"57374" By well-known artist Francois Vanaret
"You have captured the essence of the ATLANTIC MONA-LISA brilliantly" Reaction from Peter Mullin
More info: www.francoisvanaret.com
October 31, 2012 RM Auctions, Automobiles of London England1937 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Cabriolet by Gangloff #57467
More info www.rmauctions.com
2008 Bugatti EB 16.4 Veyron #VF9SA15C08M795100
November 28, 2012 Brightwells Classic Vehicles auction UK1985 Bugatti Type 50 Grand Sport Recreation
Superb aluminium bodied T50 replica; only 3,000 miles since build. Estimate £30,000 - £35,000
This hand-crafted Type 50 Grand Sport with two-seater sports body, was commissioned by Bill Nicholas (and brother) of Stratford Upon Avon, from Bob Lewis - then MD of Projects of Distinction, and later MD of Technical Contracts Ltd., of Alcester.
The chassis was built to Bugatti plans, and designed to take modern running gear. The ash frame was constructed by Bob Jones as a one-off project. In the following year (March of 986) Bob became the owner of "Teal Cars", and built replica Bugatti cars, until the company ceased production in 1998.
Scale drawings were supplied by a Belgian industrialist, and taken from a book that is thought to have been written by Hugh Conway, having a pale blue front cover, with an illustration of a Bugatti on the top half and a blueprint drawing below. Dashboard, instruments, radiator cowl and grille were supplied by Projects of Distinction. "Vintage Wings" of Manchester built the aluminium body and wings.
£40,000 was spent on construction up to 1985, when the project ran into financial difficulties.
The project was finally completed with the help of Tim Perry, of TJP Classic Services.
More info www.brightwells.com
And on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10VxLqjTIik
Until December 12, 2012 L´Art et l´Automobile automobilia auction OnlineVarious Bugatti automobilia items including the
Original Silver Elephant from the Royale Chassis 41111 Binder!
The last time an Elephant radiator mascot was sold, that of the Napoleon coupé Royale, in 2009, it went for 238,000 euro!
More info arteautoauction.com
With this year a Bugatti Grand Prix pavillion, with the following Bugattis: Type 43, 51, 37, 51 (rolling chassis), 54, 35C, 35, 37A, 23, 35B, 43, Baby Bugatti and (for the first time in Holland??) the T32 Tank, on loan from the Schlumpf museum in Mulhouse
And, as usual, a stand organized by Jean Prick, while there will also be some other nice Bugattis on show as well!
More info www.ic-tm.nl
1927 Bugatti Type 38 Four-Seat Open Tourer
CHASSIS #38243 | ENGINE #135
The Bugatti Type 38 is known for being one of the best and most forgiving road going Bugattis built. Although the type 38 was not a competition Grand Prix car, it shares the same 8 cylinder engine with wider mountings, gearbox and brakes, as with the Grand Prix type 35a. Usually the touring Bugattis from the 1920s are known for being dull and slow, but make no mistake about the type 38, they are fun to drive and they get up to speed in quite a hurry. This particular car was sold new to South Africa where the early history of the car is unknown until the car was discovered by R. Lee of Brazil, with very low miles and still in very nice condition.
The car received a cosmetic restoration during the time it was owned by Manny Dragone. All of the components still remain in original condition. One of Bugatti’s favored coachbuilders, lavocat et Marsaud of Boulogne, was responsible for single seat bodies, as well as this very pretty open tourer body. With beautiful wood trim around the seats and the split windows, this car is a stunning open tourer. In 2008 the engine was completely re-built, with no cost spared. Recently the car has been gone through by Jim Stranberg of High Mountain Classics and is ready for many years of touring.
More info saloncollection.com
January 17, 2013 Bonhams Auction, The Scottsdale Auction, Exceptional Motor Cars
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
1930 Bugatti Type 46 Faux Cabriolet Veth en Zoon of Arnhem #46293
At its debut, The Motor magazine said the Type 46 "combines the luxury of a large limousine, the perfect flexibility and top gear performance of a thoroughbred, with the perfect road holding, speed and acceleration of a sports model." Exemplifying the crème de la crème of touring cars, the elegant and sporting Type 46 was among the best of the Molsheim models, and this particular car – the recipient of a painstaking concours-level restoration – is among the very best in existence.
more info : www.bonhams.com
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante #57766
Formerly the Property of Al Garthwaite, Sam Scher and John W. Strauss, 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Award Winner
more info : www.goodingco.com
February 6 - 10, 2013 Retromobile Paris, France
Next year it will be 100 years ago that Roland Garros made his historic flight across the Mediterranean and to celebrate this fact, Rétromobile will exhibit the actual plane, a type H Morane-Saultier, alongside the actual Bugatti 5-litre Type 18 which Roland ordered in 1913 and which later became known as 'Black Bess', the car will be on loan from the Louwman Collection.
Although the Paris Tennis Stadium was named after him, Roland Garros was not a tennis champion. During World War I he was an aviator in the prestigious "Storks" squadron when a few days before the Armistice his plane crashed. Five years before his death Roland Garros was the first to cross the Mediterranean in his plane, flying from Fréjus in France to Bizerte in Tunisia.
Mystery Bugatti Roadster at the stand of PreWarCar at Rétromobile
So far nobody has made clear who built this beautiful Roadster.
-The car was registered on 10th october 1951 in the name of Mrs Suzanne LENGLET,
Car licence : 9288 AR 75
She was living at 358 bis Rue de Vaugirard in Paris.
She was the wife of a mechanic, called Pierre Lenglet, living at the same address. The photograph was taken around 1951.
Please send any information you may have about this car to info@prewarcar.com
December 24, 2012 Christophe Piochon becomes new Managing Director of production and Director of Bugatti’s Molsheim atelier.
Molsheim, December 21, 2012 – Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. today announces the appointment of Christophe Piochon as Director of Bugatti’s Molsheim-based atelier, effective from January 1, 2013.
After receiving a degree in engineering, Piochon started his career as member of the Quality Assurance department at Volkswagen Group. In 2004, he joined the team in Molsheim and has led Bugatti’s Quality Assurance division since 2008. Part of Piochon’s responsibilities included the development of the Bugatti Veyron. In August 2011, he became Head of the Quality Assurance department at “Die Gläserne Manufaktur” in Dresden.
Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., said: “Quality is of utmost importance for our exceptional products. We are pleased to have on board someone who is not only a native French man but also a quality specialist as Managing Director of production and Director of the Molsheim atelier. With his in-depth know-how of the Veyron development, Christophe Piochon is the perfect choice to lead our manufacturing processes.”
Fred Schulemann, who is currently responsible for production at the Atelier, will return to Audi.
Exclusive exhibition of Bernar Venet’s interpretation of the Bugatti Grand Sport during the Art Basel Miami Beach at the Rubell Family Collection
MIAMI, FL.- Bugatti and the Rubell Family Collection announce the exhibition of artist Bernar Venet’s artistic interpretation of the supercar-maker’s Grand Sport at the Rubell Family Collection, December 5–9, 2012 during Art Basel Miami Beach.
What other object of the 20th and 21st centuries is charged with as much significance and has been cited, adapted and interpreted by artists as often as the car? How has this myth evolved through the course of time and what is the significance currently held by the design of an object considered the fastest and most expensive car in the world?
Artist Bernar Venet took on this challenge with the Grand Sport by Bugatti. Through a congenial synthesis of artistic concept and technical possibilities, Venet has created an object that integrates the symbol of speed with a fascinating, painterly exterior and an interior that alludes to haute couture.
Bernar Venet remarks, "A Bugatti is already a work of art in itself, one that transports both its beholder and its driver into new dimensions of reality. I realized how I could translate my passion for mathematical equations and scientific treatises into three-dimensional form. My works are usually self-referential. So I found the idea of translating the equations of the Bugatti engineers onto the bodywork of the car very appealing. It was, so to speak, a logical conclusion and a new challenge in terms of the specific form of collaboration and implementation. To me, the result is also exceptional when measured by artistic standards and bestows the object with a mythical character."
The artistic avant-gardes of the first half of the twentieth century found inspiration in the car as an object of desire; they depicted it in drawings, paintings and sculptures that projected absolute speed as their point of orientation. In the 1970’s, the car served as an unconventional canvas for many artists, such as Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, who painted what became known as ?art cars?. This practice continued to be embraced in the 1980s.
Since the 1990s, international artists have concentrated on exploring the shifting cultural historical significance of the car. This has resulted in sculptural and conceptual responses such as those by Erwin Wurm, Gabriel Orozco, Christoph Keller, Olafur Eliasson and Damian Ortega, which tend to contextualize the car as a paradigm for the acute social and cultural changes of a globalized world.
Bernar Venet´s approach is radically different from these movements and artworks, which pursued more or less conventional solutions in both their figurative and abstract variants. Venet has recorded mathematical formulas calculating the enormous power of the Bugatti engine on the car itself—in keeping with his artistic credo of renouncing every reference to the external world and developing an autonomous idiom. Ultimately, the artist is striving to express his interpretation of the Grand Sport as a tribute to the genius of technology and to the extraordinary craftsmanship behind the fine art of German engineering.
In his 2012 artistic adaptation and exploration of the Bugatti Grand Sport, Bernar Venet has combined image and object to highlight the fascination with this model’s absolute beauty and speed.
His work unites a conceptual approach and sculptural craft on equal footing. In this work for Bugatti, Venet links the Pop artists’ claim to the car as a canvas with the utilization of every technical and aesthetic means available for designing the fastest and costliest car in the world today. Venet incorporates signs taken from the realm of production into his visual idiom and creates a total work of art that harmonizes object and outer surface, interior and exterior, and evokes the exhilarating speed of the Bugatti Grand Sport.
The Rubells have a long history with the artist, and Mera Rubell notes, ?Our friendship with Bernar Venet began in the mid-1970s. Our young families bonded over dinners and great conversations in his SoHo loft. The children played and the adults engaged in endless talk about contemporary art.
Don [Rubell] and Bernar have always shared an obsession with the beauty and complexities of mathematics. When we met Bernar he was already an accomplished artist and a very intuitive collector of emerging art. We benefitted from his generous insight into the artist’s perspective and his artwork has been part of our collection since the 1970s. Bernar’s life-long, signature obsession with mathematical formulas has found a ready-made canvas on the Bugatti, which is both original and dynamic. We’re proud to present the Venet/Bugatti collaboration at our Foundation’s museum.
Take a close look at the formula's, especially in the interior one can see formula's summing the car's cylinders (from one to 16!) all text (Zyl, Hub) seems to be in German, logical as the car was developed and designed there!
RM Auctions, Automobiles of London England, October 31, 2012:
Motorclasisica Auction, Melbourne, Australia, October 28, 2012
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux, Chassis Number 57580: Sold at $450,000
Bugatti is reported looking to outdo itself, as they work behind the scenes on a SuperVeyron capable of hitting 60 mph in 1.8 seconds... and carries a heft pricetag.
According to Automobile mag, the SuperVeyron is rumored to boast 1,600 horses, a beefed up 8.0-liter (or 9.6-liter) engine, enough to see the maximum speed soar from 259 mph to an unreal 288 mph.
While nothing is confirmed, word is the French carmaker will unveil the Bugatti SuperVeyron at the Frankfurt auto show next fall.
The car is expected to cost upwards of $2.5 million.
John Barton sent me the link of the movie of his T73C engine running. Enjoy at:
October 22, 2012 The weirdest things are being offered, as long as it has something to do with Bugatti...
On Ebay.de at the moment is the (according to the description, who know if this is true??) actual well on offer that was on the Bugatti factory grounds, and is said to be ordered by Bugatti in the 1920's.
If your interested, the auction ends soon (October 24, 7.57), go to: Ebay.de
Bugatti says it needs a luxury four-door, but fulfilling customer expectations has set the project back.
The future of the flagship four-door Bugatti is still being decided, suggesting that the car is still several years away from launch.
Asked about progress of the luxury saloon, which is now not expected until 2015-2016, new Bentley/Bugatti boss Wolfgang Schreiber said, “We are still working on the Galibier concept, but I would say it is more difficult to fulfil all the requirements for Bugatti customers than Bentley customers.”
Schreiber knows Bugatti well; he is a former technical chief and managing director of the Molsheim-based company. His new job as Bentley chairman now also includes responsibility for Bugatti.
Schreiber says one of the difficulties facing the Bugatti team is satisfying its demanding customer base, hence the slow progress in getting the Galibier to market.
“The Veyron and derivatives of the Veyron are very focused on the needs of the customers,” he said. “If you now switch to a different type of car, it is very necessary to evaluate the needs of the customer. The launch date is still not decided yet.”
However, Schreiber did say that the luxury four-door saloon was needed to extend the Bugatti range.
“The four-door is absolutely necessary. The hero car, the Veyron, is now alone. I think customers would be very pleased if we had a second car, so I support it very much.”
Molsheim, October 8, 2012 – With such a large, self-established and extremely active fan community on social media (first count resulted in more than 500,000 fans on Facebook, 130,000 images on Flickr and more that 700,000 videos on Youtube), Bugatti has decided to approach its fans by establishing its own official online presence on the most popular social media sites.
Dr. Stefan Brungs, Managing Director of Marketing, Sales and Customer Service said, "We owe this to our fans, clients and employees. Communicating via social media has become as normal as using cell phones. So we have to provide them with the latest news on Bugatti in these media channels."
The Bugatti Facebook page provides detailed information on the brand’s history as well as on Bugatti’s latest activities and participation in key automotive events. Fans will be provided with photos of Bugatti models in various locations around the world: from Rome and Cannes to Napa Valley and L.A., Qatar and Dubai. Special highlights are the stunning automotive piece of art, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport L’Or Blanc developed together with the Koenigliche Porzellanmanufaktur in Berlin and the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, with which Bugatti’s Pilote Officiel Pierre-Henri Raphanel set a new land speed record with 431, 072 km/h in June 2010. Since this spring Bugatti also offers a 1,200hp version of the roadster: the Grand Sport Vitesse, which premiered at Geneva Autoshow 2012. In the following months first Bugatti customers test-drove the Vitesse and then the international media. The Vitesse "Le Ciel Californien" in a unique Bianco and New Light Blue colour scheme generated a lot of attention in August, when it was presented at the world's most important Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach. The colour combination has been inspired by the formerly successful GrandPrix car Type 37A owned by the US Talkmaster Jay Leno. The vehicle was instantly sold, but was shown once again at the Volkswagen Group Night in Paris due to the great interest by the media.
Through this channel Bugatti will regularly tweet updates and imagery from key events together with the latest news about major automotive events and test-drives with the car as well as other Bugattisti activities.
The Official YouTube channel carries videos featuring the brand and its unique products. It specifically showcases videos from auto shows, driving experiences and other Veyron activities by fans and owners and everyone interested in the brand.
On the Flickr channel Bugatti has set up photo albums and - galleries featuring historic and modern models from the birth of the brand to the present day. Visitors and Bugatti fans can easily navigate through the different topics, photo albums and events. The service also offers the possibility to geo locate photos showing where the Bugatti was photographed in different parts of the world.
Bugatti Auto-Quartett App
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bugatti-auto-quartett/id516502688?mt=8
The Bugatti Auto-Quartett is comparable to the card game Top Trumps, and allows contestants to send the brand’s legendary sports cars into a multi-round competition in an effort to find the most powerful Bugatti to date. On both, iPad or iPhone, platforms, this classic card game allows historic sport coupés to go head-to-head against the world's fastest Veyron sports cars. The Bugatti Auto-Quartett also features cars no longer in production but considered to be living legends in the automotive world. It is available for free on the Apple App store and can be played offline.
Of course, you all know which is the real online channel for up-to-date info and news about the real Bugatti! And maybe I will one day launch a Twitter channel, or facebook or... Who am I kidding, I'll just continue with the same three: BugattiPage.com , BugattiRevue.com and BugattiAircraft.com !
September 29, 2012 A replica Bugatti described by auctioneers as a "master forgery" has sold for than £270,000, more than double the max estimate. (340,000 euro)
Auctioneer James Dennison said the car was a "very skilfully executed replica" of a 1931 Bugatti which won the Casablanca Grand Prix. The copy of a Bugatti Type 51 had been lying unused in a garage in Hartlebury, Worcestershire for nine years.
Mr Dennison said people travelled from across Europe to bid on the car, which had been expected to fetch £100,000. He said they also received phone bids from Italy, Germany, Belgium, and France. The car was eventually bought by an anonymous English female bidder.
The car had been owned by car enthusiast Alan Riley, who believed it to be the Bugatti driven by Count Stanislas Czaykowski in races in the 1930s. Mr Riley died earlier in the year and his widow contacted the classic car department of Brightwells auctioneers based in Leominster, Herefordshire.
The car was made using a mixture of genuine and reproduction Bugatti parts Mr Dennison said: "We spent most of the day cutting down trees and removing earth to get it out of its garage because it was completely blocked in by undergrowth, and I personally was the first person to see it for about nine years."
The car was examined by David Sewell, a Bugatti expert, who decided it was a replica made using a mixture of genuine and reproduction parts, including some from the Czaykowski vehicle.
September 16, 2012 Bonhams Auction, The Beaulieu Sale Collectors' Motor Cars, 8th September 2012:
1927 Bugatti Type 40 Cabriolet 4-seater, Registration no. SV 6383, Chassis no. 40445, Engine no. 429, Sold for £149,340
Chassis number '40445', was delivered new to Australia for fitting with a locally built body, which it retains. Bob King's 'Australian Bugatti Register' (1974 edition, copy extract on file) lists Roy A Johnson of Ripponlea as the first of many owners 'down under', having taken delivery of the car on 2nd December 1927. At the time of the Register's publication the owner was Dr Noel Murdoch of Yarra Junction, who had acquired the Bugatti in 1942. In a letter on file his son, Stuart Murdoch, recalls driving the car for many miles during the early 1950s while attending Melbourne University.
The car's Register entry records the original engine as number '323' while further documentation on file includes invoices for a Bugatti Owners Club engine block and a new Allen crankshaft supplied and fitted in the 1980s while the car was owned by Peter Cooper of Albury, NSW who it seems was undertaking its restoration at this time. Its accompanying FIVA Identity Card depicts the Type 40 in 1988 soon after completion.
In 1996 the Bugatti was imported into the UK by marque specialists Ivan Dutton Ltd and in 2003 was purchased from them by the current vendor, the car's third registered keeper in the UK, having previously belonged to Mrs Margaret Davison of Bledlow, Buckinghamshire. Presented in generally good condition and running well, this beautiful Type 40 roadster is offered with aforementioned history file, Australian Owner's Certificate (issued 1932), import and shipping documentation, BOC spare part books, copy service manual (in French), SORN letter, a quantity of expired MoT certificates, old/current Swansea V5/V5C documents and MoT to June 2013.
Call to the new owner: A Type 37 for sale with Jaap Braam Ruben (see: www.fineautomobiles.nl/for_sale/Bugatti/T37_347/t37.html does claim to have the original engine 40323. Perhaps the 2 owners should do a swap? Also, I was contacted by the owner of the gearbox 40323 which he has available for swap or sale to the new owner if he wishes a matching number car, as the front axle was indeed stamped with 323.
Mail me for information: J.J.Horst@BugattiPage.com
September 16, 2012 As you may have noticed, there weren't too many Bugattis at the Pebble Beach concours this year. However, there were a few modern interpretations, maybe you want to call them "Hot Rods", as some of them are.
First of all there was Terry Cook's (Delahaye USA) Bugatti Pacific. The best looking in my opinion, and a nice effort to build a modern-style Bugatti Atlantic. The car has a custom-built chassis and a 5-litre BMW V12 engine. When you knock off the knock off for the spare tire the gasoline filler
neck is revealed.
At the time of the show, it was not yet 100% finished.
Ed Murmillo and Ron Dyer presented the Royale Kelner Hot Rod which they started building a year ago. The body is fabricated in what is called the cold molding process, using carbon fibre. The A and B pillers are fabricated out of 3/16" steel and boxed. Ed and Ron's vision is to produce a street rod that pays tribute to this magnificent car while being able to be enjoyed by many.
DETAILS
At the time of the show, it was not yet 100% finished.
And then of course there was the one which was most written about, Peter Mullin's Type 64 body recreation. Differing from the others mainly in that the original Type 64 chassis was used. The body was designed as a project by students, basing as much as possible on original design clues, and was built in Aluminium.
The body will always be detachable, so that the beautiful aluminium chassis can be displayed.
At the time of the show, it was not yet 100% finished.
So, in the end, which one do you like best? For me, the Type 64 has a few aspects which are not as beautiful as they might have been, personally I dislike the rear end, and I read comments about the body being too massive, the hood being too high and the back too big. Question also is why the height and shape of the firewall were not followed for the body, as they should define the car. Terry Cook's car for me comes first, being almost perfect in all of it's lines, a nice slender looking car. The Royale comes 2nd, being the hot rod what it should be, for me, the fenders might have been different.
September 11, 2012 This past weekend saw another edition of the Bugatti Festival in Molsheim, now with a new aspect, the Lalique Trophy. The famous crystal factory is the new sponsor of the Concours d’Elegance on the Bugatti Festival in Molsheim a new trophy will be awarded every year.
The Ventoux "57581" was chosen for its elegant purity of design, amazing history and original condition. Below a period photograph of the same car, from the archives of former owner, the late Ronald van Ramshorst.
The Bugatti Royale Packard Torpedo was again presented, this time with an all new Lalique version of the famous Rembrandt Bugatti elephant on the large radiator. During the rally, also the Lalique museum was visited.
Photo provided by Daniel Lapp
September 9, 2012 Sorry for the late news, as this Bugatti was shown outside at the Comic-Con in San Diego in July. Those who know me, will be aware that the reason for the delay in news updates (and in general, all updates on BugattiPage.com and BugattiRevue.com) will be available next winter in the aviation and automotive bookshops.
Just as he had done with ‘District 9,’ Blomkamp has returned to Comic-Con to present a first look of film footage of his movie "Elysium" in Hall H on Friday. Matt Damon and Jodie Foster will also be there in attendance, but from the looks of the pictures below, the filmmakers have decided to go all out in order to promote the film.
In front of the Hard Rock Café, those in the area were treated with a look of the actual futuristic Bugatti used in the movie. The vehicle is said to be used by the uber-rich in the film and apparently undergoes some major action as the spaceship has some damage to it.
I also heard rumours that the spaceship was in fact designed by the factory where currently the Bugatti Veyron is manufactured, I'm not sure about that, but they must have at least given their approval to use the Bugatti name and logo. A horseshoe shaped air intake for the spaceships engine would have been nice, though!
So what is Neill Blomkamp's Elysium about? The official synopsis states: In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hardened government of?cial, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds. Sony/Columbia has Elysium scheduled to hit theaters on March 1st, 2013 early next year.
Gooding & Company, The Pebble Beach Auctions, August 18-19, 2012, Pebble Beach, USA:
Bugatti Using mixed techniques, by Nicolas Cancelier from Belgium
More info: nicolascancelier.blogspot.nl
October 28, 2012 Motorclasisica Auction Melbourne, Australia
1937 Bugatti Type 57
Chassis Number 57580
Info on this car from PreWarCar.com:
The couple in the B&W photograph are Dutch businessman Willem Leonhardt and his Canadian wife Mona Parsons. Willem Leonhardt was born into a well-to-do family. He lived a luxurious lifestyle and owned a series of exclusive automobiles like Voisin, Hispano-Suiza H6B and this Bugatti. In 1937, on a business trip to Canada, Willem met and later married Mona Parsons who went with him to Holland.
And then World War II broke out. Mona, Willem and a small group of trusted friends formed a resistance group, intending to rescue and hide Allied airman -mostly British at this stage- who had survived being shot down over Holland. However, after their resistance cell had been infiltrated by a Nazi mole, Willem decided to go underground. They just assumed that Mona would be protected by her gender and that the Nazis would leave her alone. Not so, a few days later she was arrested. For a while she was in the Weteringschans prison in Amsterdam, where also Anne Frank and her family were taken after they had been betrayed. From 1941 on Mona stayed in a number of different prisons and camps in Germany. Her chance to run away came on March 24th 1945, when the prison was bombed. She could escape in the melee and after two week of trekking reached the allied border. It was Mona's luckiest day. She ran right into a group of Canadian soldiers, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders.
(With thanks to Hans Veenenbos who, as co-editor of the Newsletter of the Hispano-Suiza Society, did a lot of research for this story)
The vehicles produced by Ettore Bugatti are renowned for their beauty and speed. The company was founded in Molsheim in France in 1909. The work of Bugatti is hall-marked with artistic qualities and these skills had been passed down from his father, Carlo, who was an artist, sculptor, architect and silversmith. Before bringing out his own car in 1912 Ettore had carried out designs and done work for Peugeot, Mathis, Hermes, Deutz and Isotta Fraschini. Bugatti’s workshop/factory and his cars were famous for the attention to detail, perfection of finish and state of the art functionality. In the 1920s he forged a formidable reputation as a builder of racing cars with the incredibly successful Type 35 and Type 37. As well as building fast cars, Bugatti also built some of the most luxurious reaching their zenith in the 1930s. Included amongst these models was the Type 57 designed by Ettore’s son Jean Bugatti. There were a total of 710 examples built of all variants of the Type 57 between 1934 and 1940.
This Bugatti Type 57 is a marvelous example of the marque. Built in Molsheim in 1937 it is fitted with the two-door factory Ventoux coachwork. The car has a 3,300cc twin overhead cam inline eight-cylinder engine fed by a dual throat UUR 2 Stromburg updraft carburettor. The engine block and cylinder head are one-piece as is standard Molsheim practice. The cam boxes are in original hand scraped condition. The engine has been recently overhauled and has had a new counterbalanced crankshaft fitted. The four speed manual gearbox is integral with the engine. It has recently refurbished four-wheel brakes. The interior was originally finished in pig skin and whilst the leather on the seats and in the rear of the car has been replaced with cow hide embellished with a pig skin print to replicate the original, the front door trims are still the original pig skin as it left the factory in 1937. The hood lining has been replaced recently using the original hand stitching techniques applied at the time. The car boasts matching and original engine, gearbox and final drive all numbered 415. Frame number 210 is stamped on rear cross member and body number 63 stamped on numerous body components. These numbers have been confirmed by international Bugatti historians as being the factory numbers.
This car comes with significant and copious historical documentation and photographs verifying its five owners from new, complete with factory documents etc. This magnificent, original Bugatti Type 57 which has covered just 53,000 kms has an incredible history and provenance. It arrived in Australia on 2nd September 1963 and has been in storage for more than 40 years since it was purchased by its current owner of the last 46 years on the 22nd December 1966. The car is on full NSW registration with the numberplates EB0570.
Estimate $450,000 – 550,000
Specifications
Engine: 3,300cc twin overhead cam in-line eight cylinder with dual throat UUR 2 Stromburg carburettor
Transmission: Integral four speed manual
Highlights
Marvellous provenance and history
Incredibly original
Current (fifth) owner for last 46 years
Matching numbers
Photo credit: James Nicholls
B&W photo: The Ventoux with Willem Leonhardt - photo Hans Veenenbos
More info www.motorclassica.com.au.
September 19 - October 30, 2012 God & Co exposition by Francois Dallegret ENSA Paris-Malaquais, FranceRemember Francois Dallegret's artwork? There is now an exposition of his work:
More info on Francois' exposition
More info on Francois' "Bugatti" art.
Automobilia auction with lots of Bugatti items, including parts, photographs and documents, books and miniatures from the David Holland collection
Lots of items there, best to do a search on Bugatti in the auction catalogue.
RM Auctions, Sale of the famous Aalholm Automobile Collection by RM Auctions, August 12, 2012:
Lot No 060: 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Drophead Coupé, chassis 57716: kr.4,032,000 - Sold (625,968 euro)
Lot No 099: 1931 Bugatti Type 40A Tourer, chassis 40905: kr.1,904,000 - Sold (295,596 euro)
Bonhams auction at Goodwood Festival of Speed, Chichester, UK, June 29, 2012:
Lot No 223: The ex Sam Clutton and Jack Lemon Burton 1930 Bugatti Type 46 5,360cc Sports Saloon
Coachwork by The Lancefield Coachworks, Registration no. BGC 860, Chassis no. 46534, Engine no. 383
Estimate: £140,000 - 160,000, Sold for £180,700
Lot No 273: The ex-Ettore Bugatti 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Special Coupé Chassis no. 57335, Engine no. 340
Estimate: GBP1,000,000 - approx US$1,570,000, Not Sold
Thanks to Christophe Chanterault
Bugatti's chief vehicle engineer, Jens Schulenberg, has let the Bug out of the bag in a recent interview: work has begun on a replacement for the Veyron.
The existing car may still be in production for another year or so, but with the Galibier sedan concept reportedly good to go, the brand is moving onto its next top-secret project.
Speaking with Britain's AutoExpress this week, Schulenberg described a car that will feature concepts and technologies well ahead of the already intoxicating Veyron.
"The big challenge on the next car will be reducing weight - we are looking at some incredible technologies, such as wheels made entirely from carbon fibre. Hybrids are definitely something we’re looking at," Schulenberg said.
The current Veyron weighs over two tonnes and had a notoriously difficult birth, with huge engineering problems associated with the engine and transmission.
If the new car is a hybrid, it would be less about saving fuel and more about eclipsing the Veyron's epic-making power.
The Veyron's 434km/h top speed is nothing to sneeze at, but a bit of extra electromotive force could significantly better the 863kW produced by the SuperSport's W12 quad-turbo engine.
It's almost a certainty the new hero will go faster, as producing the world's fastest production car is considered a 'cornerstone' of Bugatti's philosophy.
Bugatti's current efforts are centred around bringing the Galibier sedan to production. Expected on sale in 2014, the Galibier will effectively replace the Veyron on the Bugatti production line.
Schulenberg's mention of the new Veyron is by no means a product announcement, as the details are a bit vague. It will be a couple of years before work begins in earnest, and a few more after that until the car reaches production.
June 15, 2012 Without the picture on the right, you would probably think of one of the Bugatti Veyrons in the american Gumball 3000. Well, it's not, it's one of the participants in the International Rally which has it's last day today in the south of the Netherlands, with (many) excursions to Belgium and Germany, which are both in fact just a few miles from the base hotel.
The two americans in the British registration Bugatti had wandered off a bit from the organised route, and thus from the other Bugattis, and ended up in a police control in the small town of Echt (which incidentally translates to Real, really!). The police was not very pleased seeing an automobile without fenders or lights, and nominated it a not road-worthy race car, fit for a circuit only. The Bugatti with it's unhappy american driver and co-driver (or should I say pilot and mechanic) had to be brought back to the hotel on a trailer.
I'm not sure, but it may well be that the next day the Bugatti continued the rally anyhow. I was at the arrival of the cars on Sunday (more about that later, probably in an issue of the Bugatti Revue), and there must have been about a dozen fender-less Bugattis, and at least half of those had no lights!
For those of you interested in statistics; the Bugatti is chassis 4955, a T35B with replica T35B engine, owner George Davidson.
June 5, 2012
Molsheim, France, 4 June 2012
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. today announces the appointment of Dr Wolfgang Schreiber (54) as its new President. Dr Schreiber joins Bugatti from his current role as CEO at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. He will commence his new position on September 1, 2012 and succeeds Wolfgang Dürheimer (53), who as part of an extensive structural and management realignment within the Volkswagen Group, moves to become the member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at Audi AG.
Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, an engineering graduate, joined the Volkswagen Group in 1984. He was made head of transmission and drivetrain development at the Volkswagen brand in 1996. He moved to Bugatti Engineering in 2003 to take up the post of Technical Director and later Managing Director of the supersports car company over the next eight years. During this time the famous Bugatti Veyron (2005) and Grand Sport (2008) were launched. In addition the current world speed record holding Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (431 km/h) went into production. Schreiber has been the member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles responsible for development since September 2006 and additionally was made Speaker for the Board of Management in February 2010.
Speaking about the appointment, the Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn says: “Dr Schreiber and Mr Dürheimer have one important thing in common: They are both thoroughbred engineers and represent the technical expertise of Volkswagen Group. This is why I am absolutely certain that Dr Schreiber is the right man to continue the successful strategy at Bugatti.
Speaking about his new role, Dr Schreiber comments: “I am looking forward to returning to the world’s most technologically advanced supersports car company. I am excited to once again join the highly motivated and skilled team of Bugatti.”
During his tenure at Bugatti since February 2011, Mr Dürheimer has overseen the development and introduction of unique one off Bugatti Veyrons like the L’Or Blanc and the world’s fastest roadster, the 1200 hp Grand Sport Vitesse. Speaking about his tenure at Bugatti, Mr Dürheimer says: “For an engineer there is no better place to work than Bugatti. I want to thank the whole Bugatti team for the dedication and excellent work. Pushing the limits of technological achievements in automobiles to new heights on a daily basis is what makes Bugatti unique.”
May 17, 2012
Bugatti wins prize at Greystone Mansion Concours d'Elegance
The 3rd annual Greystone Mansion Concours d'Elegance on May 6 attracted a sold-out crowd of 3,000 people Sunday, with more than 150 vintage automobiles and motorcycles on display.
The event's director, Cindy Brynan, said she was "trilled" with this year's turnout.
"As the Greystone Mansion Concours d'Elegance has a policy of never displaying the same car in successive years, an entirely fresh concours field greeted those in attendance," she said.
This year some of the rarest cars available for viewing were featured, including a 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Short Chassis Zagato Spyder and four Bugattis, among them a 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe. Vintage Ferrari, Jaguar, Porsche, Rolls-Royce/Bentley and Corvette cars were also showcased, along with dozens of classic motorcycles.
The Best of Show Concours d'Elegance was presented to a 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300. Best of Show Concours de Sport went to a 1964 Alfa Romeo TZ. Mayor William Brien selected a 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet as the winner of the Mayor's Choice Award.
There were 5 Bugattis on display, one of them being Peter and Merle Mullin's Type 57C Atalante, which won the preservation award as it was still in it's original paint. One of the other cars was the 1939 Bugatti type 57C, coachwork by Vanvooren, wedding gift to the Prince of Persia. Exquisite, and now in the Peterson Museum collection, further a 1939 Bugatti Galibier Type 57c and of course the winner a 1936 Bugatti Type 37 Cabriolet by Graber.
The Van Vooren T57C
The Galibier
The winning Graber cabriolet
The Atalante with original paint.
Most pictures are from justacarguy.blogspot.com
May 16, 2012 Bonhams Auction, 'Les Grandes Marques à Monaco', Monaco, Musée de Voitures du Prince Monaco, 11th May 2012:
Lot No: 240: 1938 Bugatti Type 57C 'Cäsar Schaffner Special Roadster' Chassis no. 57.584/57.577, Engine no. C15, Estimate: €320,000-440,000 - £260,000-350,000 - US$ 410,000-570,000, Not Sold
Lot No: 223: 1992 Bugatti EB110GT Coupé Chassis no. ZA9AB01E0NCD39012, Estimate: €200,000 / 240,000 - £160,000 / 190,000, US$ 260,000 / 310,000, Not Sold
RM Auctions, Monaco, The Grimaldi Forum, Friday, May 11, 2012 - Saturday, May 12, 2012
Lot 327: 2006 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 #VF9SA15B36M795015, Estimate: €690.000-€790.000, Not Sold at €650,000
Lot 368: 1994 Bugatti EB110 GT #ZA9AB01EOPCD39052, Estimate: €220.000-€260.000, Not Sold at €200,000
Coys Auctions, Legende et Passion, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Saturday, May 12, 2012
Lot 152: Bugatti Type 35B by Pur Sang Chassis Number: '4711', Estimate : €200 000 EUR - €250 000, Not Sold
Description of 1938 Bugatti Type 57C 'Cäsar Schaffner Special Roadster'
Coachwork in the style of Corsica
From the auction catalogue: Chassis no. 57.584/57.577 (see text) Engine no. C15
The car offered here is an example of the Roots-supercharged Type 57C competition model. Chassis number '57.577' was delivered on 8th October 1938 to Monestier, the Bugatti agent in Lyons, and first owned by industrialist Emile Glaizal. Its original body was made in standard Stelvio cabriolet style by Gangloff. After the war, in April 1947, Glaizal moved to Geneva, Switzerland, taking the Type 57 with him. The car was registered 'GE 12549', at which point it is noted that the car had hydraulic brakes all-round which it retains to this day. The registration changed to 'GE 11982' when Glaizal sold it to public works contractor and Bugatti collector, Gaston-François Riondel. Eventually the Type 57 ended up in the warehouse of the Geneva Bugatti agent, Jean Séchaud, and was purchased by Cäsar Schaffner, together with several others, after Séchaud sold up in the mid-1960s. Bizarrely, Séchaud had sold his cars for scrap! Schaffner decided to restore '57.577' in the style of '57.593', the Corsica-bodied Type 57S sports roadster first owned by Colonel G M Giles, a former chairman of the Bugatti Owners Club. Based in North London, Corsica was a relatively small firm that allowed clients considerable freedom in determining their cars' final appearance – surely the ultimate in 'bespoke' – an approach that endeared it to wealthy sporting motorists. The body of the Colonel's car was designed by his brother, Eric Giles. Registered 'GU 7' and known as 'La petite Sézanne', the ex-Giles Type 57 currently resides in a private collection in the USA and in 1993 won 'Best of Show' honours at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Élegance.
Schaffner removed his car's original Stelvio body and had the chassis frame professionally shortened to a wheelbase of 2.6 metres (from 3.3 metres). This is much shorter than the standard Type 57S wheelbase of 2.98 metres. The engine was sent for reconditioning to the firm of Bereuter (Heinz and Kurt). Copies of photographs of the rebuild, held in Bereuter's archive, are included in the sale and show the conversion to downdraft induction.
Using photographs of 'La petite Sézanne' for guidance, Schaffner made the aluminium body himself with assistance from professional craftsmen. The Bugatti was finished in 1967/68 and painted in pale blue with tan upholstery. Using trade plates, Schaffner exhibited it at various classic car meetings around Switzerland before selling it on to Rolls-Royce collector, Matti Schumacher. Within a matter of days the Bugatti had changed hands again twice, leaving Switzerland for Germany circa 1972. From Germany the car went to the UK, was sold via a London showroom to Robert Yung, an American collector from Hawaii, and exported to the USA. The number currently stamped on the car - '57.584' - is believed to date from around this time when, coincidentally, the real '57.584' was returning to Europe from the USA. '57.584' currently belongs to a Bugatti enthusiast in the Netherlands.
Yung kept the Type 57 for some 30 years but it seems he did little with it. In 2004 the car was sold via a London-based intermediary to collector Gene Ponder from Texas, USA following some cosmetic attention from Gomm's Metals. Back in the USA, '57.577' underwent a thorough mechanical rebuild (engine, transmission, brakes, etc) at the hands of award-winning marque expert Jim Strandberg of High Mountain Classics.
In April 2007 the Ponder collection was auctioned in the USA and the Type 57 where it was purchased by Mr Paul E Andrews. In August 2009 a new Certificate of Title was issued in Texas for the next owner, Panther City Classic Autos of Fort Worth, Texas. The Bugatti was then sold at auction at Scottsdale in January 2010 to an intermediary organisation who sold it to the current owner. The current vendor then despatched the Bugatti to Jim Strandberg for preparation prior to participation in the 2010 International Bugatti Rally in California. Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, he was unable to attend.
The history of '57.577' is recounted in detail in the accompanying 11-page report researched and compiled by noted Bugatti authority and Swiss Bugatti Club Registrar, Hans Matti. In his report, careful study of which is recommended, Mr Matti quotes the American Bugatti Club registrar, Sandy Leith, who had this to say about the Type 57: 'There seems little doubt that the frame, engine and rear axle assemblies are all derived from the same car. It is therefore very likely that this car represents the continuous history of the chassis no. 57577 with engine no. C15 and gearbox no. 248 with all numbers having been verified in a physical inspection.'
Hans Matti viewed '57.577' at Malcolm Gentry's workshop in February 2011 and his findings with regard to the serial numbers visible on various components are listed on pages 7 and 8 of his report. He concludes: 'For me, there is no doubt left, that this is the original, matching numbers chassis of 57.577/15C, shortened, restored and clad with the Cäsar Schaffner special roadster body, as inspired to him by the pictures of the ex-Colonel Geoffrey Morgan Giles Corsica roadster "La petite Sézanne."
The ex-Schaffner Corsica-style roadster remains in excellent condition, its mechanical preparation and overall quality being quite exceptional. Although he only had photographs to work from, Schaffner achieved an accurate copy of the ex-Giles car's Corsica body and this most attractive lightweight coachwork is sure to command attention. With some 160 horsepower available courtesy of the Grand Prix-derived, 'blown', twin-cam straight eight, performance should be more than adequate and close to that of the original. Constructed on a genuine, professionally shortened Type 57C chassis, '57.577' is eligible for numerous prestigious events, including those of Bugatti clubs on both sides of the Atlantic, and thus represents a wonderful opportunity for aficionados of the marque to acquire a unique car with a fascinating history.
Thanks to: Christophe Chanterault
May 16, 2012 This new French police thriller includes some unusual deaths. That a certain Isabelle Royer is strangled and cut into 15 pieces is not very typical for this site, what is interesting is that the billionaire Sergeï Constantin explodes inside his classic Bugatti. The police and especially the detective Lassalle (Jacques Gamblin) goes after finding what is the connection between the two murders. The only info he has leads to a blind piano-tuner, a very unlikely killer, but giving the title to the movie (l’aveugle = the blind man)
Of course I went searching which Bugatti it must be, and found out that it is in fact a T57S Atlantic, or of course a replica.
The pictures were found on the site of a certain Guillaume Roche, who seems to be the one who set-up the after-explosion scene. Note the dead billionaire, still behind the wheel of his burnt-out Bugatti.
It seems to be an interesting psychological thriller, and maybe somebody who saw it, can inform me as to what the pre-explosion colour of the Bugatti was!
May 5, 2012 Wolfgang Dürheimer who had been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bentley Motors and President and Chief Executive Officer of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S from February 2011 (having come from Porsche) will become chief of design for Audi.
It's not known yet who will take his position at Bugatti.
Bugatti presents second teaser video of the Galibier
It has been silent for a while about the Galibier, Bugatti's second model and a luxury 4 door saloon, however, recently a teaser video was presented. The general shape of the car has not been changed, as it seems. More details are shown though in this video, which is also quite a bit longer than the first one from October 2009(!)
A good friend of mine "owner of 37124 & 43305" was burglarized two days ago.
His two french title or carte grise were stolen with some other items.
We can fear that these two titles will be offered on the market soon.
March 31, 2012 After long negotiations between many of the parties involved, like the Bugatti Family, Bugatti SAS, the many national Bugatti clubs, like the Bugatti owners club and the Bugatti Identification Group (BIG), it has been finally decided that from tomorrow the badge which decorates the new Bugattis (Veyron, Veyron Grand Sport, Supersport, Grand Sport Vitesse and also the future Galibier) will be changed. Especially the Bugatti Clubs found the initials "EB" unappropriate, which will be now changed, so that the men who developed the new Bugatti range will be finally honoured!
Long negotiations were necessary, as the Bugatti clubs preferred the use of the initials "VW", not the logo. At which point Bugatti SAS threatened to continue using the original badge. Finally, this compromise was agreed upon. After tomorrow, all Veyron owners can go to their local dealer, where a new badge will be fitted.
After this considerable succes, the Bugatti Clubs and BIG have a new goal, the Argentinian Pur Sang Bugatti replicas (or look-alikes as some prefer to call them). A new logo has already been designed, and is shown here.
Though changing the badges on the Pur Sang "Bugattis" may seem considerably easier (in fact, these cars are delivered without a badge, but with a separate badge to be fitted by the owner himself), especially the BIG suspects that for these cars, where the owners are much more keen on showing the similarities to the original Molsheim Bugattis, it may be very difficult to convince owners to change the badge on their Pur Sang. However, especially for these cases the right badge is important, so that future generations will continue to be able to distinguish between what came from Molsheim, and what from Paraná.
Please inform me if you are interested in one of these badges. If sufficient demand exists, I may arrange to have a series made.
The engines were from the start not to be the Bugatti T50B engines, at the beginning 6 cylinder in-line BMW's were in view, now the high performance Radical Performance Engines RPE 1500T of 260 HP is the definitive choice. Derived from a motorcycle engine, the 4 in-line is extremely powerful for it's 1500cc.
March 14, 2012 RM Auctions' Amelia Island sale, March 10:
1930 Bugatti Type 46 Superprofile Coupe at $1,017,500 (Chassis 46208, Estimate: $1,250,000 - $1,750,000 )
March 14, 2012 A 1938 Bugatti 57C of the Off Brothers Collection of Richland, Mich., and a 1962 Ferrari 330 LM owned by Jim Jaeger of Cincinnati, Ohio, were named Best in Show winners on Sunday at the 17th-annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in Amelia Island, Fla. (March 8 - March 11)
Amelia gives two Best in Show awards, one for elegance and one for sport.
March 7, 2012 Molsheim/Geneva, 6 March 2012 – Following the success of the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, Bugatti did not have to wait long before it received the first inquiries about an open-top version of the Grand Sport that could also deliver 882 kW (1,200 hp). “We were instantly electrified by the idea of transferring the power of the Super Sport to the Grand Sport, which previously delivered a maximum of 1,001 hp, and thus taking the roadster to a new level,” says Wolfgang Dürheimer. The President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. continues: “Our team has managed to transfer the world’smost powerful car engine to the open-top sports car while taking all vehicle dynamics and aerodynamic parameters into consideration. We are proud to present the fastest roadster ever at the Geneva Motor Show with the world premiere of the 1,200 hp Grand Sport Vitesse.”
Dynamics in figures. The new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse boasts a remarkable maximum torque of 1,500 Nm (at 3,000-5,000 rpm) from the 7.9-litre capacity of its W16 engine. The maximum output (1,200 hp) is reached at 6,400 rpm. These figures allow the car to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from standing in unbelievable 2.6 seconds. The top speed of 410 km/h (255 mph) makes the four-wheel drive (like all Veyrons) Grand Sport Vitesse the fastest production roadster ever.
Drive system. The 199 hp increase over the Grand Sport has been mainly achieved by using four larger turbochargers with new intercoolers. Furthermore, Bugatti has extensively reinforced all drivetrain components in order to safely transfer the immense forces at all times. As a consequence of the larger turbochargers and the overall reduced back pressure, it was even possible to reduce the fuel consumption slightly despite the increased output.
Chassis. In order to put the unrivalled power onto the road absolutely safely and masterfully, the engineers have reconfigured the chassis of the Vitesse. Thanks to the quick-responding dampers that have been adapted from motor racing, the control of the vehicle has been further improved and perfectly balanced. In addition to the incomparable lateral acceleration of up to 1,4 g, the precise interaction of the tires (on all-new, lighter 20-inch “Vitesse”-type alloy wheels), together with the intelligent all-wheeldrive system, ensures extremely good handling. Since the reconfigured ESP kicks in slightly later, for example when you accelerate out of corners, the Grand Sport Vitesse also provides a more dynamic performance in these situations. It goes without saying that Bugatti has adapted the brake-cooling system to account for the even higher engine output. The brakes, which are unparalleled in terms of stability and performance, now have additional and larger air intakes.
Body. Bugatti has developed a new roof spoiler for the Grand Sport Vitesse that significantly reduces wind noise and buffeting in the interior. Furthermore, there will be a new windbreak for the roadster that can be stored away compactly in the luggage compartment when not in use.
Both details will also be available for the Grand Sport. Together, they allow extremely relaxed, open-top driving even at speeds of around 200 km/h (124 mph).
Numerous aerodynamic measures at the front and rear that appeared on the Super Sport have been adapted for the Grand Sport Vitesse. The front end is therefore characterized by larger air intakes; the two central air intakes to the left and right of the Bugatti radiator grille are divided horizontally by a bar.
The bottom air vent stretches sideways into the wheel housing and gives this exceptional sports car an extremely masterful appearance. Immediately below this air intake, you will see a new, visually refined front spoiler that has been designed in a similar way to the splitters used in motor racing. The rear end, which is also derived from the Super Sport, is characterised by a double diffusor and a centrally positioned twin tailpipe.
Interior. Carbon fibre is (along with stainless metals such as Aluminium and Magnesium) also the dominant material in the interior of the Grand Sport Vitesse. Numerous interior parts are now made from carbon fibre in the 1,200 hp roadster. This includes the centre console extension, a cover with EB logo in the rear-bulkhead leather trim (between the seat backrests) and the belt outlet covers on the seats.
The décor on the centre console, the door inserts and the adjoining trim on the instrument panel are also made from carbon fibre. The bicolor black trim parts are also new in the Grand Sport version, and so is a special seat design for the Grand Sport Vitesse.
Configuration of the show vehicles. There is no end to the individualisation options for the Bugatti.
Each one of the 350 Veyrons built is therefore unique. This also applies to the two Grand Sport Vitesse models that Bugatti is exhibiting at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show. The blue version of the new roadster is finished in visible carbon fibre. The second Grand Sport Vitesse is painted in dark “Jet Grey”. In both cases, the aggressive, dynamic look of the vehicles fits in with the positioning of the new Grand Sport Vitesse. The classic Grand Sport, a sports car with an elegant, artistic orientation, will, of course, remain in the range. In Geneva, Bugatti is presenting a version of the roadster in visible carbon fibre in a brownish finish for the first time. To create a contrast, the side parts on this Grand Sport, right up to the rear air intakes, are made from polished aluminium.
Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse specifications
February 27, 2012 Ebay Auction, Ebay France, February 26, 2012:
Bugatti oil can: euro 10,500.-
And, not even in a good condition!
I can see at the pump everyday that the petrol and oil is getting more and more expensive, but this....
Update: Concerning the Bugatti oil can for 10500 Euro: I get the impression that the owner has tried to push the price artificially with fake biddings. I hear other reports about bidders who offer high prices, and then do not pay, which is also possible.
Actually this was the second can in 2 weeks’ time which was going up to that price and strange enough both of these cans are now again offered under “petites annonces” on Ebay.fr by the same person for a sales price of 3500 Euro each.
February 11, 2012
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. is set to unveil the most powerful roadster of all time at the 82nd International Geneva Motor Show at the beginning of March.
With an increase in power up to 1,200 HP, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse has entered a new dimension of open-top driving. Optically aligned to the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which holds the current world speed record of 431 km/h, the Vitesse also impresses with its dynamic driving characteristics.
Bugatti’s engineers have developed the current Grand Sport, with its 1,001 HP and 1,250 Nm, into an even more powerful vehicle. The Vitesse’s maximum torque is now an impressive 1,500 Nm. The increased power of the new roadster’s 16-cylinder engine is made possible by the four enlarged turbochargers and intercoolers. The chassis has also been modified to support the power increase.
The Vitesse therefore also ensures the supreme range of excellent features one would expect of a Bugatti super sports car, from precise driving dynamics to extraordinary acceleration and braking.
“The rapid success of the Super Sport convinced us to increase the performance of the Bugatti roadster. Once again our engineers worked hard to demonstrate that Bugatti is able to constantly redefine the boundaries of what is technically feasible,” reveals Bugatti President Wolfgang Dürheimer. “We gave our all to transfer the achievements of the Super Sport over to the Grand Sport, thereby turning open-top driving itself into an extraordinary experience at high speed.”
Bonhams Auction, The Paris Sale, La Halle Freyssinet,France, February 2, 2012:
Lot No: 221: 1921 Bugatti Type 23 Brescia Chassis no. 1339, Engine no. 911, Sold for €101,200
Lot No: 256: 1928 Bugatti Type 35B Re-creation by Pur Sang, Chassis no. "4878", Not Sold
Thanks to Christophe Chanterault
Auction resultThe Scottsdale auction, January 20-21, 2012
1928 Bugatti Type 38 Tourer, body by J. Figoni. Sold for $495,000. Just short of the estimate of $500,000 - $650,000
Peter Mullin's Bugatti Type 64 chassis gets a bodyIn a workshop north of Detroit, craftsmen have been at work for months pounding pieces of aluminum into panels. The panels will eventually cover a Bugatti chassis that has been bodyless for more than seven decades.
Three Bugatti Type 64 Coupe chassis were built in 1939 by Jean Bugatti, and two of them got bodies before Bugatti was killed while testing the Le Mans-winning Type 57 C “Tank” in August 1939. The third, chassis No. 64002--with its gleaming riveted duraluminum frame rails, cast duraluminum firewall and suspension pieces--was never bodied.
Until now. Noted Bugatti collector Peter Mullin bought the rolling chassis, with a 3.3-liter DOHC straight-eight engine, in 2003 after the chassis won an award at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2002. He began a process to create a body for it, with the goal of displaying the finished car at his Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, Calif.
“The thing I thought a lot about was the approach,” he said. “Do I make a modern, avant-garde-shaped design? Do I make an evolution of the Atlantic?
“It's impossible to put yourself in Jean Bugatti's shoes and make the car he would have made. But what we have tried to do here with this design--like using the original sketches for the papillon [French for “butterfly”] doors--is paying respect to Jean Bugatti and his attention to art and engineering.”
Enter Stewart Reed, head of the transportation design department at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., and principal of Stewart Reed Design. He has a long history of automotive design, having worked for, among others, Jeep, Chrysler and Toyota.
“Peter has a wonderful idea about preserving and teaching people about art deco design,” he said. “At the outset, I didn't know that much about the Type 64. It's really quite a transition from the Type 57 Atlantic. Peter has exercised some real scholarship and study in terms of what was being done in this era at Bugatti and what Jean Bugatti was doing.”
Eight Art Center students, selected by Reed, were asked to submit ideas for the body. “They came up with quite an interesting range of solutions,” he said. But ultimately, Mullin decided to make the body more evolutionary to the Type 57 Atlantic. Students made their presentations to Mullin and several of his invited friends. He decided to have Reed proceed with the project. As for the cost, Mullin shied away from a total, saying it is, “in the ballpark of a very expensive restoration.”
Reed said special attention was paid to a couple of engineering elements that Bugatti employed. Bugatti was working on a plane in the late 1930s, so the company was expanding its use of aluminum; the chassis and several major components were made of the material. It was decided the Type 64's body would be made of aluminum and, in some places, would have exposed rivets, as on a plane. The windows would be acrylic, also planelike.
Jean Bugatti, company founder Ettore Bugatti's son, designed the doors, which are hinged at the top of the body. They predate Mercedes-Benz gullwing doors by more than a decade, and Reed's design incorporates this feature. Then Mullin began looking for a coachbuilder.
“We visited half a dozen shops before deciding on Mike Kleeves,” said Webb Farrer, director of automobile restorations at the Mullin museum.
Kleeves owns Automobile Metal Shaping and has more than 30 years of experience restoring exotic sports and race cars and bringing Detroit Three concept cars to life. Kleeves has a reputation for being able to fabricate body panels that are no longer manufactured or available. For the Bugatti, Kleeves and his staff are using a 1940s-vintage hammer press that he salvaged from the General Motors Tech Center.
The process began with the chassis being shipped to Kleeves's shop, where it was placed on a surface plate--a large metal base with a computer-controlled measuring device--and the suspension preloaded with the approximate weight of the new body. Reed's drawings were transferred to a water-cut mahogany buck constructed on an adjacent surface plate, so that at any point, precise measurements could be made to make sure that all of the parts fit.
The body panels are moved from the hammer to the buck, back and forth, making sure the fit is correct. “If someone was to design and build a body today, it would be done based on a foam-core structure,” Farrer said. “It was very important for us to tell the story the way it would have been done back in the day.”
The buck will become part of the display at the museum. The body will be able to be removed, in one piece, to display both the chassis and the body.
“We're doing it by the exact same method that coachbuilders have done for years,” Kleeves said.
“The one thing that is really out of the ordinary is that the body is going to be raised off the chassis three feet in the air. Normally, you fit the body to the chassis. But the body has to be raised in order to display the chassis. That's presented some engineering challenges that we're working on now. It has to be very durable.”
If all goes well, Kleeves and crew will complete the body this spring, and the car will debut to the public at Pebble Beach in August.
“Peter's whole goal is to shepherd these cars for this century and to leave them in better shape than when he received them so the next generations can appreciate these cars as much as he has,” Farrer said.
The car is not going to be finished completely. The interior will be left much the way it is now, and the aluminum body will not be painted. “It's like an unfinished symphony,” Reed said. “It will always be a work in progress.”
Autoweek video showing the design and design process
From www.autoweek.com, by Roger Hart
Bugatti Barnfind presented in Maastricht!At the current event in Maastricht, Interclassics & Topmobiel, Bruno Vendiesse from France is presenting a genuine Barnfind type 40. It can be seen there until tomorrow (January 15).
The body is by Louis Wiederkehr from Colmar, no further info yet.
Info from PrewarCar.com
Tower of Power Acrylic on canvas by photorealist painter Ken Scaglia.
Painting of a 1925 Bugatti Type 37 4-cylinder engine that is currently being exhibited at Red Door Gallery
in Richmond, Virginia. The painting measures 30" by 30".
More info about Ken Scaglia: www.kenscagliastudios.com
Article about the owner of the Bugatti.
August 18-19, 2012 The Pebble Beach auctions Pebble Beach, USA
By Gooding & Company
1920 Bugatti Type 13
CHASSIS NO. 981
ENGINE NO. 538
Formerly the Property of Ben Moser and Yoshiyuki Hayashi
Beautifully Detailed Example of the Early Bugatti
Advanced 16-Valve, Overhead-Cam Engine
Impeccable, Well-Documented Provenance
Matching-Numbers Engine, Gearbox and Differential
Estimate: $250,000 - $350,000
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Cabriolet
Coachwork by Billeter & Cartier
CHASSIS NO. 55206
ENGINE NO. 6
Formerly the Property of Dr. Jacques Kocher
1933 Rallye des Alpes Competitor
A Matching-Numbers, Original-Bodied Example
Perhaps the Greatest Type 55 in Existence
Estimate: $5,000,000 - $6,500,000
1936 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante
CHASSIS NO. 57401
ENGINE NO. 54C
Formerly the Property of George Rand and Dr. Sam Scher
One of Two Type 57 Atalantes Originally Delivered to the US
Very Desirable Original Coachwork with Roll-Top Roof and Art Deco Detailing
Documented History from New
Period Upgrade to Supercharged Type 57C Engine
Recent Improvements Such as Hydraulic Brakes and Discreet Overdrive
Estimate: $1,500,000 - $2,000,000
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio
Coachwork by Gangloff
CHASSIS NO. 57677
ENGINE NO. 31C
Formerly the Property of Prince Louis Napoléon Bonaparte and David Tunick
An Extremely Rare and Authentic Type 57C
Late-Production Chassis with Desirable Factory Options
Estimate: $1,300,000 - $1,600,000
More info www.goodingco.com
The 1912 Type 16 chassis number 471 (the personal racing car of Ettore Bugatti) will be on show.
More information: www.newcarnet.co.uk
September 7-9, 2012 Festival Bugatti Molsheim, France
The Molsheim Festival is a constant in the beginning of September, this year special attention to the type 37A.
I have no further info yet on this exhibition.
More info: www.musee-auto-provence.com
August 12, 2012 RM Auctions Aalholm, Denmark
Sale of the famous Aalholm Automobile Collection by RM Auctions
Bugatti 57C Stelvio Drophead Coupe by Gangloff 1938
# 57716 (57265 according to RM)
1931 Bugatti Type 40A Tourer
by Carrosserie Moderne
# 40905
AUCTION LOCATION (the old museum):
Aalholm Godskontor
Aalholm Parkvej 7-11
Nysted, 4880 Denmark
More on these cars: www.rmauctions.com
June 10 - 16, 2012 Austria Historic 2012 AustriaWith a 1933 T50 Roadster and a 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Gurney Nutting taking part.
More information, dates and locations where you can see the cars passing through in this PDF file
June 10 - 15, 2012 International Bugatti Rally 2012 the Netherlands
More information: www.ibr2012.nl
More information: www.brooklandsmuseum.com
June 29, 2012 Bonhams auction at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Chichester, UK
Ettore Bugatti's personal 1938 Type 57C
The car is expected to sell for more than GBP1,000,000 - approx US$1,570,000.
More information: www.bonhams.com
" La Coupe du Centenaire" is a weekend in memory of the Grand Prix de Boulogne and the Coupe Boillot taking place from 29th June to the 1st July : a rally on the coast, gymkhana and demonstrations in the famous and luxury sea resort.
To this date we have already 65 entrants among them :
Two of Bugatti's speed record projects, the 100P airplane and a world land record contender that was never built. The first was equipped
with 2 4.7 litre T50B engines, the record car would have had 3 of the same engines, and is huge, even in miniature!
The airplane in 1:18 scale was made by Dennis Hamaker from the USA over a decade ago, in solid acrylic, and painted by yours truly.
The car, also in 1:18 scale, is made out of resin and was factory built by Notion models from Germany.
A "world renowned Bugatti from the 1930s" will be on show, whch one? You'll have to go there to find out, though it will be presented by the Petersen museum!
Be aware of the costs though: 108 advance purchase, $133 at the door. Free parking (Yeah!) with shuttle at 450 N. Crescent Drive in Beverly Hills.
More information: www.latimes.com
1931 Bugatti T51 Dubos Coupe by George Vrastaminos.
The painting was first display at the Australian concourse d’Elegance last October in Melbourne. The size is 90 x 70 cm painted on
canvas in Acrylic using only a paint brush and only the 5 major colours.
Click on the picture for an enlargement
February 19, 2012 Burchard Galleries Auctions St. Petersburg, FL, USAA magnificent elephant bronze was carried into a local appraisal fair where a representative of Burchard Galleries was working. The owner had no idea of the importance or value but a Burchard representative certainly did. The piece was gifted from several wealthy women, who were world travelers, to their caretaker over 45 years ago, then to his nephew about 10 years ago. It was that nephew who brought the Rembrandt Bugatti (Italian, 1884-1916) bronze elephant to the fair.
Burchard Galleries is proud to offer this important Rembrandt Bugatti bronze elephant in their Antiques & Fine Art Auction on Feb. 19. It carries an estimate of $300,000-$500,000. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.
Rare and highly prized, Bugatti's animal bronzes have commanded in excess of $2 million at auction and are found in many museum and gallery collections all over the world.
Bugatti battled depression in his short lifetime. During World War I, the Antwerp Zoo was forced to kill most of its animals, many of which were Bugatti’s beloved subjects. He soon took his own life at age 31. He is of the same Bugatti family as Carlo, a furniture craftsman, and the most famous Ettore, automotive engineer and design legend.
The impressive elephant figure, circa 1912, has an incised signature stamped “Cire Perdue, AA Hebrard” and incised "2." It measures 10 3/4 inches high by 15 inches long by 4 3/4 inches deep. An example of this bronze can be found page 329 of Veronique Fromanger’s Rembrandt Bugatti Repertoire Monograhique.
The sale will be conducted beginning at noon Eastern on Sunday, Feb., 19, at the Burchard Galleries facility at 2528 30th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33713 and also will be carried live online by LiveAuctioneers.com. Preview for the sale will be at the gallery from1-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18. Advance seating arrangements are suggested.
For more information call Chris Ball at (727) 821-1167 or email chris@burchardgalleries.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit the website at www.burchardgalleries.com.
March 10, 2012 RM Auctions Amelia Island, USA1930 Bugatti Type 46 Superprofile Coupe, Chassis 46208, Estimate: $1,250,000 - $1,750,000 US
• A faithful recreation of Jean Bugatti’s Superprofile coachwork
Barely 30 years elapsed from the emergence of the first Type 13 Bugatti until the cessation of production at the onset of the Second World War. In that time, an almost endless stream of models and variants poured forth from Ettore Bugatti’s works, each of them meticulously crafted from the finest materials and lovingly detailed by dedicated artisans. Of all Bugatti models, one of the most elegant, imposing and luxurious was the Type 46, which was introduced in late 1929, and approximately 450 examples were produced to 1933. The steel ladder-type chassis of the Type 46 featured a long 138-inch/3,505-mm wheelbase and was powered by an equally impressive, long-stroke 5.4-liter inline eight engine featuring a single overhead camshaft. Its impressive specifications included three valves per cylinder and twin spark plugs per cylinder, which delivered a stout 140 brake horsepower. Engine durability was also very good, by virtue of the engine block casting itself, which extended down to the main-bearing supports. Consequently, the engine’s structure was rigid and thereby provided exceptionally smooth operation.
The three-speed manual gearbox was mounted within a rear-transaxle unit, marking another technical innovation of the basic T46 design. Four-wheel, self-adjusting cable-operated brakes with 16-inch drums provided stopping power. Wire-spoke wheels were used early in the T46 production run, while stylish, vane-type “Royale-style” alloy wheels were fitted to the later cars. The T46 also influenced the mechanical specifications of the long-wheelbase T50, which shared the T46 chassis, radiator and transaxle assemblies.
The combination of Type 46 attributes, especially when its fine chassis and engine is clothed in sophisticated coachwork, makes it one of the most appreciated Bugattis. In fact, the T46 is perhaps best known as the “Petit Royale,” so-named for its striking resemblance to the Type 41 Royale, which remains famous for its massive 4.3-meter wheelbase and 12.8-liter engine. With the Type 41 Royale’s engine displacing roughly 2½ times the volume of the next Bugatti model offered, the Type 46 “Petit Royale” very capably bridged this otherwise massive gap in the manufacturer’s model range.
As described in the definitive book Bugatti Type 46: La Petite Royale by Bohuslav Klein, Roland Saunier and Kees Jansen, the T46 remains highly significant in the Bugatti pantheon as one of the marque’s most influential road-going models. As they wrote, “no other Bugatti Type motivated so many European bodymakers in the thirties, to build such exclusive bodies, as this one did.” They further stated that no fewer than some 40 custom coachbuilders applied their unique artistry to the T46 chassis during the model’s relatively brief production run.
As noted in their authoritative reference, chassis 46208 was originally mated to and still retains engine number 77. It was ordered as part of a package of two cars, the other being 46202, by Bugatti dealer Dominique Lamberjack of 68 Rue Bayen, Paris on January 10, 1930. These chassis cost 72,200 Francs apiece and were delivered on February 1, 1930. It is believed that the original coachwork on 46208 was the four-door style known as conduite interieure. In 1932 the car was registered in Agen, capital of the Lot-et-Garrone department, with plate number 3630 JV1. In 1935 it was sold to a gentleman by the name of Grenier and on to another fellow named Rodriguez in 1937, who lived in nearby Villenueve-sur-Lot. Some time around this period it returned to Paris wearing plate number 6324 RL4. Later on, it was bought by Baron John Raben-Levetzau, owner of Aalholm Automobile Museum in Nysted, Denmark.
The present owner opted to have the drab sedan coachwork replaced with a faithful recreation of the “Superprofile” coupe penned by Jean Bugatti, which some argue is the finest of all of his designs. The coachwork was produced by Mr. Ken Haywood of New South Wales, Australia, who has been responsible for many award-winning cars. This photo-documented restoration and coachbuilding effort is regarded as one of his finest results. Only a very small number of the profile series of cars, with their steeply raked windshields coupled with dramatic fender lines that predate those of the celebrated Mercedes-Benz 500K, are known to exist. Jean Bugatti’s gifted ability to follow through when he penned these lines is evident in the marvelous upward curve at the end of the rear fenders and the yellow panel sweep that contrasts with the deep black paint.
The beautifully appointed interior is brown ostrich leather complemented by a flawlessly finished wood dash and steering wheel rim, which appear even more inviting due to the warm glow of the dual instrument lights. The balance and presentation of the interior is highlighted by the front seats which look more like lounge chairs belonging on a sunny patio than automobile seats. This design is so timeless that its simplistic style was emulated with the interior of the Spyker “Peking to Paris” SUV. The engine turning on both sides of the firewall, cylinder head and other components displays not only the cleanliness and quality of presentation but also serves as a reminder of the legendary machine fit of the engine components.
The entire finish of this car is consistent from the body and concours-quality paint which is matched by the finish of the chassis and suspension components. The lithe Superprofile body is augmented by a restrained amount of chrome that adorns the handles and latches, horseshoe radiator surround, Scintilla headlights and matching fender lights. The entire assembly rides on Royale-style wheels shod with period correct Goodrich Silvertown tires. Chassis 46208 was shown and won honors at the 2011 Sydney Concours and will garner high praise and attention wherever it is shown around the world. It is a remarkable feat of coachbuilding prowess as well as legendary Bugatti engineering.
more on this car here: www.rmauctions.com
With always some 7 - 10 Bugattis, on the stand organised by Jean Prick, dedicated to Bugatti alone.
This year also: a Bugatti T50 Coupe Million Guiet
January 20-21, 2012 The Scottsdale auction Scottsdale, USAOn offer: 1928 Bugatti Type 38 Tourer, body by J. Figoni
Estimate: $500,000 - $650,000
More information: www.goodingco.com
RETROMOBILE opens its doors for the 37th consecutive year, this time for 5 days in Hall 2/2, Hall 2/3 and Hall 3, providing even more space and facilities for over 350 exhibitors and promising a whole host of surprises for an estimated 90,000 visitors from all over the world.
The first major fair of the year, this thrilling annual auto show will, once again, be a showcase for a range of facinating displays and special events – so be sure not to miss RETROMOBILE!
10 cars from the Peter Mullin collection will be on show, with at least 2 Bugattis: The ex-Peter Williamson T57S(C) Atlantic, and a Type 46.
February 2, 2012 The Paris Sale, Bonhams Paris, France
Lot No: 221
1921 Bugatti Type 23 Brescia
Chassis no. 1339
Engine no. 911
Chassis number '1339' has the 1,453cc engine and is almost certainly unique among Brescia Bugattis as it has a continuous history of Swiss ownership that has been well documented over the years. The car was supplied new to Hr Jules Friedlander in 1921 and originally was fitted with coachwork in 'torpedo' style and rear wheel brakes only. Hr Friedlander used the car extensively, records showing that he and the Bugatti ventured well beyond the Swiss borders.
The car's next owner was a Hr. Leuenberger, proprietor of a hosiery factory in Marzili, Bern, who altered the bodywork to two-seater configuration and (probably) fitted the later, braked front axle. In 1954 the Type 23 changed hands again, on this occasion passing to Mr Charles Pochon. There are various items of Type 23-related literature on file together with documents relating to Mr Pochon's ownership, including a copy of a Bugatti Register entry stating that 'the front axle and the front wheel brakes are from an Amilcar'. >{? One year after Pochon's death in 1992 the car was acquired by Mr Peter Jost, its condition at that time being described as 'more wrong than right.' Working from original photographs, Mr Jost decided to recreate the original bodywork as part of a complete 'last nut and bolt' rebuild. The latter included re-forging the leaf springs, completely reupholstering the interior, making and fitting a new hood and its mechanism, and replacing the old pressurised tank fuel feed with an electric pump. F Rolli undertook the mechanical aspects of the rebuild while construction of the bodywork was entrusted to R Grubenmann. The car still has front-wheel brakes so it would appear that either the Amilcar axle was retained or a later, braked Bugatti axle fitted. (It is expected that clarification will have been obtained by time of sale). Now finished in Burgundy and black with magnolia leather interior, this superb motor car displays all the elegance of the period.
The oldest Bugatti currently registered for the road in Switzerland, '1339' has featured in several specialist books on the marque and represents a unique opportunity to acquire a well known and equally well documented Brescia with Swiss title.
Estimate: €100,000 - 140,000
Lot No: 256
1928 Bugatti Type 35B Re-creation by Pur Sang
Chassis no. "4878"
Reported to drive excellently, the car is particularly interesting as it is road registered in the Netherlands as a Bugatti Type 35B and comes with the relevant documents.
Estimate: €180,000 - 240,000
Also various smaller Bugatti items on sale.
More info: www.bonhams.com