1936 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante

Jean Bugatti's Type 57 Atalante utilized the company's race-bred dual overhead camshaft inline eight-cylinder engine and the thoroughbred road car chassis with exceptionally beautiful coachwork. No more than 34 examples of the factory-bodied Type 57 Atalante were produced. This example, chassis number 57401, is one of just 10 examples that featured the roll-top roof which offered open-air thrills of a convertible plus added headroom, but retains the structural integrity of a coupe.

This example completed assembly on April 30th of 1936, finished in NoirlJaune paint (black with yellow accents) with an interior in Havana leather upholstery. It has several unique features such as the rear wheel spats, low-clearance windscreen, Art Deco-styled door handles and freestanding rather than faired-in headlamps.

The car was invoiced on May 1st to E.C. George Rand of New York City, the official Bugatti agent of the Eastern United States. He was also one of the first Americans to compete at the 24 Horus of LeMans.

Chassis number 57401 is also one of just two Type 57 Atalantes that were originally delivered to the United States. Acquired circa 1945 by Walter Gerner of New York, it was soon after purchased by Dr. Sam Scher. Dr. Scher retained Dick Simonek to rebuild the Atalante for him. During Dr. Scher's ownership, the car earned Best in Show at a concours d'elegance staged at Watkins Glen, held during the race tracks' first years of existence.

Around 1949, the car was sold via dealer Quentin Craft to Dr. Ivan Hartwell of Sandwich, Massachusetts, who used the car mostly for house calls. Soon after, the car received a Type 57C supercharged engine and receiving distinctive horizontal slots to the rear spats. The motor is an original factory engine and was installed early in 57401's life, thus the modification should be considered authentic.

After Dr. Hartwell's passing in 1954, this Bugatti went to R. Lewis in Houston, Texas, and was subsequently acquired in the 1960s by Andre Surmain. In 1969, the car passed to Vittorio Serventi, a resident of Rome who imported this car to Italy. During a period of over 20 years of ownership, Mr. Serventi retained Salvatore Diomante of Turin to conduct some cosmetic work while expert Gianni Torelli of Reggio Emilia addressed mechanical maintenance. In 1980, the car was displayed at the Turin Motor Show.

In the early 1990s, the car was traded to Alfredo Celli of Forli. Rare appearances during Mr. Celli's ownership included winning its class at the Louis Vuitton Classic Concurs in the Parc de Bagatelle, France, in the late 1990s. It participated in the 2001 Mille Miglia and was exhibited on the Bugatti S.A.S. stand during the 2009 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

The current owner acquired the car in April 2010. This Atalante has since been treated to a thorough mechanical 'going through' by a British Bugatti expert. The work included rebuilding the gearbox and rear axle, and installing a light-pressure clutch mechanism and a switch-activated overdrive. The magneto has been rebuilt and new wheels were sourced from Borrani. The modified fender skirts have been replaced with original-type ones and the driver's seat cushion has been lowered to accommodate taller drivers.

In February 2012, the car was featured in the British magazine Octane.

The dual overhead am 8-cylinder engine is fitted with a Roots supercharger and Stromberg Updraft carburetor. The powerplant produces 180 horsepower and there is a four-speed manual gearbox with overdrive.

In 2012, this car was offered for sale at the Pebble Beach, CA auction presented by Gooding & Company. It was estimated to sell for $1,500,000 - $2,000,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $1,485,000, inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2012