1939 Bugatti Type 57 Faux Cabriolet

The Bugatti Type 57 was produced from 1934 through 1939 and was designed to compete with other luxurious road-going models such as the Delahaye and Delage. The development was heavily influenced by the son of Ettore Bugatti, Jean Bugatti. Mounted under the bonnet was a 3.3-liter, dual overhead camshaft straight eight which could be fitted into two high-performance chassis, the Standard and the Sport. The Sport chassis was lower and designed for greater performance. The engine had an optional Roots-Type supercharger - those vehicles fitted with this option were designated the 57C.

The Series II Type 57s were built from 1936 until 1938. These had rubber-mounted engines, a redesigned crankcase, up-rated camshafts and engine timing, and a reinforced chassis. For 1939, the Type 57 was built to Series III specifications which added Lockheed-Bugatti hydraulic brakes and twin master cylinders. Prior cars had cable-actuated mechanical brakes. The Hartford friction dampers and the self-adjusting DeRam units were replaced with Aliquant independent hydraulic shocks.

With the supercharger, the engine was capable of 200 to 220 brake horsepower. Depending on the coachwork, the Bugatti Type 57C was capable of speeds of 130 mph.

This 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Faux Cabriolet 'Charmaine' is chassis number 57787. Its first owner was William P. Harges, a wealthy American living in England. It was given its coachwork by James Young of Bromley. Mr. Harges took possession of the car in March of 1939 by the London Bugatti agent, Jack Barclay Ltd. Shortly thereafter, the Germans entered France making this one of the last cars to leave.

This vehicle has a sliding sunroof. Though it appears that the roof might fold down, this is not the case. The Faux Cabriolet body style meant it actually had a fixed roof section. Another interesting feature is the thin windshield pillars which gave the driver better visibility and offered the sense of 'openness.' There are dual side-mounts though one does not contain a tire; rather, it contains a toolbox. The rear passengers were treated to a folding picnic tray. Seating for the passengers was very elegant and comfortable; the seats resembled armchairs. The three-quarter top gave them added privacy.

The car was in Mr. Harge's care for only a short period of time before it became the property of Colonel Godfrey Giles, President of the Bugatti Owners' Club. The car was traded for a 1938 Type 57SC Corsica-bodied roadster which he called 'La Petite Suzanne.'

Colonel Giles gave his newest Bugatti the nickname 'Charmaine.' Giles, though very much taken with the car, did not own it for long. Its next owner was the Hon. Dorothy Paget, daughter of Lord Queenborough and Pauline Payne Whitney. The next owner was three-time consecutive LeMans winner, 'Blue Train' owner and former Bentley Motors owner and chairman, Woolf 'Babe' Barnato. Next, it was owned by Geoffrey Battersby who sold it to Mr. R. Newsholme, then to Alan Haworth. Mr. Haworth retained the car for thirty years.

The next owner was Terry Cohn who had the car mechanically serviced by a Bugatti specialist, and then brought it to the United States during the early 1990s. The next and present owner is a prominent Colorado collector.

Currently, the car's odometer reads just 55,000 miles and the patina on the James Young Faux Cabriolet coachwork is still exceptional. The interior tan leather is also in great condition. During its lifespan, some of the exterior trim and paintwork has been done, but the restoration work has been kept to a minimum to preserve its originality.

In 2008, this vehicle was offered for sale at the 'Sports & Classics of Monterey' presented by RM Auctions where it had an estimated value of $600,000 - 750,000. The lot was sold for $375,000, including the buyer's premium and fell well below its estimated value.

In 2009, this Type 57C was offered for sale at the Automobiles of Amelia Island auction presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $550,000 - $750,000. Bidding reached $380,000 but was not enough to satisfy the vehicle's reserve. The lot was left unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2009