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1937 Bugatti Type 57 Roadster

This 1937 Bugatti Type 57C, serial number 57617, was built by Van Vooren and sold new to Monsieur Le Depute Jean Gapiaud of Paris. Originally constructed as a cabriolet drop-head, it was modified by Van Vooren prior to delivery.

The car arrived at Van Vooren's shop on November 25th, 1937, to be dressed with a four-seater open body, which was built to design number 7495. The original owner was Jean Gapiand, the proprietor of a fence company and a local politician. Gapiand traded his Type 57 Ventoux, chassis number 57364, against the purchase of the new car, with the total cost being 70,000 French francs plus the value of the Ventoux. He took delivery of the completed car on January 31, 1938.

Gapiand sold this car in April of 1939 in favor of a 4.25-Litre Bentley. The Bugatti then moved to Paris, where it was registered as 2492 RM 7 until 1956. It was reported that the body and chassis were taken apart and hidden in Spain during World War II, and after the war, were brought back together.


Its first recorded post-war owner, Jean-Claude George, was a chemical engineer and sports car enthusiast who also owned a 300 SL Gullwing. During George's ownership, the car was serviced by Bugatti specialist Roger Teillac in Paris.

On April 9, 1956, George re-registered the Bugatti as 915 EV 75, due to his intention to sell it. It passed through two other known owners before being sold to Jean Serre, of Montebeliard, whose family handled many Bugattis during the 1950s and 1960s. Presumably, by this point, the original Vanvooren coachwork had been transferred to another chassis or lost, and the car emerged from the Serre hoard in the mid-1990s as a bare chassis. The car was brought to America in 1999 and into the care of Malcolm Pray. It was restored by Alan Taylor of Escondido, CA, with the work being completed in 2006.

This Bugatti is powered by a 3.3-liter (198.8 cubic-inch) straight-eight engine, with dual overhead camshafts, a Roots Type supercharger, and Stromberg carburetors, developing 175 horsepower. The vehicle has a four-speed manual transmission, Rudge wire wheels with 18x5.50 inch tires, and a top speed of 120 mph.

Total production was 630.

The Bugatti Type 57 chassis with its 117.5-inch wheelbase and 170 horsepower straight 8-cylinder engine, lent itself to some of the most beautiful automobiles ever designed. It has won its class at Amelia Island and Best of Show at both the Greenwich and Burn Foundation concours.

Chassis number 57617 has retained its original engine, number 16C, and supercharger, number 6S; while the gearbox, 38C, is from chassis number 57726, a supercharged Letourneur et Marchand Cabriolet. It is believed that the gearbox was exchanged in the 1950s when the car was undergoing service in the Teillac garage.

2014 RM Auctions - Amelia Island

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $750,000-USD $900,000 
Sale Price :
USD $902,000

1937 Bugatti Type 57 Auction Sales

Recent Sales of the Bugatti Type 57

(Data based on Model Year 1937 sales)
1937 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante
Chassis#: 57557
Sold for USD$1,325,000
  2023 Broad Arrow : Monterey Jet Center
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 Bugatti Type 57C Vanvooren Roadster
Chassis#: 57742
Sold for USD$1,132,500
  2023 Broad Arrow Group : Amelia Island
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 BUGATTI TYPE 57C VENTOUX
Chassis#: 57517
Sold for USD$940,000
  2022 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet
Chassis#: 57156
Sold for USD$582,500
  2022 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet
Chassis#: 57156
Sold for USD$665,000
  2021 RM Sothebys : Monterey
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Surbaisse 3.3-Litre Four-Seat Sports Grand Routier Dulcie
Chassis#: 57503
Sold for USD$5,634,922
  2021 Bonhams : Legends of the Road
 
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet par Graber
Chassis#: 57500
Sold for USD$569,680
  2019 Artcurial : Retroobile
 
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Pillarless Sports Coupe
Chassis#: 57443
Sold for USD$360,434
  2018 Bonhams : Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet
Chassis#: 57156
Sold for USD$572,000
  2017 RM Sothebys : Monterey
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux coach usine
Chassis#: 57547
Sold for USD$474,143
  2016 Artcurial : LeMans Classic
 
1937 Bugatti Type 57
Chassis#: 57579
Sold for USD$339,440
  2015 Rétromobile by Artcurial Motorcars
 
1937 Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux
Chassis#: 57584
Sold for USD$800,000
  2015 RM Auctions - Automobiles of Arizona
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff
Chassis#: 57467
Sold for USD$985,376
  2014 RM Auctions - London
 
1937 Bugatti Type 57C Roadster in the style of Figoni et Falaschi
Chassis#: 57617
Sold for USD$902,000
  2014 RM Auctions - Amelia Island
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux
Chassis#: 57524
Sold for USD$420,029
  2013 RM Auctions - VILLA ERBA
 
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux
Chassis#: 57345
Sold for USD$451,000
  2013 Gooding and Company - The Scottsdale Auction
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  
1937 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Cabriolet
Chassis#: 57467
Sold for USD$978,670
  2012 RM Auctions - London
 
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio Cabriolet
Chassis#: 57435
Sold for USD$477,848
  2011 RM Auctions - London
 
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier Sports Saloon
Chassis#: 57380
Sold for USD$264,402
  2011 Bonhams - Beaulieu Autojumble, Collectors' Motor Cars
 
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux Coupe
Chassis#: 57345
Sold for USD$350,000
  2011 Mecum Auctions - Monterey, CA The Daytime Auction
1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 image  

Bugatti Type 57s That Failed To Sell At Auction

1937 Bugatti Type 57's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
VehicleChassisEventHigh BidEst. LowEst. High
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Roadster574952023 Bonhams : Goodwood Revival $280,000$340,000
1937 BUGATTI TYPE 57C VENTOUX575062022 Gooding & Company : London Auction $800,000$1,200,000
1937 Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux575842020 RM Sothebys : Shift/Monterey $700,000$850,000
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Coupe576412019 Worldwide Auctioneers : Riyadh Auction$2,800,000  
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Pillarless Sports Coupe574432017 Bonhams : Greenwich Concours $400,000$480,000
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Pillarless Sports Coupe574432017 Bonhams : Scottsdale, AZ $500,000$600,000
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux 2008 Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook$390,000$475,000$575,000
1937 Bugatti Type 57575462008 Bonhams Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles Automobiles d'Exception $350,000$450,000
1937 Bugatti T57 Stelvio574402008 RM Auctions Automobiles of Arizona$395,000$450,000$550,000
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux 2006 Bonhams & Butterfields at The Quail Lodge, Resort & Golf Club $265,000$300,000
1937 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux Sports Saloon575482005 Bonhams Sports, Competition & Collectors' Motor Cars, F1 Memorabilia, Automobilia & Models $160,000$200,000
1937 BUGATTI TYPE 57 C ATALANTE DECOUVRABLE 2001 Kruse Auction Scottsdale Arizona$550,000  

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1937 Bugatti Type 57 vehicle thumbnail image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 vehicle thumbnail image  
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1937 Bugatti Type 57 vehicle thumbnail image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 vehicle thumbnail image  
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1937 Bugatti Type 57 vehicle thumbnail image  1937 Bugatti Type 57 vehicle thumbnail image  
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1937 Bugatti Type 57 vehicle thumbnail image  

1937 Bugatti Type 57

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