Roadster
Designer: Jean Bugatti
Chassis #: 55213
Engine #: 10
The Bugatti type 55 is a very rare and historically important car, with just 38 examples built between 1931 and 1936. Of these, just 14 were completed with Jean Bugatti's Roadster coachwork. Of the 13 surviving Roadsters, it is believed that five or six retain their original coachwork and major mechanical components. Ettore Bugatti was an early proponent of reducing weight instead of increasing engine size. Along with offering performance and acceleration, the lightweight sports cars had excellent road-holding and better braking than their larger competitors. The Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix, making its Grand Prix debut at the Grand Prix of Lyon in 1924, weighed just 1,500 lbs and was powered by an overhead-camshaft straight eight. By 1927, it had proven its capabilities and potential by winning over 2,000 race victories. The Bugatti Type 51, inspired by Harry Millers racing cars, was powered by a supercharged 2.3-liter twin-cam engine and would continue the company's racing resume well into the 1930s.
Jean Bugatti, Ettore's son, was a talented engineer and designer as well. He proposed many technical innovations, including the use of an independent suspension setup. His designs were equally bold and daring, and it was Jean who had the idea to create the Type 55 'Supersport,' a vehicle that appealed to the company's most demanding clients. It would combine the mechanical underpinnings of the Type 35 B with sporting coachwork. It had the same chassis as the 16-cylinder Type 45 and Type 47 Grand Prix cars and was powered by the 4.9-liter engine found in the Type 54. It was given the Type 51's supercharged and engine the four-speed gearbox found in the Type 49.
The early history of 55213 is not certain, until 1946 when it was owned by Georges Metz. M. Metz advertised the Roadster for sale in Action Automobile et Touristique in April of 1950 and then sold it to a garage in Paris. In May of 1951, it was registered in Paris to Jean-Baptiste Altieri. In 1983, M. Altieri was approached by Nicolas Seydoux who was interested in purchasing 55213. After acquiring the car, it remained in Seydoux's collection until 2008, when it was sold to a Swiss individual named Peter Livanos. Mr. Livanos had the car completely restored by Laurent Rondoni of Ventoux Moteur Ingénierie in Carpentras, France. Upon completion, it was refinished in blue and black nitrocellulose.
By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2016
1932 Bugatti Type 55
Bugatti
2016 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $10,000,000-USD $14,000,000
Sale Price :
USD $10,400,000
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Bugatti Type 55
(Data based on Model Year 1932 sales)
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Super Sport Roadster Chassis#: 55220 Sold for USD$7,100,000 2020 Bonhams : Amelia Island Concours | ![]() ![]() |
1931 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster Chassis#: 55201 Sold for USD$4,070,000 2018 Gooding & Company : Scottsdale, Az. | ![]() ![]() |
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster Chassis#: 55213 Sold for USD$10,400,000 2016 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | ![]() ![]() |
1932 Bugatti Type 55 cabriolet Chassis#: 55204 Sold for USD$1,309,919 2015 Rétromobile by Artcurial Motorcars | |
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Chassis#: 55201 Sold for USD$1,760,000 2008 Gooding & Company | ![]() ![]() |
Bugatti Type 55s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1932 Bugatti Type 55's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Cabriolet | 55206 | 2012 Gooding and Company Pebble Beach Auction | $5,000,000 | $6,500,000 |
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1932 Bugatti Type 55
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