1932 Bugatti Type 49

Bugatti introduced the Type 49 in 1930 at the Paris Salon, and it combined the classic Ettore Bugatti design, engineering brilliance, and artistic characteristics that had made the company legendary. Production would continue until 1934. Power was from an eight-cylinder, single-camshaft 3.3-liter engine with twin-plug ignition. They had a narrow chassis frame, ball-change gear lever, cast-aluminum wheels, and in the front was an enlarged horseshoe radiator. There were cable-operated drum brakes, a four-speed gearbox, and it could reach speeds approaching 100 mph depending on coachwork.

During the production lifespan, approximately 470 examples were produced. The Type 49 was the last of the early eight-cylinder Bugatti line, which began with the Type 30. The Type 49 was replaced by the all-new Type 57 which also featured a twin-cam engine. The Type 57 was shorter, wider, and heavier than its predecessor was a development championed by Jean Bugatti, much to the dismay of his father, Ettore. Thus, many consider the Type 49 to be the end of the Ettore-designed Bugattis.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2019