1920 Bugatti Type 13

One of the earliest automobiles built by Ettore Bugatti was a prototype named the Type 10. It was built in his spare time around 1908 and 1909 in the basement of his home while working as chief engineer at Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik in Cologne, Germany. Ettore designed the monobloc straight-four-cylinder engine which provided power to the rear wheels. The engine had an overhead cam, two valves per cylinder, and a displacement size of 1,131cc (100 mm stroke and 60 mm bore). The chassis was suspended by leaf springs at the front and solid axles at the front and rear. There was no suspension at the rear. Rear drum brakes provided the stopping power.

When Ettore's contract with Deutz ended, he moved to the Alsace region, then still part of the German Empire, to find a factory where he could produce his new vehicle. When World War I came to a close, Alsace (which included Molsheim) became a part of France once again, and so did Bugatti.

The first model produced by Bugatti at the Molsheim factory was the short-wheelbase Type 13 of 1910. and was based on his original prototype It became known as the 'Brescia' for the first four places achieved by the factory at the 1921 Italian Grand Prix for Voiturettes, held at the racetrack in Lombardy. Long wheelbase versions followed, known as the Type 22 and Type 23 models, and both received single-overhead-camshaft 16-valve Brescia engine and were built alongside 8-valve 'Petit Pur Sang' versions.

The shaft-driven Type 13 had a 1,368cc engine (the bore of 65mm and stroke remained at 100mm) with improved four-valve heads making it one of the first of its type ever created. With dual Zenith carburetors, the engine offered approximately 30 horsepower at 4,500 RPM. The suspension was by leaf springs at the front and rear, and its wheelbase measured approximately 79 inches. Although not very powerful, its small stature and lightweight 660-pound construction resulted in excellent handling and performance for its era, with a top speed of around 125 km/h.

The standard Type 13 supported a two-passenger body, and soon, the larger Type 22 chassis became available which accommodated larger coachwork.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2022