1939 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet

This Type 57C was originally owned by the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. An avid car enthusiast and collector, he received this striking supercharged Bugatti as a wedding gift from the French government when he married his second wife, Princess Fawzia of Cairo. The Bugatti Company contributed the chassis and supercharged engine, and the dramatic body was constructed by Vanvooren of Paris very much in the style of its rival Figoni & Falaschi, one of the most progressive coachbuilders of the day. Advanced features include fully skirted fenders, a folding top that is concealed beneath a metal panel when down, and a windshield that can be lowered into the cowl by means of a hand crank mounted under the dashboard. After the revolution in 1959, it was nearly scrapped by the Shah's Imperial Garage but instead was sold for about $275. It was subsequently owned by a succession of Bugatti enthusiasts. It received a complete restoration in 1983.