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Unveiled at the Grand Prix of Lyon in 1924, the Bugatti Type 35 was immediately hailed as an automotive marvel, combining state-of-the-art engineering with a masterful aesthetic design. With this car, Bugatti dominated racing throughout the 1920s capturing over 1,000 wins in a variety of competitions.
The car displayed, chassis # 4487 equipped with engine #43, was completed in August 1925. It is a Lyon model, named for the debut location. It was delivered to the Bugatti Agent in Paris and was purchased by Wallis Clinton Bird, an American honeymooning in Paris. Although he owned the car, Bird was not a committed race driver. He raced the car once, in 1937, suffering a cracked steering box. Bird was killed in a private plane crash in 1940. The car was sold by O'Reilly's Plaza Art Galleries during an auction at the Bird Estate. The car has had only four owners to date.
The car remains in remarkably original order due to its limited use. It retains much of its original equipment, stampings and markings.
The car displayed, chassis # 4487 equipped with engine #43, was completed in August 1925. It is a Lyon model, named for the debut location. It was delivered to the Bugatti Agent in Paris and was purchased by Wallis Clinton Bird, an American honeymooning in Paris. Although he owned the car, Bird was not a committed race driver. He raced the car once, in 1937, suffering a cracked steering box. Bird was killed in a private plane crash in 1940. The car was sold by O'Reilly's Plaza Art Galleries during an auction at the Bird Estate. The car has had only four owners to date.
The car remains in remarkably original order due to its limited use. It retains much of its original equipment, stampings and markings.
2017 Gooding & Co. : Scottsdale, AZ
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $2,600,000-USD $3,200,000
Sale Price :
USD $3,300,000
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Bugatti Type 35
(Data based on Model Year 1925 sales)
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Chassis#: 4394 Sold for USD$475,921 2018 RM Sothebys : Paris | |
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Chassis#: 4487 Sold for USD$3,300,000 2017 Gooding & Co. : Scottsdale, AZ | ![]() ![]() |
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Two-Seater Chassis#: 4450 Sold for USD$1,198,078 2016 Bonhams : The Monaco Sale |
Bugatti Type 35s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1925 Bugatti Type 35's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Pur Sang Replica | BOSONLY | 2015 Motostalgia Auction Indianapolis Brickyard | $265,000 | $295,000 | |
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix | 4613 | 2013 Gooding and Company Pebble Beach | $2,500,000 | $3,000,000 |
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1925 Bugatti Type 35
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