1934 Bugatti Type 57

The Bugatti Type 57 was introduced in 1934 and would form the mainstay of the company's production through the 1930s. It took various forms, from the Le Mans-winning 'Tank' sports racer which ultimately claimed the life of Jean Bugatti while testing the car on closed roads in 1937, to elegant road-going transportation. The Type 57 was the first new model constructed under the direction of Jean and was endowed with numerous features that were new to Bugatti. Coachwork was created by the factory or on commission by outside coachbuilders. Much of the commercial success of the Type 57 was attributed to Jean Bugatti's elegantly flowing and graceful designs that were bestowed upon many examples.

The Bugatti Type 57 was more than just a new model for the company, it was a new direction that introduced many new innovations and features. Prior Bugatti models wore singular coachwork while the pioneering Type 57 used numerous body styles on one chassis. Jean Bugatti was just 23 years of age in 1932 when he was placed in charge of the Type 57's design team.

The heart of the Type 57 was the 3,257cc displacement eight-cylinder engine which used a crankshaft that ran in five main bearings, finger cam followers that minimized side thrust on the valve stems, and had a dimension of 72 x 100mm. The camshafts were driven by a line of helical-tooth gears at the engine's rear with a further crankshaft bearing behind them (The Type 50 and 51 used bevel gears at the front of the engine). The engine was based on the unit powering the Type 49, but with 'double,' instead of 'single,' overhead camshafts. Following World War II, the Type 57 chassis and engine would form the basis for the Type 101.

The Type 57 engine was smaller than the one powering the previous Type 41 Royale and the Type 50 - both of which were Paragons on the road and brought the company notoriety, but they fell short of providing financial success. The Type 57 - in prototype form with a 2.8-liter displacement - was nearly half the displacement of the Type 50. The production version displaced just under 3.3 liters.

The use of a transmission fixed to the engine crankcase and a single plate clutch marked another Bugatti 'first.' The four-speed gearbox had constant mesh on the top three gears, and initially, the Jean-designed suspension system incorporated an independent front setup using transverse leaf springs. Only two examples received this configuration before 'Le Patron' (Ettore Bugatti) insisted it be replaced with a conventional Bugatti setup incorporating hollow tubular live axle with semi-elliptical front and reversed quarter-elliptical rear leaf springs. Stopping power was provided by cable-operated mechanical drum brakes. Lockheed hydraulically actuated brakes were added in 1938, again, much to Ettore's protest. The lightweight but expensive aluminum-spoked wheels and brake drums were replaced in 1938 with Rudge-Whitworth center-lock wire wheels and separate brake drums.

The wheelbase measured 130 inches and had a 53-inch track. Early examples had the engine bolted directly on the ladder frame. In 1936, the second series came with a strengthened chassis with the engine mounted on rubber bushings. Styling features included a smaller version of the Royale's square-bottom horseshoe grille, and the sides of the engine compartment had thermostatically controlled shutters.

Body styles initially offered for the Type 57 included the four-seater, two-door 'Ventoux', the four-door 'Galibier,' and the two-door 'Stelvio' convertible. These three body styles were named after mountain peaks in the Alps, and unlike the 'Galibier' and 'Ventoux,' the 'Stelvio' was designed by the French coachbuilder Gangloff. The fourth body style offered by the factory was the two-seater coupe called the 'Atalante.' The Atalante was the most exclusive of the three and it was the most expensive.

The Bugatti Type 57 was in production from 1934 through 1940, with a total of 710 examples (of all variants) built during that time. The Type 57C was a racing car with 96 examples built between 1937 through 1940. Its 3.3-liter engine which it shared with the road-going Type 57 developed 160 horsepower with the help of a Roots-type supercharger.

The Type 57S/SC was a 'lowered' version equipped with a supercharger. The 'S' represented 'Surbaissé' ('Lowered') and the 'C' for 'Compresseur.' Distinguishable features included mesh grilles on either side of the engine compartment and a V-shaped dip at the bottom of the radiator. The lowered stance was accomplished by passing the rear axle through (rather than under) the rear frame. To wedge the engine under the new low hood, a dry-sump lubrication system was installed.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2021