Last revised: 26-1-2009

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Bugatti Type 57: the crown on the myth

Bugatti_T57_Stelvio_by_Gangloff_1937

The legendary Italian engineer Ettore Bugatti presented his first car design at the beginning of the 20th century and started manufacturing cars under his own name in 1910 in Molsheim, Germany (France after the first World War). The excellence of his cars, the many victories in racing and the remarkable designs of both mechanics and bodywork built up the Bugatti name to mythic proportions in the years that followed. Bugatti, despite limited production and very exclusive pricing, was etched deep into the memory of car enthusiasts all over the world. Even now, some 50 years after the last Bugatti car left the Molsheim factory, this brand evokes such an alluring image that values of these classic cars are sky high and a large amount of money has been poured into reviving the name for new, modern super sports cars.
In the years before the second World War Bugatti produced several models which were milestones in different areas, like the extremely successful Type 35 racing car or the world's most luxurious and expensive car, the Type 41 or "Royale", to name two extremes. But the last and commercially most successful Bugatti production car, the Type 57, can be regarded as the crown on Ettore's, and his son Jean's, work. The remarkable aspect of this range of models was the functional integration of race-bred engineering with luxury cars, well suited to everyday use as well as comfortably travelling at high speeds, combined with artful attractive styling. This makes the Type 57 the most complete Bugatti, with all of the factory's strong points and experience condensed into possibly the best "Grand Routier" of that era.

The Type 57 appeared in many different shapes, but the range can be divided into 6 main body styles, partly named after famous locations in the Alps. To give you an impression of the illustrious Type 57 this tour will lead you through these styles page by page. Enjoy!

...continue by clicking the arrows pointing right...