scored massive success in the 1930s, including multiple Grands Prix victories, in the hands of such luminaries as Robert Benoist, Louis Chiron, René Dreyfus, Piero Taruffi, Achille Varzi and Jean-Pierre Wimille.
It retired from the sport in 1937 and was then sold to King Leopold III of Belgium – it goes to auction in gloriously unrestored condition.
The other Bugattis on offer are hardly much less notable.
The 1928 Bugatti Type 35C Grand Prix, meanwhile, is valued at a mere ‘In excess of £3m’ and is another one to have raced in Grands Prix in period.
The Passion of a Lifetime auction takes place at Somerset House in London on 1 April. A selection of the cars will be available to view before then at Rétromobile in Paris in early Fabruary.
Source: Classic & Sports car
January 21, 2020
However, the paintwork directly rang a bell in my head, I had seen this exact type of paintjob before, a kind of leather-look never before seen on a GP Bugatti.
So, it is certainly not original, I saw this exact same car at Retromobile in February 2018, on the stand of Pur Sang, see: www.bugattirevue.com/revue59/retro.htm Scroll down quite a bit...
Since I saw it on Retromobile, some more instruments have been added to the dash, as well as some ornaments to the front. They stuck a pair of "old" licenseplates to it and tried to make the car look old. They also found documents from somewhere, which maybe the original documents of the real 37186 (the chassis of which is now in another Bugatti). Or if not, they are convincing fakes. They also stamped the number 37186 in the engine (using the wrong type of numbers). I communicated with another friend of mine in the Bugatti world, he also knew about this car being offered, though for € 450k in that case.
So, this car, how original it may look, is a full replica, with Pur Sang origins.
I'm afraid the owner has an asking price which is a factor 10 too high (I'd value it at around 150,000 euro in this shape, if you get it registered in the country you live in. This is usually difficult for a replica these days...
January 1, 2020
No, it wasn't. 110 Years of Bugatti is now, 2020. Did Bugatti SAS make a mistake? Yes they did, the same as what they did in 2009, when they said it was 100 years of Bugatti. Of course they had to continue that error of 11 years ago last year.
But what is the truth about this? In fact yes, Bugatti was talking with investors about starting for himself, already in the summer of 1909. Some sources state that Ettore Bugatti and Ernest Friderich were in the Hardtmühle in Dorlisheim painting the walls of the building towards the end of that year, while another source (Steinhauser) states that it was Friderich alone who was in Dorlisheim during Christmas of 1909, to make preparations to the building, and also was looking for new staff for the company.
However, the official papers to register the company were signed not earlier than Januari 1 (or 2, depending on the source), 1910. While (again Steinhauser) states that Bugatti did not come to Molsheim / Dorlisheim before January 13, 1910.
Thus, the conclusion is, that the Bugatti company was founded not before January 1910, and that the exact date of the start of the company changes a bit depending on the source you are using, ranging from January 1, to maybe the 14th of January, 1910. And thus, 110 years of Bugatti can be celebrated the whole year 2020!
Luckily, the exact start of the BugattiPage is better known. It started on February 27, 1995, as can be read in the "birthday" article of one year later. In 1996, I also started the Bugatti Revue, on April 1, 1996.
The oldest save of this website (at the then address dutoc74.iotudelft.nl/bugjaap.htm) which I could find was from January 19, 1997, see below. These old versions of a website (any website in fact) can be found on the "Wayback machine", at https://archive.org/web/web.php.
On the occasion of 25 years BugattiPage, I plan on organising a contest again, like I have done in the past. The last one was back in 2008, and was a writing contest. The ones before that were in 2005 (a photo contest) and in 2002 (General contest of art, stories, miniatures). Results of these past contests can be seen in the "past issue" part of the Bugatti Revue.
So stay tuned to this page where the announcement for the next contest will be published soon!
December 5, 2019
NEW EDITION MODEL OF THE CHIRON INSPIRED BY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CAR IN THE WORLD
“La Voiture Noire”, the black car, was a special Type 57 SC Atlantic created by Jean Bugatti – the most famous and most beautiful car in the world. Only four were built between 1936 and 1938. The black car disappeared at the beginning of the Second World War. If it were ever to be found, it would probably be the most expensive and most valuable car in the world.
In March 2019, Bugatti Design Director Achim Anscheidt ( My info is different from that of Bugatti, as far as I know it was designed not by Anscheidt, but by Etienne Salomé) reinterpreted “La Voiture Noire”, bringing this special automobile forward to the 21 century. The modern interpretation of the coupé was created as the ultimate Gran Tourismo for Bugatti enthusiasts. This unique specimen once again demonstrates that Bugatti makes the most powerful, luxurious and exclusive hyper sports cars in the world. “The true form of luxury is individuality. 'La Voiture Noire' is the spearhead of automotive engineering – a sculptural beauty,” says Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann. A coupé with the comfort of a luxury limousine and the power of a hyper sports car.´
La Voiture Noire continues to attract interest
Black exposed carbon covers the finely wrought body of the “Chiron Noire Élégance”. The grille of the famous Bugatti radiator sports a fresh design, while the Bugatti “Macaron” emblem sits at the centre, made of solid silver and exclusively refined with black enamel. Calipers finished in black are installed behind the new Caractère wheels. The C-shaped Bugatti signature line, milled from solid metal, visually interrupts the black body of the “Chiron Noire Élégance” with its matt polished aluminium finish. Other exterior accentuations such as the rear-view mirror and engine cover are finished in black carbon and polished aluminium. The “Noire” inscription adorns the side panels in front of the rear wheel and the underside of the rear wing.
The interior is also dominated by black. Inside the “Chiron Noire Élégance” only the “Inner Signature Line” – the light bearer curved in the style of the outer C-line – is made of aluminium with a silk-matt finish. The edition model inscription “Noire” appears on the door sills and on the outside of the centre console, as well as being sewn into the headrests. An additional carbon badge inlaid in the centre armrest demonstrates the exclusivity of each edition vehicle.
Bugatti “Chiron Noire Sportive” with matt finish
The iconic 8.0-litre 16-cylinder engine with 1,103 kW/1,500 hp and 1,600 Newton metres of torque continues to serve as the power unit. The “Chiron Noire” is also available for the Chiron Sport at an extra charge of EUR 100,000. The edition model, limited to 20 vehicles, will be delivered from the second quarter of 2020 at a price of three million euros net in the basic version.
November 29, 2019
Generous, he liked to share his passions and especially for Bugatti. Although he was not in the organisation
November 29, 2019
The piece stands 250 mm high on a solid rose wood base, inset with Ettore’s signature in stainless steel on the front face.
Maybe a nice Christmas idea for "the man (m/f) who already has everyting"?
October 31, 2019
Artcurial "Automobiles sur les Champs" auction, October 27, 2019
This first day of spring usually for most of us bitten by the "Bug" marks the start of a season of motoring in the great outdoors, as in the above artwork by Guy Sabran. However, a pandemic of a whole different nature will stop most of us (temporarily) to do so. I haven't heard of Bugatti rallies having been canceled, but they most probably will be.
First of all; I hope that all of you, my readers, and your families and relatives are well. I wish you can cope with these difficult times, healthwise of course, but also financially for those in danger of losing thier job, or their business.
In the past decade, Bugatti SAS has developed more models than they actually produced. Some, like the 4-door Galibier was in fact presented to the public. This "small" front engined V8 Atlantic was not. 
So what did indeed happen? Achim Anscheidt remembered the Atlantic, though not fully approved for production yet, was tentatively scheduled to make its public debut at the 2015 edition of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The various posters decorating the design studio's walls all reference that date, but the launch was pushed back and the delay proved fatal. The far-reaching Dieselgate scandal fulminated less than a month after the world's wealthiest enthusiasts convened on California's picturesque Pacific coast and sent all of Volkswagen's brands into panic mode. Bugatti worried about its future more than others because it's the smallest and most fragile part of the automaker. 
And my personal opinion; not an ugly car, except for the radiator-grille, which looks like a horseshoe for one of the fattest horses in equestrian history. However, such a small car, would be much more useable than the Veyron or Chiron are. It even has room in the boot to put your crates of beer you just bought at the supermarket!
Bonham's - Amelia Island Auction, USA, March 5, 2020
With a name all too obviously referring to "Pur Sang", The new Chiron Pur Sport should be fast in corners, voracious on country roads. 
Flat front end, dynamic design and impressive rear spoiler – it’s clear from the outset that the new Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport1 yearns for corners and challenging country roads. Pure and unadulterated. A genuine thoroughbred.
“We spoke to customers and realised they wanted a vehicle that is geared even more towards agility and dynamic cornering. A hypersports car that yearns for country roads with as many bends as possible. An unadulterated, uncompromising driving machine. Consequently, the vehicle is called Chiron Pur Sport1”, explains Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “By cutting the weight by 50 kilogrammes while simultaneously boosting the downforce and configuring an uncompromising, sporty chassis as well as suspension setup, the Chiron Pur Sport1 boasts incredible grip, sensational acceleration and extraordinarily accurate handling. It’s the most uncompromising yet agile Bugatti of recent times.”
The Chiron Pur Sport’s concept has been geared towards agility in every sense of the word. The Design Development department’s focus was to lend the Pur Sport* a confident appearance. As a result, the front end is dominated by an intentionally dynamic expression. Very wide air inlets and an enlarged horseshoe panel at the bottom serve as perfect radiator air outlets. The vehicle’s striking splitter generates maximum downforce by protruding considerably at the front while also making the vehicle seem wider. Primary lines run across the air outlets on the front wing like tendons on a muscle, radiating the design image of a well-honed athlete.
The rear of the Pur Sport proudly carries the vehicle’s rear spoiler spanning 1.90 metres to generate serious amounts of downforce, and the striking diffuser also significantly boosts the vehicle’s aerodynamics. In this process, angled wing mounts form a large X in conjunction with the rear apron, a feature that is inspired by elements of science fiction and motorsport . The design is rounded off by the extremely lightweight and highly temperature-resistant exhaust tailpipe made of 3D-printed titanium. This production method gives the components very thin walls, thus helping to save weight where it really matters.
A large diffuser and fixed rear spoiler generate plenty of downforce at the back end, while also helping to boost agility. At the same time, doing away with the hydraulic component of the otherwise automatically extending spoiler reduces the weight by ten kilogrammes. Rear wing mounts and diffuser form an aggressive and sporty X-shaped design. “We focussed particularly on the agility of the Chiron Pur Sport1. The vehicle generates more downforce at the rear axle while the large, front splitter, air inlets, wheel-arch vents featuring optimised air outlets and a reduced vehicle height strike a clean balance at the front”, Frank Heyl, Head of Exterior Design and Deputy Head Designer at Bugatti, explains.
Frank Heyl and the Technical Development department teamed up to devise a magnesium wheel design featuring optional aero blades for the Pur Sport. Arranged in a ring, the blades guarantee ideal wheel ventilation while also boosting aerodynamics. While the vehicle is in motion the rings fitted to the rim extract air outwards from the wheel where it is immediately drawn towards the rear. This invention prevents adverse turbulence in the wheel area and also improves the flow across the side of the vehicle. A special cover on each of the five wheel nuts minimises turbulence and adds a final visual touch to the wheel’s design. Cutting the weight by a total of 16 kilogrammes results in a lower unladen weight and also reduces the unsprung masses of the already ultra-light Bugatti wheels. “All of the modifications make the Pur Sport’s handling more accurate, direct and predictable. Lower unsprung masses result in improved grip because the wheel maintains contact with the road surface more easily. Anyone behind the wheel will immediately feel its lightweight character through bends”, Jachin Schwalbe, Head of Bugatti Chassis Development, adds. An accomplished interpretation of “form follows performance”.
Bugatti and Michelin developed the new and exclusive Bugatti Sport Cup 2 R tyre in 285/30 R20 dimensions at the front and 355/25 R21 at the rear to match the new Aero wheel design. Thanks to a modified tyre structure and a rubber mix that creates more grip, this combination boosts the vehicle’s lateral acceleration by 10% to additionally increase its cornering speed.
Bugatti specifically configured the chassis and suspension to be uncompromising on winding roads – without any detrimental effect on comfort. A new chassis setup featuring 65% firmer springs at the front and 33% firmer springs at the rear, an adaptive damping control strategy geared towards performance as well as modified camber values (minus 2.5 degrees) guarantee even more dynamic handling and added agility in bends. Carbon-fibre stabilisers at the front and rear additionally minimise roll. “This setup makes the
Chiron Pur Sport steer more directly and accurately through bends and maintains the grip levels for a very long time – even at high speeds. In conjunction with 19 kilogrammes of weight reduction of the unsprung masses the Pur Sport almost glides across roads”, Jachin Schwalbe explains. In addition to the wheels’ weight reduction totalling 16 kilogrammes, titanium brake pad base panels cut the vehicle’s weight by a further two kilogrammes while brake discs strike yet another kilogramme off the total weight. “These 19 kilogrammes fully contribute towards the performance. Less weight results in more grip and tangibly more comfort, as adaptive dampers are forced to deal with lower masses to thus be able to maintain the wheels’ contact with the road surface more easily”, Jachin Schwalbe adds. Engineers have guaranteed more direct contact with the road surface by making the connection between chassis, suspension and body 130% firmer at the front and 77% firmer at the rear.
A new transmission featuring an overall gear ratio that has been configured 15% closer together guarantees even more dynamic handling and further improves the power distribution of the 8.0-litre W16 engine generating 1,500 horsepower and 1,600 newton metres of torque. The vehicle now unleashes its full power at 350 km/h. “We were forced to reduce the speed as a result of the vastly increased downforce, generated by the new rear spoiler”, Schwalbe explains. 80% of the transmission has been revised while the entire gear set including four shafts and seven forward gears has been adapted to the new conditions. “We reconfigured each gear and calibrated new ratios despite this iconic engine boasting an abundance of power. The gears are closer together now to enable shorter gear jumps and also benefit performance. Most of all when coming out of corners the Chiron Pur Sport1 accelerates even more aggressively in conjunction with the added grip as well as the more direct chassis and suspension”, Gregor Gries says as the Head of Major Assemblies at Bugatti. At the same time Bugatti has increased the maximum engine speed of the W16 unit by 200 rpm to 6,900 rpm. In conjunction with the closer overall gear ratio this creates significantly better elasticity. As a result, the Chiron Pur Sport accelerates from 60 to 120 km/h almost two seconds faster than the already lightning-fast Chiron.
All in all the elasticity values are 40% better compared with the Chiron.
2020 will be a special year for Bugatti. The French manufacturer based in Molsheim will be delivering the first Bugatti Divo vehicles this year, a creation showcased at Pebble Beach in 2018, as part of a limited small-scale series totalling 40 units. Production of the Chiron Pur Sport will start in the second half of 2020. Limited to 60 units at three million euros excluding VAT. “With the Chiron Pur Sport we are showcasing an outstanding vehicle that makes your heart race shortly after having started the engine to push the limits of driving physics even further to the limit than any vehicle ever has done before. This means we have come full circle, back to the good, old Bugatti tradition”, Stephan Winkelmann adds confidently.
Artcurial Sale Racing, Flying & Yachting Auction, February 8, 2020
Silver sculpture, old lost wax cast bearing the stamp of the founder Valsuani. According to a model created in 1904 and chosen by Ettore Bugatti to serve as mascots for the radiator caps of the Bugatti Royale produced in the workshops of Molsheim from 1926
On January 9, I published the 110 Years Bugatti Contest. I can't say that I was overwhelmed by the number of reactions I received, but there were interesting and beautiful ones.
1.1: #50123
1.2: #40748
1.3: #38470
1.4: #40810
1.5: #46293
2.1: Veyron 16.4 GrandSport Vitesse Black Bess (Les légendes)
2.2: La Voiture Noire
2.3: Divo
3.1: #2180
3.2: #2628
3.3: #44646
3.4: #38470
4.1: #37140
4.2: #4843
4.3: #51153
5.1: #57596
5.2: #57748
5.3: #57731
Luckily there were a lot more contestants for the "Bugatti Artistic contest", 10 in total, most of them sent in more than one artwork, different styles, different qualities, different subjects and of course there were miniatures, stories, paintings and digital artwork. 
As promised, I present to you the 110 Years of Bugatti and 25 Years of BugattiPage contest! Such a festive year, 2020, does need something special!
The first contest is an easy one for those who enjoy Bugatti chassis numbers, know them by heart for 95% of the existing Bugattis, and probably know all the owners of these Bugattis from new until now as well.
What you have to do is easy, there are 5 collages here of Bugattis, for the classic Bugattis you give the chassis numbers for all Bugattis visible in each of them. That's 4 collages, the last one is of the modern Bugattis, all you have to do here, is to give the specific type and/or name. Chassis numbers not needed.
The photographs are just cut and put together, all have been on my website in the last few years, or still are, and they are not changed in any other way (though I may have mirrored one or two images, just to make the nose of the car point in the right direction). There is the one collage above, and four below. Each can be clicked on to view a larger size image. In total there are 18 parts of Bugattis in these collages, the Bugattiste with the most correct answers will win.
As all of us know, the chassis number approach is one way to be a Bugattiste, but there are many more. I am in fact one of those who does not know many chassis numbers, I'm also interested in the artistic side of Bugatti, both the automobiles as well as the furniture, paintings and statues. Following in the footsteps of the famous family, you are requested to make some artistic contribution for this contest.
This may be a nicely written story, either an anecdote of an event that really happened, or total fantasy. Other contributions can be drawings, paintings, photographs, collages (better than mine!), miniatures (preferably not a standard built kit, anyone who feels tempted to build a collage in 3D?), websites? or something which I have not thought of yet but has an artistic side to it, and Bugatti related of course.
So, what is it that you can win? I'll have to ask Mr. Winkelmann if he has a spare Chiron (or just an old Veyron) laying around in the workshops, which he has to get rid of. Probably not, so prizes are a bit more down to earth..
There is no first prize, the number one winner for each contest just gets first pick.
The jury consists of only Bugattistes. The number of jury members can be one or more, depending on how schizophrenic I feel at that moment.
Please send your contributions, the list with chassis numbers and the three types/names of the modern Bugattis, or your artistic contribution by e-mail to me (J.J.Horst@BugattiPage.com) before February 10 (which will give you about a month). That way the jury has some time to do it's (his) judging duties, and also prepare the webpages for the answers to be given, the winners to be announced, and the artistic contributions to be prepared and published in a special edition of the Bugatti Revue on February 27, 2020, exactly 25 years after the start of BugattiPage.
(Descriptions of most of the classic Bugattis that were on auction in the Retromobile period in Paris can be found here)
One may consider the estimates for some of the classic Bugattis rather on the high side, fact remains that the majority did not sell. Of the 12 Bugattis on auction only 4 were sold! The ones that did sell were of course the fabulous Type 55 Figoni (though that one only just touched it's lower estimate) and a few others, as well as the modern Veyrons, the latter always seem to sell at auction. 
THE NEW RANGE FOR HISTORICAL MODELS FROM THE TRADITIONAL FRENCH BRAND
Tradition is one of the core pillars of Bugatti. Bugatti is launching the new “La Maison Pur Sang” program to enable even better care for the historical vehicles in the future. For the first time, the French luxury brand presented the new offer for the certification and restoration of classic Bugatti automobiles at the Rétromobile Motorshow in Paris, the annual international exhibition of classic vehicles.
“Bugatti vehicles have always been special automobiles. Exceptional design, outstanding performance and the latest technology characterize each Bugatti,” emphasizes Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “In order to allow owners to experience and enjoy the outstanding technology flawlessly, we have decided to provide intensive support in our factory with the “La Maison Pur Sang” program.” Luigi Galli, a new specialist for Tradition and Certification at Bugatti, has been in charge of this special task since September. In his role, he is the first point of contact for customers of historic Bugatti automobiles and the various Bugatti clubs.
Fifteen years have passed since its world premiere - and yet the Veyron is as fit as ever with appropriate maintenance. It is not for nothing that Bugatti offers a loyalty program for the Veyron, which makes it possible to extend the guarantee. This makes Bugatti the only manufacturer to offer a warranty on its vehicles even after more than twelve years. Regular, annual maintenance at the authorized Bugatti contract partner is required. Preventive measures and comprehensive service can ensure that the hyper sports car is guaranteed to bring its inner beast to the road in a controlled and reliable manner. The best thing: technical solutions and shorter service times with regular maintenance reduce the total cost for the customer by half.
LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER EVENTFUL AND EXCITING YEAR AFTER A RECORD-BREAKING 2019
Three Bugattis, amongst which the most famous Bugatti Type 59 Sports "King Leopold" are among the 16 dream classics in Gooding & Company’s debut London auction later this year. The King Leopold 1934 Type 59 Sports is the catalogue’s highest-valued lot and carries a £10m-plus estimate. 
First is the 1937 Type 57S Atalante, which carries a £7m-plus guide price. One of just 17 built with the breathtaking Atalante coachwork, it was delivered new to racer and enthusiast Earl Howe and recently benefited from a comprehensive restoration.
A friend of mine sent me a series of photographs, including photographs of the original old registration papers, of a Bugatti T37A. The car allegedly was completely original, original paintwork, first hand. Only 1.8M Euro. Chassis number 37186.
Below, various details of the car now, and how it was at Retromobile 2018.
Left, in 2018, the right two photographs as it is now. Added reflectors and number plate. Ugly number plate illumination.
Original front of the T37A, and as it is now. Many details added, and the Pur Sang badge replaced by a Bugatti one. A lot more corrosion also...
Dashboard in 2018, and as it is now, two years later. Some instruments added, and a whole lot of emblems which try to give the car an appearance as if it has lived 92 years. However, it is much too clean around these instruments and badges; the edges are always where you can not clean or polish.
The "Pur Sang" type recognisable distributor cap has been replaced by something which does look more period correct. Maybe one of few original parts on the car?
Not many changes to the engine compartment. Spark plug holder added and some other parts. Everything looks rather new. Look at that shiny waterpump!
The strange paintjob, which triggered me. If the paint would have been some faded blue, I might have believed it was original. Not this way. The upholstery (Photo on the right) was done again with old leather.
The fake number 37186 (Typeface which Bugatti never used) on the engine, and the very convincing document.
"110 Years of Bugatti?" I can see the questionmarks on your forehead, "Wasn't that last year?"
Of course, if anybody has any proof that Bugatti started in 1909, I'd be happy to see it!
I started in a time that the Internet was still a domain for enthusiasts, with promises of absolutely open and democratic free communication between people all over the world. In part this did become a reality, see my BugattiPage, but largely the Internet became the domain of Ultra commercial companies like Facebook and Google who know all your most intimate details, Fake news and Russian and Chinese hackers....
My website however remained largely the same, basically non-commercial, with only a very limited amount of adverts....
Molsheim, 29-11-2019
Interest in the vehicle with its unique shape has been enormous ever since. Bugatti now offers its customers two versions of an edition model: in sporty style as the “Chiron Noire Sportive” and with a focus on elegance as the “Chiron Noire Élégance”.
In the “Chiron Noire Sportive”, Bugatti covers the exposed carbon fibre with a matt black finish. The exterior trim elements, the C-shaped Bugatti signature line, the wheels, front spoiler and radiator grille are all matt black. The four visible tailpipes of the titanium exhaust system are likewise finished in black, as are parts of the engine cover. The interior is even more dominated by black than in the “Chiron Noire Élégance”. The embroidered “Noire” inscriptions on the inlays of the centre console and the headrest are black, as are the aluminium trim parts in the interior. Meanwhile the inner C-line, switches, push-buttons and rotary knobs on the dashboard, steering wheel, centre console and door handles in matt black underline the car’s exclusive, sporty character.
Marc Nicolosi, famous Bugattiste and founder of the Retromobile show left us Wednesday morning.
Marc was the first to unite the world of the classic automobile by creating in 1976: Retromobile.
any longer, I always saw him at Retromobile, usually sitting alongside a Bugatti.
UK model maker, designer and Bugatti enthusiast Greg Morgan has recently completed a sculpt of Ettore Bugatti. He sent me the photographs above and below, judging from the photographs alone, the sculpture is very accurate and life-like.
20 individually numbered editions have been made in bronze from the original wax sculpt using the cire perdu method.
These are priced at £3500, contact the artist greg@gregmorgan.co.uk for more information (and ordering).
October 24, 2019
At the Bugatti Trust they are extremely proud, as the Trust won the "Museum of the Year" award!
In fact it was kind of a double win for the Trust as the 1939 Bugatti Type 59/50B won the Car of the Year award. The Trust of course has had it in a special exhibition!
Trust Curator Angela Hucke writes:
Incredibly grateful to Sue Barnes, David Morys and David Carpenter what a team we are and to all our amazing volunteers and our board and Hugh Conway and the BOC
and of course to Richard Keller @citeautomulhouse who nearly two years ago said yes to a very special exhibition plan!
We have only gone and done it!
And of course thank you to everyone who voted for the beauty that is the Wimille car! So special that it won by public vote!
See here the winners in all classes.
October 16, 2019
October 2, 2019
Koller Auction, Zürich, Switzerland, September 26, 2019
Bonhams' Bonmont Sale, Cheserex, Switzerland, September 29, 2019
It seems the truth becomes clear: if you're in it for the investment; better go for sculptures, or even modern Bugattis!
February 15 - 27, 2020 International Bugatti Meeting New Zealand
March 5, 2020 Bonham's - Amelia Island Auction Fernandina Beach golf club, Florida, USA
Ettore Bugatti's personal pasta machine Besides being a legendary craftsman and car maker, Ettore Bugatti was also a very particular gourmand. Famously well mannered, and expecting the same from his guests, he is understood to have refused to sell a gentleman of royal lineage a car on account of his poor table manners. Ettore's attention to detail when it came to dining stretched from his building a hen house on his property to provide the freshest eggs to a personalized table setting with his own custom made cutlery-all of which were engraved with his initials. The story of this contraption goes that Ettore's Italian chef reported that the pasta machine had broken and it would be some time before a new one could be delivered to Alsace. Not wishing to go without his noodles, Ettore drew up a design for his own machine and had his team in the Bugatti factory custom fabricate it. While most pasta makers are powered by a hand crank, Bugatti pulled a Type 46 steering wheel out of the parts bin and installed that instead. It seems rather fitting that he would rather steer his way to spaghetti than tirelessly crank as if attempting to start a dead car. There is an alternate story from the one Bonham's gives; this is that the pasta machine is in fact a gift by the factory workers to Ettore Bugatti. I don't remember where I read it, but it does sound more credible! Fitted with a mounting bracket, it is designed to be mounted on the edge of a table with the steering wheel perpendicular to the ground. Three beautifully assembled pasta dies accompany the device, any one of which can be fitted into the tightly fitting threaded aperture at the bottom of the pasta maker. It is pretty safe to say that this overbuilt pasta making machine solved Ettore's pasta plight permanently, and as such he never made another. While most of Bugatti's products just produce fumes out the back end, this one makes something much more delicious!
1925 Bugatti Type 30 Sports Tourer
'Bugattis encapsulate concepts of engineering which, once seen, change your ideas radically and definitively. Drive them, and you realize that each car is form and engineering in equilibrium, and a work of art.' – William Stobbs, Les Grandes Routières. Introduced in 1922, the Type 30 Bugatti has a special place in motoring history, for it was the first small 'straight-eight' to go into production and the first to use Bugatti's classic single-overhead-cam engine, one of the most famous automobile power units of all time. Typical of the time, the Bugatti 'eight' was a 'long-stroke' design of 60x88mm bore/stroke for a capacity of 1,991cc. The three valves per cylinder were operated by single gear-driven overhead camshaft, while the crankshaft was carried in three roller bearings with plain big ends. Breathing via twin Solex carburetors, this jewel-like power unit produced approximately 100bhp at 4,500rpm. This engine was installed in what was essentially a Brescia type chassis, resulting in a car that was notably fast and powerful for its day, possessing many of the characteristics of the racing Bugattis. The eight-cylinder engine was very flexible and, once mastered, the Brescia-type gearbox a delight to use. Of some 600-or-so Type 30s produced, fewer than 50 are known to survive today, with original examples possessing known history especially desirable.
From Chambon's ownership, the Bugatti passed on to another well-known French collector, Monsieur Bernard Viallon. Viallon had many great Bugattis, and his cars were famously used for color illustrations in the legendary book Bugatti Magnum, written by renowned Bugatti historian Hugh Conway. Type 30 chassis no. 4725 is illustrated on page 111 and 112. The elegant Bugatti Type 30 Sports Tourer would later be exported to the United States, where it has resided in a prominent collection for the past two decades. Today, this stunning Bugatti shows beautifully throughout. The engine compartment displays the powerful eight-cylinder all-aluminum engine, featuring the overhead camshaft operating 3 valves per cylinder. The two brass Solex carburetors are polished and give the compartment an impressive look. The cockpit is trimmed in dark wood and neatly contrasting chocolate-colored leather hides. The classic four-spoke wood rimmed Bugatti steering wheel sits in front of the beautiful white-faced instruments and gauges by Jaeger, Paris. A black convertible top and rear mounted spare wheel is fitted, and large Marchal headlamps with yellow reflectors grace the front, as does the classic Bugatti horseshoe shaped radiator. According to contemporary press reports, the Type 30 was 'A full blooded, real man's motor-car, by intention and performance' and '4724', with its graceful Sports Tourer coachwork, is a particularly fine example of the marque.
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 1928 Bugatti Type 44 Cabriolet by F. Gerber
"The three-liter Type 44, smooth and fast, was one of the best of all Bugattis", Bill Boddy – The Bugatti Story By the early 1930s, Ettore Bugatti had established an unrivalled reputation for building cars with outstanding performance on road or track; the world's greatest racing drivers enjoyed countless successes aboard the Molsheim factory's products and often chose them for their everyday transport. Considered the finest touring Bugatti of the 1920s, the Type 44 was introduced in 1927 and was produced until 1931. Debuted at the Paris Auto Salon in October 1927, the Type 44 replaced the 2-liter Type 38. It shared much of the Type 38's chassis, although strengthened to withstand the increased power output. 1,095 were built, of which around 10 percent are believed to survive today. The Type 44 was powered by the revised single-overhead-cam straight eight engine, one of the most famous automobile power units of all time. Because of its lengthy run of success, Ettore Bugatti remained committed to his single-cam design, only adopting the double-overhead-camshaft method of valve actuation on the Type 50 of 1930 after considerable prompting by his eldest son, Jean. The Type 44's twin-block, three-valves-per-cylinder, single-plug engine displaced 2,991cc and produced approximately 80bhp, an output good enough for a top speed of over 75mph. Most importantly, the engine received an entirely new crankshaft, one having nine plain bearings for the eight cylinders, thus becoming one of the most solid and reliable crankshaft Bugatti ever made. Driving via a four-speed gate-change gearbox, the Type 44 used a finely tuned leaf spring suspension, and had large, effective drum brakes on all four corners. "The 3-liter Type 44: Smooth, fast and reliable"'- that's how renowned Bugatti historian H.G. Conway headlines his chapter on the Type 44 in the Bugatti book of his The Great Marques series. That really sums up the great Type 44.
It is recorded as such: Bugatti Type 44, number 857 was produced by the works in December 1928, it was subsequently ordered on February 11th, 1928 by Swiss agents Blanc and Paiche of Geneva and delivered to them promptly 5 days after the order. As new, its first owner, who is noted as a Mr. Weckmann or Wegmann (the annotation is not clear), received the Bugatti with coachwork by a well known local builder Graber, of Wichtrach. That coachwork is listed to have been a two seater cabriolet, however there is no visual evidence that survives of the car in this form. Since the mid-1930s and remaining in the same guise to this day, it is understood that the original coachwork was either updated or replaced by another less-known Swiss carrossier, F. Gerber. The car had passed to new ownership in the hands of Ernest Maring a Basel based librarian who showed it at the Concours d'Elegance in Villars in 1935. Some 20 years later Maring remained its custodian when he offered the cabriolet for sale in the Bugatti Owner's Club Bugantics publication in 1955. A published photo shows the coachwork to have fender skirts, wheel discs and an interesting horizontally separated two tone color scheme. It should be noted, that these aesthetic details were very much the mid-1930s styling cues and would have made the car appear contemporary to the newer Type 57 model. Shortly after this, the Bugatti migrated to the U.S. where it has resided ever since. The first of the American keepers was noted collector Dr. Milton Roth of California, and it would seem that he was responsible for repainting the car to a solid dark olive green hue and likely returning the fenders to their 1920s guise. As for 100s of other cars, the '44 was later captured by Bill Harrah for his burgeoning collection in Reno, Nevada, where it would rest alongside many Molsheim products ranging from the original 'bathtub' or 'lobster' Type 10, to 57S and behemoth Royales. This particular car remained with Harrah until after his death and was included in the first dispersal sale in 1984, its buyer was Maurice Schwartz of Boca Raton, here in Florida. Sold by auction in 2006 here in Amelia Island, the car passed briefly to Robert Swarms before changing hands again through Donald Koleman's Competition Motors Ltd. to Dean Edmonds. Owing to his stature, Mr. Edmonds found the seating and placement of the panel behind the seat to make it uncomfortable to drive, so he commissioned Koleman to modify this aspect with a shorter panel. In 2009, it was discovered that the radiator was leaking and the decision was made to have it re-cored in England. Other maintenance continued to be carried out by Cosmopolitan and latterly in Naples with Manfred's Automobile Specialties. Some question has been made of the unusual HCC badge which it wears, this has been verified to relate to the Harrow Car Club in the UK, albeit the connection to its history is uncharted. 44857 was regularly enjoyed by Mr. Edmonds and was even displayed at the ever popular American Bugatti Club New York luncheon at Sardi's in 2010, as well as at the International Bugatti in California that same year. The car was also displayed at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in 2012. It has since rested in his collection in Naples, Florida. This car was sold in 2006 by RM Auctions also at Amelia Island, on March 11, 2006 for $165,000. See the 2006 news
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 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Super Sport Roadster
"I have waited for this particular car for 30 years, so that a life-long ambition was realized at Armoury House last December" – Dean Edmonds, July 1986. It is said that the zenith of pre-war design in America was 1932, when fender lines, proportions and engineering technology combined harmoniously to deliver a balance of looks and performance yet seen in this country and now rightfully recognized. A car such as the Bugatti Type 55 Roadster with its in house styling gives credence to a similar theory for European design, but in actuality reflects more a peak of development and collaboration between Le Patron, Ettore Bugatti and the emergence of his son Jean as a major influence on the business. Jean's design cues are all present in the Type 55, which rides on a chassis and running gear which is all of his father's making, yet with the guiding hand of Jean in terms of its twin cam power. Designing and building this car together must have been an incredibly rewarding project for them and is a tour de force of their respective talents. On the technical side, Ettore's beautiful eight cylinder inline engine which had become the basis for thousands of Grand Prix victories had become outclassed with the advent of the Italian and American twin cams, had now followed suit, influenced heavily by Miller's Packard Cable Specials. For the first and only time, the 2.3-liter supercharged unit was used in a road car. The chassis was the beefed up, deep sided frame that was utilized in the Type 54 Grand Prix cars, all the while retaining the reverse quarter elliptic rear springing and front axle arrangement that hailed from the successful GP cars. A new format of gearbox similar to that used in the Type 49 joined the power to the road.
Production of these Super Sport Bugattis was very limited, just 38 examples leaving the Molsheim works between 1932 and 1935. Of that 3 dozen or so cars, only 14 left the factory with the definitive Jean Bugatti Roadster coachwork and today of those a mere 11 retain that original bodywork. Many of this small group reside in Institutions or collections of institutional status, the Musee National de L'Automobile which houses the collection assembled by the Schlumpf brothers holds two of them, another is in the Revs Institute here in Florida, meaning that they rarely appear for sale. In this new decade, they continue to offer a remarkable array of possibilities as they were campaigned in period at Le Mans and in the Mille Miglia, making them both beautiful and eminently usable. Of those eleven survivors of the esteemed, Jean Bugatti designed, factory bodied roadsters, 55220 is generally considered to be one of the very best and has a simple pedigree of English history, followed by the single U.S. ownership of Dean S. Edmonds Jr. since 1985. The car has been cherished throughout its life, from day one when it was ordered by none other than Nathaniel Mayer Victor Rothschild. The Rothschild name is closely connected with the marque as a number of family members were owners of Bugatti's machines, and Victor as he was known, who was a mere 22 years of age at this point would later in the 1930s own one of the famed Atlantic Coupes. At this point Victor was studying physiology at Trinity College Cambridge, he must certainly have 'cut the dash' in the University town. Being a British delivery, the '55 was ordered through agent Colonel Sorel. It had been built as a rolling chassis at the works in May 1932, and received its factory coachwork to be completed in August that year. The Bugatti was registered for the road with the distinctive road license plate of 'EPF 4'. One of its next owners was the remarkable R. MacLeod-Carey, who is known as much for the cars he owned as for how he carefully documented his use and how to maintain them.
Carey's precise typed notes state that he purchased the car on April 12, 1939 from Arthur Baron. Of particular interest and not previously recorded is ownership by Bachelier post Rothschild and then C. I Craig, both of whom were noted Bugatti owners in this period. Carey states 'The car was not used from early 1936 to April 1939, and was not driven by the last two owners.' Over the course of 32 exquisitely typed and annotated pages, he educates himself about how the car operates, and describes a few journeys in it. On May 14 he drove to the home of the Bugatti Owners Club and up the famed Prescott Hill in a respectable 56.10 seconds, and two weeks later drove to Brooklands for the Whitsun Meeting – where the ultimate pre-war sportscar race the 'Fastest Road Car Challenge' took place. Carey was suitably proud of the handbook that he had created and appears to have mailed the finished article to S.C.H. "Sammy" Davis at The Autocar, who responded 'I think you have made a wonderful history. I don't know how the dickens you can find the time to do it all, and it is very good of you to let me see it. It is by far the most elaborate log that I have ever seen.' 
 M.H. Scott bought the car from Walters, and subsequently sold it to A.A. Morse, who in turn sold to H. B. Murphie. Murphie and his daughter kept the Type 55 for more than an decade, and were responsible for the only material changes to its appearance in its career, being the alteration of the windshield to a taller format, presumably to aid touring and it is understood that the back axle was changed to a 15x54 ratio at this point (note today it still retains its original 13 x 54 casing).
As Dean Edmonds would recount many times over the course of his ownership, this was a most memorable event, it is hard to better the way which he relayed it to Howland Blackiston who would put it in print for Classic Cars magazine: "There was at that time a very eminent restorer (among the first in the business, I believe) named Peter Seferian, who ran a shop with the intriguing name of the Seferian Escadrille" "He knew of my passion for this particular automobile, and accordingly one day he called me in my office at Boston University and simply said 'Get over here, I have something to show you!' Now this was in the middle of the work week, but I had a very capable secretary who was able to reschedule a few things." As I approached Peter's shop, I saw him standing out in front holding a postcard with a picture of "my" car on it. The card announced an auction to be held at the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company Armory in London the following week. Nothing would do but I must attend, and so made arrangements to hop the Concorde after class on Thursday. I ascertained on Friday that it was really "my" car that was (among others) to be auctioned the following day and I was ready for action on Saturday." "The auction was pretty dramatic, as this Type 55 is a fairly rare, not to mention desirable automobile, and there were various brokers, museum curators, and other bigwigs bidding" he continued. Recalling that the auction "people were wonderful. They seemed to sympathize with the lone little college professor who had loved this particular car for years and who was obviously out of his depth among all these high-powered professionals. Malcolm Barber, the auctioneer, did everything he could to favor my effort, even jumping the bid up a couple of times (he knew my limit) in the hope of driving other people out. Finally it came down to me" and one other "I was over my limit by this time and I thought to myself. "If he bids once more, I'm out! I cannot commit financial suicide over a car!' There was a dead silence in the room, and I could see Auctioneer Barber with his gavel raised wondering how long he must wait before he could bring it down to end the show. Time seemed to stand still..." "and finally the gavel came down and the car was mine!", emanating the fictional Indiana Jones character he finishes "I was back in class Monday morning".
An article compiled pre-sale but printed after the auction in the British publication The Automobile, would suggest that a clinical static future awaited 55220, and precipitated a tort rebuff from Mr. Edmonds "the fact is that nothing could be further from my mind than making this car an "exhibition piece without oil in its sump and tyres that never roll on tarmac". Quite the contrary, I am a lover of engines in particular and machinery generally and would consider it most disappointing to limit myself looking upon this car as no more than a piece of sculpture, although it qualifies in that department far more than much that I've seen that claimed to be nothing else." Naturally, having secured the roadster at his suggestion Peter Seferian was the logical choice for Mr. Edmonds to commission its restoration. Very sadly he would lose his friend and restorer within a year or so and at that point it was transferred to Donald Koleman's Competition Motors Ltd. of Salem, Mass for the majority of the work to be undertaken. An exhaustive, but wholly sympathetic rebuild was carried out, during which the windshield was returned to its original height, and the dashboard layout to the standard configuration. In conversation with Donald Koleman he recounted this 'wonderful' car and how a friendship blossomed with Dean Edmonds. Its debut post work was at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1993 where it took First in Class, testament to the quality of the restoration. Dean Edmonds was true to his word, and the Bugatti was never considered a 'trailer queen', he followed up the Pebble Beach win with a run at the Mille Miglia and International Bugatti Rally in 1994, and it would later be shown at various events, including Meadowbrook Hall Concours d'Elegance and here in Amelia Island in 2001. Mr. Edmonds passed in 2018 being the only reason that the car reemerges from 35 years of loving ownership. His custody and careful investment in a proper restoration has ensured that the car remains in such intrinsically authentic order. A thorough report on 55220's history has recently been completed by respected authority Mark Morris, but the pertinent essence is that it is a fully matching numbers car.
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March 6 - 7, 2020 RM Sotheby's - Amelia Island Auction Amelia Island, Florida, USA
1927 Bugatti Type 38A Supercharged
The Type 38A offered here, chassis no. 38470, was one of reportedly 39 examples built with a powerful supercharged engine. Fitted with the factory’s attractive boat-tailed aluminum Grand Sport coachwork, it remained at the factory for over a year before it was delivered at a special price to London dealer Colonel Sorel on 23 October 1928. Colonel Sorel, in turn, sold the car to the original owner, L.G. “Batch” Bachelier, a well-known racing driver of the period, who drove the car in the JCC High Speed trials of July 1929. In the early 1930s the car was sold to Denis Evans, who raced it in the British Automobile Racing Club Open Meeting Mountain racing handicap in 1931 and in the JCC High Speed Trial at Brooklands in 1932. The car’s subsequent owner was named Child and lived near Rotherham, who in turn sold it to a B. Rees of West Hampstead, London. By this time its chassis and body had been shortened to make a two-seater, and the engine was replaced with the current unit. In this form the car was exported from England in the early 1960s and enjoyed a handful of new owners in the USA, including Richard Winer of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who sold the car to Dr. Terry Bennett of New Hampshire. At the dissolution of Dr. Bennett’s collection in 1991, the Bugatti became one of the early acquisitions in the noted collection of John Rich, Sr., in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Rich commissioned a full restoration of the car to its original configuration by noted Bugatti specialist Donald Koleman’s Competition Motors. After restoration the car was regularly shown by Mr. Rich, appearing at the 1993 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, at Meadowbrook in 1994, and Amelia Island in 2004.
Editor: This same car was sold in "The Finest Automobile Auctions, The elegance at Hershey, June 11, 2016", for $440,000, see announcement and auction result in the BugattiPage, 2016.
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1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet by D'Ieteren
In 1938 Jean Bugatti and the Molsheim bodywork leader Joseph Walter penned a new open Type 57 dubbed the Aravis, once again in a nod to an Alpine mountain range. A companion to the more common four-seat cabriolet model the Stelvio, the Aravis was a sleek two-seater with a more raked windscreen and a dramatically sloped tail that featured a small central dorsal fin. As with the Stelvio, construction of the Aravis bodywork was delegated to Gangloff’s coachworks in Colmar, though very few examples were comparatively produced. It is believed that no more than 12 examples were built at Colmar, with just three extant today. Considering, however, that Type 57 models were also sold as rolling chassis to be clothed by the customer’s coachbuilder of choice, there is little surprise that several more cars were built to specifications very closely resembling the factory-contracted Aravis. Letourneur et Marchand built as many as six examples of a three-seat version (featuring a single rear seat), and D’Ieteren of Belgium built a single example in a similar style.
According to the research of marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier, as well as an extensive file of documentation that includes factory build sheets, restoration invoices, European registrations, a D’Ieteren photo album, and entries from the American and International Bugatti Registers, chassis no. 57589 is one of four Type 57 examples ordered by D’Ieteren in 1938. It is also the only such example built in the sleek three-seat body style. Factory records and the combined data of the Bugatti Registers indicate this Type 57 was initially completed at Molsheim as a rolling chassis in September 1937. In March 1938 the chassis was delivered to D’Ieteren on behalf of a customer named Baggage, with a special notice for “urgent delivery.” Inspired by Letourneur et Marchand’s three-seater chassis no. 57826, Albert D’Ieteren set about creating distinctive one-off coachwork that benefitted from significant input from Monsieur Baggage himself. Notably, Baggage was particularly tall, resulting in the somewhat stretched cabin proportions. Featuring roll-up windows and a streamlined folding canvas top that was particularly low and sleek in either the raised or reclined position, the cabriolet was fabulously realized, conveying an elegant and distinguished character through its beautifully sculpted singularity. Monsieur Baggage enjoyed using the extraordinary Bugatti for nearly two years before the German invasion of 1940 compelled him to hide it. The exact history of the car over the following ten years is currently lost to the fog of war. Sometime after the conclusion of hostilities, the Type 57 resurfaced and was offered by the French government as a “Vente des Domaines” and sold in late May 1951 to an industrial company in Paris. After passing to two different Parisian magnates, the Bugatti was acquired in early 1952 by marque specialist Gaston Docime and sold that May to André Derain, the famed Fauvist painter and Bugatti collector. A corresponding Docime maintenance invoice and insurance paper are included in the car’s copious documentation. Derain owned as many as 14 important Bugattis during his lifetime, and chassis no. 57589 was the last, becoming his crowning acquisition.
In 1963 the Bugatti was purchased by Robert Wells of Akron, Ohio, and he went on to retain possession for a remarkable period of 35 years, notably presenting the Type 57 at the August 1969 meeting of the American Bugatti Club in Painesville. In 1999 the car traveled to Europe for a period of exhibition, being shown at the Rétromobile and the Techno Classica in 2000 and again at Rétromobile as well as the Festival Bugatti in Molsheim a year later. In 2004 the Type 57 passed to Alfred Lechter of Jean, Nevada, and he displayed the car at the 2007 Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance. Two years later the Bugatti received expert attention by marque specialist Jim Stranberg in Colorado. The cabriolet was then presented at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August 2009 and participated in the Tour d’Elegance before being sold in 2010 to Greek collector Theodore Angelopoulos, who commissioned regular maintenance by the Swiss firm Pichler GFG AG Classic Center over the next five years. In September 2015 the Bugatti was acquired by the consignor, a respected collector based in Florida. He submitted the car to the renowned Scott Sargent for a survey. Though the consignor was initially inclined to conduct a comprehensive restoration, Mr. Sargent noted that the Type 57 retained numerous original components and details, such as the firewall and remnants of original paint on the undercarriage that lent the car a definitive and irreplaceable authenticity. Consequently, to retain the utmost originality, it was decided to limit the restoration to cosmetic considerations and service of the original mechanical components as needed. The interior and top were retrimmed, while the unique coachwork was refinished in a very attractive and distinctive two-tone scheme of black with maroon details.
It should be noted that this extraordinary Bugatti retains most of its original factory components, including the important dual-overhead-cam straight-eight engine, the original chassis frame, and the exquisitely sculpted D’Ieteren one-off coachwork. Documented with restoration invoices from Jim Stranberg, Pichler, and Scott Sargent; a Swiss permis de circulation; a copy of the French carte grise; a D’Ieteren photo album featuring period images; entries from the American and International Bugatti Registers; a FIVA card; and a history by marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier; and accompanied by tools and original unrestored luggage, this beautiful Type 57 is one of very few examples built in the Aravis-inspired three-seat body style, and the only example clothed by the Belgian coachbuilder D’Ieteren. Continually maintained by devoted owners, this highly original Bugatti Type 57 offers a stunning addition to any important collection and is an ideal candidate for further presentation at major concours d’elegance and marque events. Also claiming the important provenance of ownership by the great Fauvist painter and Bugatti collector André Derain, 57589 would make a prudent acquisition for the Molsheim completist searching for a rare, distinctively attractive one-off example of the venerable Type 57.
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1939 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff
Type 57C chassis no. 57834 was built in July 1939 with the desirable late-production specifications of Lockheed hydraulic brakes and telescopic shock absorbers as well as, of course, the potent supercharged engine, no. 103C. The Stelvio cabriolet body was ordered from Gangloff by the Bugatti factory in black with a burgundy leather interior. Delivery was made through the Lyon agent P. Monestier et Cie to their client, Dr. Robert Perrin. Dr. Perrin first registered the car in Lyon as 9141-PG and appears later to have moved with it to Grenoble, as noted in the American Bugatti Register and Owner Book. Subsequent French caretakers are recorded as Messrs Turk and François Chevalérias. In the late 1950s, Paul Pazery, a French-born diplomat living in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, inquired with Gene Cesari as to the acquisition of the best possible Type 57 via Cesari’s Parisian contacts. The great Bugatti broker came through with chassis no. 57834, which was enjoyed in France, still in its original livery, before it was shipped to the United States in 1959. A photograph of the car, taken in France in this era, was published in the American Bugatti Register, showing that it remained in excellent condition and, importantly, looked then much as it does today. Mr. Pazery had been serious about his desire, and he would keep the Bugatti for the rest of his life, eventually retiring with it to New Mexico and overseeing a cosmetic restoration in the late 1970s. Following Mr. Pazery’s passing, his Bugatti passed to collector Jeffrey Ozan, from whom it was shortly thereafter acquired by Keith Crain in 2006. Mr. Crain, a discerning enthusiast seeking a top-of-the-line concours competitor, submitted the car to Brian Joseph’s respected Classic & Exotic Service of Troy, Michigan, for a complete, fresh restoration. Tim Purrier, Mr. Joseph’s successor, noted that the Type 57 remained in very good, solid condition, including an excellent original interior, and thus was a relatively easy restoration. Photographs of the work show that the car received a complete restoration, with the body removed from the chassis and finished in this elegant black, with rich, deep red upholstery. Following restoration, the Bugatti was debuted at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, followed by an appearance at the Meadowbrook Concours in 2008 and at the Concours d’Elegance of America at St. John’s in 2013. It returned to St. John’s in 2018, most recently receiving the Otto Rosenbuch Spirit of the Hobby Award.
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Bugatti Club Nederland (BCN) welcomes Bugattistes from all over the world to the 2020 International Bugatti Meeting.
On behalf of the BCN, the ‘Stichting Evenementen Bugatti’ is responsible for the organization of this event.
From June 7th to 13th 2020 we will stay at the Castel de Pont à Lesse Hotel – entirely rented by us – in the
beautiful Ardennes area of Dinant (Belgium), perfectly suited for touring from there for 5 days. We will visit
interesting and surprising places along beautiful roads.
Before the IBM, there will be the Prologue „Crossing the Alpes“, from June 11 to 13
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I can be reached by email at J.J.Horst@BugattiPage.com.
