Autoblog

'38 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio Cabriolet hitting the auction block in Monterey

Noah Joseph — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:04:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Auctions, Bugatti

In the 1930s, the Bugatti Type 57 was, apart from its grand prix racers, the only vehicle offered by Molsheim. It gave rise to several body types, the most famous of which was the iconic Atlantic, but those represented only a handful of the 710 Type 57s that were built over its seven years of production.

Relying primarily on third-party coachbuilders, most of Type 57s were bodied as coupes, a handful as sedans, but a few were fitted with open-top coachwork. RM Auctions is offering one such Grand Raid Roadster at Pebble Beach this year, and has now released details of a second convertible 57 set to join it on the auction block.

This Stelvio Cabriolet with coachwork by Gangloff of Colmar was believed to have been commissioned by the Pernod family (of aperitif distillation fame), and has a fully documented history from its 74 years of ownership since. Well cared for and properly maintained, this Stelvio has its original 3.2-liter inline-eight and four-speed gearbox and is expected to fetch between $700,000 and $800,000. Follow the jump for the full details.

Continue reading '38 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio Cabriolet hitting the auction block in Monterey

'38 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio Cabriolet hitting the auction block in Monterey originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stunning 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Grand Raid Roadster headed for Pebble Beach

Noah Joseph — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Auctions, Bugatti

1935 Bugatti Type 57 Grand Raid Roadster by Carrosserie Worblaufen - Click above for high-res image gallery

Few classics possess the same level of mystique as the Bugatti Type 57. But while it may be the Atlantic that draws all the attention, every 57 is a special specimen unto itself. This one especially.

One of only ten Grand Raid Roadsters to be built, this was one of just two that featured custom coachwork - from its swoopy art deco panels and covered wheels to its rumble seat - by Switzerland's Carrosserie Worblaufen. The car was completed just in time for the 1935 Concours d'Elegance at Montreux where it won first prize.

Seven decades later, after a comprehensive restoration, it won second prize at the 2005 Pebble Beach concours, and now it's going back to Monterey where RM Auctions has it up for grabs in August with pre-sale estimates placing its value at over $1 million. Take a closer look at it in our high-resolution gallery.

Stunning 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Grand Raid Roadster headed for Pebble Beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Art Deco French dream machines to cross the auction block at Villa d'Este

Noah Joseph — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Auctions, Misc. Auto Shows

1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Teardrop Coupe #90112 - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic may be the most iconic of the Art Deco-era French teardrop coupes, but it isn't the only one. Which is a good thing, because there's only two or three of them in existence (and we had a photo session with one of them). The Talbot-Lago may not be as well known today - probably because the company's not around anymore - but it's arguably just as beautiful, and this one's crossing the auction block.

This particular example - a 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Teardrop Coupe - is one of only 11 examples that featured the second-series "New York" bodywork by coachbuilders Figoni et Falaschi that made the Talbot-Lago the poster child that it is. (This writer had a purple one up on his wall as a child.) Underneath the unspeakably gorgeous sheetmetal (one of only a handful with a factory-installed sunroof) sits a shortened race-bred chassis and a 140-horsepower 4.0-liter inline-six with pre-Mopar hemispherical combustion chambers and triple carbs, along with an independent front suspension. Chassis number 90112 was the subject of a full restoration completed in-house by RM Auctions, and was decorated at both Pebble Beach in 2009 and at Meadowbrook in 2010. And we even like the color...

As if that's not enough, there's a 1937 Bugatti 57SC Atalante Coupe (the slightly more common - but still rare by any other standard - production counterpart to the Atlantic) also on the docket. One of just 40 examples produced, chassis 57551 was named Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 1976. The pair join the Bertone Museum collection and the Ford GT40 Roadster on which we already reported at RM Auctions' inaugural sale on the shores of Lake Como at the prestigious Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Read more about the Talbot and the Bugatti in the press releases after the jump, and do be sure to check out the images in the high-res gallery below for a closer look.

Gallery: 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Teardrop Coupe - chassis #90112

[Source: RM Auctions | Images: shooterz.biz, Troy Wood/RM]

Continue reading Art Deco French dream machines to cross the auction block at Villa d'Este

Art Deco French dream machines to cross the auction block at Villa d'Este originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic sells for a record $30+ Million

Noah Joseph — Wed, 05 May 2010 19:24:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Bugatti, Earnings/Financials

The Williamson Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic - Click above to enlarge

Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful automobiles ever created, it's not every day that a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic changes hands. Only four of examples were ever made, and only two or three of them are still around today. One is owned by Ralph Lauren, and another belonged to the late Dr. Peter Williamson. Californian auction house Gooding & Company has now announced that the Williamson Bugatti has changed hands for a record sum, and though the buyer and exact amount paid remain undisclosed, reports place it between $30-40 million, easily eclipsing the $12.2 million paid for a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa this time last year.

Until his recent passing, Dr. Williamson had amassed a considerable collection of classic Bugattis. Gooding had helped assemble the collection, and since his passing has helped his estate sell them off. But the Atlantic - the crown jewel of the collection and winner of the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance - was saved for last. According to reports, the car was acquired through Gooding by the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, where we recently went to check out the soon-to-be-rebuilt Bugatti Type 64 Coupe, so with a little luck we might have the opportunity to bring you the Atlantic in due course. Follow the jump for the press release from Gooding.

[Source: Gooding & Company]

Continue reading 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic sells for a record $30+ Million

1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic sells for a record $30+ Million originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 May 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never-built Bugatti Type 64 Coupe to be resurrected on Chassis #002

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Bugatti, Design/Style

Bugatti Type 64 Coupe Chassis - Click above for high-res image gallery

Bugatti buffs know that only one Type 64 was ever built way back in 1939. What they may not know is that an extra two Type 64 chassis were stamped at the factory in Molsheim but sadly never finished. That is, never finished until now. One of the two Type 64 chassis wound up in the hands of car collector extraordinaire Peter Mullin and is currently on naked display at his new Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, CA. Thanks to a design contest at Pasadena's Art Center, Stewart Reed Design will be building a brand new body for chassis #64002. A new gullwing body, we should add. Continue reading, after the jump.

Gallery: Mullin Museum: Bugatti Type 64 Coupe Chassis

Continue reading Never-built Bugatti Type 64 Coupe to be resurrected on Chassis #002

Never-built Bugatti Type 64 Coupe to be resurrected on Chassis #002 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2009: Medium rare or rare? Custom coachwork Bugatti Type 57s

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:41:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Bugatti

Custom coachwork Bugatti Type 57s at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours - Click above for a high-res image gallery

At the 59th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Bugatti was allotted two classes: 100 Years of Style and Speed, and a second class devoted solely to the Type 57. Check that, a second class devoted to Type 57 models with special coachwork. As if any Bugatti Type 57 wasn't special enough, back in the day, customers could order an off-the-rack Type 57, or they could opt for a custom coachwork job arranged directly through Bugatti. They offered six different body styles: The Stelvio, Aravis, Galibier, Ventoux, Atalante and Atlantic.

Those bodies rode on standard chassis or lowered ones labeled with an "S." Customers also had the choice of either the standard naturally aspirated 8-cylinder engine or a supercharged version putting out 210 hp. Supercharged, lowered vehicles were dubbed the 57SC and those were and are the most desirable setup no matter what coachwork it wears. The four 57SC Atlantics built demand the most money, though.

Think of it like the current situation with the Veyron. You can order a "regular" Veyron 16.4, or you could get one of approximately one dozen special editions instead. After all, wouldn't you want to have a one-of-ten or one-of-one edition instead of a lousy one-of-fifty model? The difference in the Type 57 days was that the bodies completely changed from model to model, whereas the special editions today tend to revolve around paint schemes. It's a lot more like taking an Enzo to Pininfarina and turning it into a Ferrari P4/5, or taking a ZR1 Corvette to Bertone and driving off in a Mantide.

At Pebble, we were treated to a selection of nine Type 57 Bugattis ranging in year from 1935-1939. There was a bare chassis, a Bertelli of Feltham Cabriolet, Two-Light Ventoux Coupe (l), Graber Cabriolet, Paul Nee Pillarless Coupe, 57SC Atalante Coupe, Albert D'Ieteren Cabriolet, 57C Aravis, and a 57C Letourneur et Marchand Cabriolet (r). That Atalante took a well-deserved trophy for best in class. Be sure to check out our gallery to see these amazing Bugattis for yourself.

Gallery: Custom Coachwork Bugatti Type 57s At Pebble Beach

Monterey 2009: Medium rare or rare? Custom coachwork Bugatti Type 57s originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ettore's Bugatti: Founder's Own Type 57C up for auction at Pebble Beach

Noah Joseph — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Bugatti

Ettore Bugatti's own 1936 Bugatti Type 57C - Click above for a high-res image gallery

The concept of an "ordinary Bugatti" doesn't exist, all the more so when you're talking about the ultra-desirable Type 57. But even by Bugatti standards, this example is... well, exemplary. What you're looking at here is Ettore Bugatti's own Bugatti, a unique example built in 1936 for the founder's birthday, and managed to stay in pristine condition ever since. While restoration is commonplace for vehicles of this vintage, this example is strictly original. Despite its embattled location in Alsace right on the French-German border, Bugatti managed to keep this Type 57 safe during WWII. Following the war after Ettore died, the company upgraded the car and sold it in the 50's. Since then it has only changed hands a couple of times, and is poised to do so once again at the upcoming Gooding & Company auction at Pebble Beach in August. If the controversial Auto Union D-Type #19 can't do it, then this vehicle surely stands a chance at breaking the auction record set last month by the $12m 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, especially considering that the long-neglected Type 57 Atalante found in a barn recently sold for $4.4m. More information in the press release after the jump, and high-res images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Ettore Bugatti's 1936 Type 57C

[Source: Gooding & Company]

Continue reading Ettore's Bugatti: Founder's Own Type 57C up for auction at Pebble Beach

Ettore's Bugatti: Founder's Own Type 57C up for auction at Pebble Beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Atlantic to headline Villa d'Este

Noah Joseph — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:27:00 EST

Filed under: Bugatti, Misc. Auto Shows

Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic from the Ralph Lauren Collection - Click for a hi-res gallery

Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic will headline the classic cars assembling for the annual Concorso d'Eleganza at Villa d'Este. The ultra-rare coupe, even rarer than the Type 57 Atalante recently unearthed from a garage in England, is one of only three ever built, and will be coming back to Europe for the first time in 18 years. The special appearance of special Bugatti will help the marque celebrate its 100th anniversary this year, and the show its 80th.

While the famous fashion designer's classic Bugatti is sure to garner its fair share of attention among the classic motors on the shores of Lake Como later this month, Bertone, Zagato and Morgan are anticipated to arrive with brand new designs of their own, promising to make this year's Villa d'Este assembly an especially memorable event.

Gallery: Speed, Style and Beauty: The Ralph Lauren Car Collection

[Source: Luxist]

Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Atlantic to headline Villa d'Este originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bought the Farm: barn-find Bugatti Atalante sells for $4.4M

Noah Joseph — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:06:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Bugatti

Bugatti Atalantes don't come up for sale very often, so when one unused example was unearthed from the garage of the reclusive late Dr. Harold Carr, enthusiasts and collectors alike stood up and took notice. The rare barn find 1937 Type 57S rolled across the Bonhams "Retromobile" auction block in Paris this weekend as scheduled, where it sold to a European collector for the equivalent of $4.4 million. While that may sound like a chunk of change - and certainly is by most standards, especially in this economy - it's only half of the highest estimates placed on the Bugatti's value upon discovery. You can bet that, after decades of neglect, its new owner will put in another hefty sum to have it restored to pristine quality before it starts hitting the concours circuit around the world. Thanks to Zack for the tip.

Gallery: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

[Source: AOL]

Bought the Farm: barn-find Bugatti Atalante sells for $4.4M originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barn Find of the Decade: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

Noah Joseph — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 07:01:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Auctions, Bugatti

Click above for image gallery of this rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

Close your eyes and imagine opening a deserted garage door, only to find a forgotten four-wheeled treasure sitting there in perfect condition. What would it be? We have a feeling we'll get all sorts of answers in the comments section, but for many enthusiasts, the answer would be, without hesitation, the Bugatti Type 57S Atalante. And that's exactly what the children of the late (and appropriately named) Dr. Harold Carr found in their father's garage.

The Atalante is among the most beautiful, the most coveted and the most iconic of Bugattis ever produced. Not to be confused with the even rarer Atlantic, of which only two of the original three remain in existence, the 57S Atalante was made in a limited run of 17 examples, and a quarter of them are housed in a museum in rural France. This one went missing half a century ago, only now to be found again. It was originally owned by Earl Howe, first president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, and changed hands several times before the reclusive Dr. Carr mothballed it. Estimated values for the car are all over the map, with values as high as £6 million (about $8.8M USD) being discussed. Naturally, as rare as it is for a classic like this to change hands, its real value will be determined by how much a well-heeled collector is willing to pay for it when it rolls onto the block in February at Bonhams' "Retromobile" auction in Paris. Follow the jump for all the details.

Gallery: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

[Source: UK Telegraph; Bonhams]

Continue reading Barn Find of the Decade: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

Barn Find of the Decade: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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