Ettore's son, Roland Bugatti, who ran the business after his father's death, had by the end of the 50's lost faith in the future of the factory - cars like Type 252 was not the way for Bugatti to go - but when plans for Type 451, a limited-production high-performance GT-car was presented, his hope was restored and he lent his support to the project.
The car was to have a V-12 engine and compete on the same market as Ferrari and other limitied-producion cars.
Chief engineer was Domboy. The engine was built and wheels based on the beautiful radial-spoke Type 59 wheels where ordered and delivered from Italy. I don't - yet - know anything about the chassis. The project was started somewhere around 1959 and by 1963 it had evolved very far. Economic calculations predicted the car to be profitable within two years.
In July that year Bugatti was bought by Hispanu-Suiza and orders where given to stop all automobile development and production without delay. And that was the end of the Molsheim Bugatti...

Such a pity. I would have loved to see that car!

Was any prototype built, or are any drawings preserved? Please, mail if you know!