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1938 Bugatti Type 57C background image

1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Coupe

  • Chassis Number: 57767
  • Engine Number: 62C
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Navigation
The Bugatti Type 57 was introduced in 1934 and the supercharged Type 57C arrived in 1936. The Roots-type supercharger ran at 1.17 times engine speed, driven by the camshaft drive at the rear, and provided a 5-6 psi boost and 160 horsepower. New center-lock wire wheels were added, along with Lockheed hydraulic brakes.

This particular 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante is equipped with a 3,257cc DOHC all-alloy eight-cylinder engine fitted with the Roots-type supercharger, a Stromberg twin-choke carburetor, and delivering 160 horsepower at 5,500 RPM. There is a four-speed manual transmission, four-wheel leaf spring suspension, and four-wheel hydraulic Lockheed drum brakes. It is one of three Atalante that were built to its precise specification. Between April 1935 to December 1938, a total of 33 Type 57 chassis were fitted with the Atalante coachwork, designed in-house at Bugatti by Joseph Walter under the close direction of Jean Bugatti. This particular example is the 31st of these chassis, and the number 31 is written on the inside of the hood, engraved on the woodwork on the trunk, and written in chalk on the back side of the dashboard woodwork.

Of the 33 Atalante-bodied chassis, only 16 received an aluminum body and just five of the 33 were factory supercharged. Only three Atalante chassis were fitted both with the aluminum body and the supercharger by the factory.

Mr. Albert Cahen of 13 rue Joanàs in Paris, ordered two Bugattis on September 6 and 7, 1938. The order was placed at the Bugatti Magasin d'Exposition at no. 116 Champs-Élysées: a coach Ventoux, chassis no. 57671, and a 57C Atalante which was to be chassis 57767. Mr. Cahen acquired the very last Atalante body (no. 31) that would ever be available from the factory, as bodies number 32 (chassis 57733) and 33 (chassis 57788) were already spoken for.

This Bugatti 57C was finished on December 7th and driven from Molsheim to the Bugatti Magasin de Vente at no. 46 rue Montaigne in Paris on December 8, 1938. Mr. Cahen received the new supercharged Atalante on December 10, finished in royal blue with Havana leather.

After Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, the car was hidden away. Since the Bugatti was at the factory undergoing repairs due to a camshaft lubrication issue, it is assumed that the factory stored the car for the duration of the war, likely in the Levallois-Perret premises. When peacetime resumed, it is believed that this Bugatti was shown with all-black coachwork at the Paris Salon (October 1948), wearing license plate 1916-RM1.

The ownership between 1949 to 1952 is not known. On September 11, 1952, chassis 57767 was re-registered with the plate 2358-BM75. Its new owner was Mr. Bernard Greyfie de Bellecombe, residing at no 7, rue Beethoven in Paris. Roger Berthet of no. 84 rue Lafontaine (Paris) acquired it on June 3rd of 1953 and on October 27th of that year, it was purchased by Christian Prevost-Marcilhacy, a 22-year-old student of no. 27 rue du Général Foy in the 8th arrondissement. Prevost was drafted in November 1953 and put 57767 up for sale with Francis Mortarini who operated a garage in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a suburb of Paris.

In August 1954, Mortarini sold the car to Jean Piger, who lived at his Château de Margeaix in the Haute-Loire in the center of France. He had the car registered 999-x43 and would retain it for the next sixty years. After using it for several years, the car was stored in a heated barn on his property. At some point, the engine block was replaced due to water circulation issues.

In 2014, Jean Piger offered the car for sale. Henri Chambon, a businessman in the South of France, acquired the car and had it sent to the French Bugatti specialist Ets. Randoni to be sympathetically brought back to life. The car was left in its original condition with the work focusing on recommissioning the mechanicals.

At some point, Piger had the sides of the car painted in yellow in the traditional Atalante style. It is believed that the black paint is original from the late forties.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2022

Provenance *
* Please note, dates are approximate

2024 Gooding : Amelia Island

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $2,400,000-USD $2,800,000 
Sale Price :
USD $2,260,000

2022 Bonhams : The Quail Auction

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $2,800,000-USD $3,400,000 
Sold for Confidential Amount

1938 Bugatti Type 57C Auction Sales

Recent Sales of the Bugatti Type 57C

(Data based on Model Year 1938 sales)
1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet by Letourneur et Marchand
Chassis#: 57644
Sold for USD$800,000
  2025 RM Sothebys : The Arizona Auction
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 BUGATTI TYPE 57C STELVIO Coachwork by Gangloff
Chassis#: 57606/57699
Sold for USD$472,500
  2024 Gooding : Amelia Island
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 BUGATTI TYPE 57C ATALANTE
Chassis#: 57767
Sold for USD$2,260,000
  2024 Gooding : Amelia Island
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57 Roadster in the style of Gangloff
Chassis#: 57661
Sold for USD$841,000
  2023 RM Sothebys : Monterey
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio
Chassis#: 57597
Sold for USD$786,000
  2019 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57 C cabriolet Gangloff
Chassis#: 57596
Sold for USD$1,112,232
  2019 Artcurial : Retroobile
 
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante
Chassis#: 57766
Sold for USD$2,805,000
  2018 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Convertible
Chassis#: 57748
Sold for USD$1,595,000
  2015 Bonhams : Greenwich Concours
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Cabriolet by Gangloff
Chassis#: 57710
Sold for USD$2,337,500
  2015 RM Sotheby's : Amelia Island
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff
Chassis#: 57597
Sold for USD$770,000
  2014 RM Auctions at Monterey
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Special Coupé
Chassis#: 57335
Sold for USD$923,287
  2013 Bonhams - Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante
Chassis#: 57766
Sold for USD$2,035,000
  2013 Gooding and Company - The Scottsdale Auction
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio
Chassis#: 57677
Sold for USD$1,292,500
  2012 Gooding and Company - Pebble Beach Auction
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Drophead Coupé by Gangloff
Chassis#: 57716
Sold for USD$665,819
  2012 Aalholm Automobile Collection
 
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Roadster
Chassis#: 57584
Sold for USD$429,000
  2010 Gooding and Company - Scottsdale Auction
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio
Chassis#: 57715
Sold for USD$719,444
  2009 RM Auctions - Automobiles of London
 
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe
Chassis#: 57335
Sold for USD$1,375,000
  2009 Pebble Beach Auction : Gooding & Company
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Gangloff
Sold for USD$1,375,000
  2006 Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction
1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  1938 Bugatti Type 57C image  
1938 Bugatti T57C Aravis Drophead Coupe
Chassis#: 57736
Sold for USD$1,045,000
  2006 Vintage Motor Cars in Arizona
 
1938 Bugatti T57C Atalante Coupe
Sold for USD$533,500
  2004 Vintage Motor Cars in Arizona
 

Bugatti Type 57Cs That Failed To Sell At Auction

1938 Bugatti Type 57C's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
VehicleChassisEventHigh BidEst. LowEst. High
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante577672022 Bonhams : The Quail Auction $2,800,000$3,400,000
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Convertible577482022 Bonhams : Amelia Island Concours $1,300,000$1,700,000
1938 BUGATTI TYPE 57C SPECIAL COUPÉ573352022 Bonhams : Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris $1,600,000$2,000,000
1938 BUGATTI TYPE 57 C STELVIO CABRIOLET576782022 Bonhams : Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris $800,000$1,200,000
1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet576442020 Gooding & Company : Geared Online $1,300,000$1,600,000
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff577372020 RM Sothebys : Paris $1,000,000$1,200,000
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante577662015 RM Sotheby's NY Auction : Driven By Distruption $2,200,000$2,500,000
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Special Coupe573352012 Bonhams Collectors' Motor cars and Automobilia at Goodwood   
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Cäsar Schaffner Special Roadster57.584/57.5772012 Bonhams The Monaco Sale 'Les Grandes Marques à Monaco' $320,000$440,000
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante577662008 Automobiles of London$660,000$600,000$800,000

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1938 Bugatti Type 57C

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