1938 Bugatti Type 57 Drophead

This 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Three Position Drophead Coupe has coachwork by Letourneur & Marchand. It carries chassis number 57649 and engine number 466. It is finished in blue owner white with a tan leather interior. Under the bonnet is a straight-eight engine with twin overhead camshafts, sixteen valves and coil ignition. Total horsepower is around 140 which is sent to the rear wheels with the help of the four-speed manual gearbox. Drum brakes can be found on all four corners.

The alternative to the factory bodies were created by coachbuilders such as Graber, Corsica, Saoutchik, Labourdette, and Letourneur et Marchand. The versatile chassis lent itself well to the elegant and unique creations created by these master craftsmen.

One of the earliest creations by Letourneur was in 1926 when they bodied a Voisin car. Their designs during the 1930s are among the most memorable of their creations, with many designs featuring aerodynamic principles and fitted to some of the sportiest French automobiles of the era. Many of the designs were penned by Letourneur's son Marcel.

In total, Letourneur created seven Aravis bodies for the Type 57 and eleven other bodies for the Type 57. The very first Aravis, shown at the 1938 Paris Salon, was created by Letourneur.

This Three Position Drophead Coupe has many similarities to the Aravis design. It has a finned boot lid, twin opening handles and hinges, no running boards, same wing lines and roof line, and the spare wheel is hidden in the trunk. The rear wheels are covered, and the fenders have a teardrop style.

This car spent its early life in Europe and was brought to the United States after the Second World War. It has an older restoration but still in very good condition. The interior and paint are some of the more visual signs of the age of the restoration. It was even a recent exhibit in New York City at the Allan B. Stone gallery.

At the auction, the car was estimated to sell for $600,000 - $800,000. This was the last vehicle to cross the auction block and sadly failed to find an interested buyer willing to meet its reserve. The car was left unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2007