Bugatti Type 13

Total Production: 435 1913 - 1925
Founded in Molsheim, France, Bugatti was a manufacturer of high-performance vehicles in 1910. Ettore Bugatti, the founder, was an Italian man that some described as an 'eccentric genius'. The Bugatti Company is well known for creating some of the most exclusive cars worldwide, along with creating some of the fastest. Much like many high-end marques of the time, the original Bugatti brand failed with the onset of WWII. Also, Ettore's son Jean died; a major contributing factor in this. Struggling financially, the company released one final model in the 1950's before it was eventually purchased for its airplane parts business in the 1960's. The name is owned by Volkswagen Group today, and they have revived it as a builder of a very exclusive set of sports cars.

Bugatti is credited with building cars that were not only works of art, but also amazing mechanical creations. The first Bugatti ever built, the Bugatti Type 13 is considered to be one of the most successful cars in Bugatti history. With the company's founding in 1910, production of the Type 13 and later Types 15, 17, 22, and 23 lasted through 1920 with 435 examples produced.

The Type 13 featured a 16-valve four-cylinder, one of the first-ever produced, that performed wonders on the track and also earned the company's first big race win in the 1920 Grand Prix de Le Mans. The following year the four Type 13s took the top four spots at Brescia in Italy. Until 1926 the Brescia Bugatti was produced. In keeping with Ettore Bugatti's feelings for his designs, road cars became known as 'pur-sang' ('thoroughbred'). After World War I, the car was brought back with multi-valve engines. Much needed money was also brought in by the production of the 'Brescia Tourer'.

By Jessica Donaldson