1938 Bugatti Type 57C

Ettore Bugatti could certainly be considered one of the more colorful characters throughout automotive history. Though born in Italy, Bugatti spent most of his life in France, and nearly 8,000 cars bearing the Bugatti name were produced at the Molsheim factory located in Alsace, France. Fifty-two different models were produced over the years, from the Type 2 of 1900 to the winningest race car of all, the Type 35 Grand Prix racer, to one of the most costly and luxurious automobiles ever built, the Type 41 Bugatti Royale.

Bugatti Type 57
The Type 57 is considered Bugatti's most successful road-going creation; it debuted in October 1933 and remained in production until the start of World War II, with a total of 710 (as many as 739) examples being produced. The design was inspired by Ettore's son Jean, who had his father's sense of engineering. He created several standard body designs that were available through the factory, including a four-door Gabilier coach, two-door Ventoux, 1939 57C four-door coach, Atalante on the 57C and 57S chassis, and the Atlantic Coupe, which was also available on the 57C and S. The coachwork complimented the Type 57's mechanical specification, with elegant lines, a sporty stance, and flowing bodies.

The Type 57 was a new design; little was borrowed from its predecessor, except for the bore and stroke of the Type 49 engine. The straight-8 twin-cam, 3.3 liter (3,257cc / 198 cubic-inch) engine had a 72mm bore, a 100mm stroke, and produced 135 horsepower. The crankshaft ran in five main bearings and the camshafts were driven by helical-tooth gears at the engine's rear with another crankshaft behind them. Side thrust was minimized on the valve stems. The engine rested on rubber mounts within the sturdy frame.

The Type 57 was Bugatti's first model to use a transmission fixed to the engine crankcase and a single plate clutch. Gears two through four were constant mesh. The wheelbase measured 130 inches with a wide track size of 53 inches. Cable-operated mechanical drum brakes provided (initially) the stopping power. The independent suspension designed by Jean used transverse leaf springs for the first two examples of the Type 57. Subsequent examples used traditional hollow tubular live axles, per Le Patron's insistence, with semi-elliptical front and reversed quarter-elliptical rear leaf springs.

The Type 57S was offered beginning in 1935. The Series 2 Type 57 soon followed which brought with it rubber engine mounts, cam and engine timing improvements, heavier chassis and a revised dashboard. In 1937, the Type 57C became available. This was a supercharged version that added improved horsepower output over its siblings. The 3.3-liter engine with the supercharger was capable of producing over 215 horsepower.

The final iteration of the Type 57 came in 1938 with the Series 3. The Series 3 had hydraulic brakes, which Ettore Bugatti disagreed with after having poor results with the setup during the 1924 Grand Prix season. Ettore reluctantly cooperated with the decision but did insist on having dual master cylinders in the design. The DeRam equipment was replaced with the Allinquint hydraulic shock absorbers. The DeRam setup had been deemed too expensive to continue.

Bugatti Type 57C
The Type 57C was produced from 1937 through 1940, and a total of 96 examples were built. Equipped with a Roots-Type supercharger, the 3.3-liter engine had 160 horsepower.

Bugatti Type 57 S/SC

- 'S' for Surbaissé meaning 'lowered.'
- 'C' for Compresseur referenced the 'supercharger.'

Bugatti produced 43 examples of the Type 57 'Surbaissé' and two examples of the supercharged Type 57SC's were originally built. Most of the Type 57S cars were returned to Molsheim to be retrofitted with the supercharger.

To create the lower stance, Bugatti engineers relocated the rear axle, passing it through the frame rather than under it. The low hoodline necessitated the use of a dry-sump lubrication system for the engine.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2019