1929 Bugatti Type 46

The Bugatti Type 46 was introduced in 1929 and was a scaled-down version of Ettore Bugatti's famous Royale, sharing many of its characteristics, notably the rear axle and the main bearings mounted directly above the crankcase. It bridged the gap between the Type 41 Royale and the smaller Type 40 and Type 57. It earned the sobriquet 'La Petite Royale', and despite the economic depression of the era, the Type 46 found a ready market with production numbers exceeding 400 (approximately 444 units plus an additional 18 with supercharging / a total of 462).

The Type 46 offered superior conveyance at grand touring car level along with exceptional road manners, abundant torque, and rapid acceleration. The wheelbase measured nearly 12 feet, and its 5.4-liter straight-eight engine was more than capable of powering the large and imposing chassis.

The Bugatti Type 46 was produced from the end of 1929 through 1936. A supercharged version, dubbed the Type 46S, was introduced in 1930. With the help of a Rootes-Type blower, the engine produced 160 horsepower. The Type 50 Touring was a sporting coupe version of the Type 46, and the Type 50T was a sedan version. The Type 46 rested on a 122-inch wheelbase platform and was powered by a 5.0-liter version of the engine. The Type 50T used the same 138-inch wheelbase as the Type 46, but the 5.0-liter engine of the Type 50. The Type 50B was a racing version equipped with a supercharged 5.0-liter engine tuned to produce upwards of 470 horsepower. The Type 50B was produced from 1937 through 1939.

Mechanical Specification
The Bugatti Type 46 was powered by a 5,359cc SOHC inline eight-cylinder engine with a single Smith Multi-Jet carburetor and produced 140 bhp at 3,500 RPM. It had three valves per cylinder and twin spark plugs. This engine was effectively a short-stroke, undersquare version (130 mm stroke / 81 mm bore) of the 12.75-liter engine found in the Royale. It was paired with a three-speed gearbox in the rear axle, and four-wheel self-adjusting, cable-operated drum brakes provided the stopping power. The front was suspended by semi-elliptic leaf springs, while the rear used quarter-elliptic leaf springs. The 138-inch wheelbase chassis weighed approximately 1,150kg.

Coachwork
The Bugatti Type 46 was designed to accommodate a wide variety of bodies, ranging from sporty coupes and cabriolets to stately saloons. Ettore Bugatti's son, Jean, designed a number of bodies for the car, while other examples received commissions for coachwork. The list of coachbuilders who created bodies for the Type 46 includes the Carrosserie Reinbolt & Christe in Basel, Switzerland, Gaston Grumman of Clichy in France, and Veth & Zoon of Holland (among others).

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2024