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1932 Bugatti Type 55

Ettore Arco Isidoro Bugatti was born in Milan in 1881 and founded Automobiles E. Bugatti in 1909 in the then-German town of Molsheim in the Alsace region of what is now France. His early automobiles focused on reducing weight instead of increasing engine size, which Ettore correctly believed provided better fuel economy, acceleration, braking, and road-holding characteristics.

In 1924, at the Grand Prix of Lyon, Bugatti introduced the Type 35 Grand Prix which weighed a mere 1,500 lbs. Under the graceful bonnet was an overhead-camshaft straight-eight engine which helped Bugatti achieve over 2,000 race victories by 1927. The Bugatti Type 51 model followed, using design and engineering cues from Harry Miller's Packard Cable racing specials. The 2.3-liter supercharged twin-cam Grand Prix car continued to expand the company's racing successes well into the 1930s.

Jean Bugatti was the eldest son of Ettore and, by the late 1920s, had become an integral part of the company and had demonstrated his vehicle design abilities. His body design skills matched his father's engineering talents, helping the Bugatti Company become one of the greatest names in automobile manufacturing. By 1932, at the age of twenty-three years, he created most of the design for the company's Type 41 Royale. Additionally, he designed four bodies for the Type 57, the Ventoux, Stelvio, Atalante, and Atlantic models. More than just a talented artist, he displayed his engineering skills by working on new independent suspension systems to replace solid front axles and twin-cam engine applications. While Ettore was conservative and preferred tried-and-true technology, Jean was more forward-thinking and sought new technical innovations. Jean proposed the Type 55 'Supersport' that catered to Bugatti's most demanding clientele.

The Bugatti Type 55, introduced in 1931 at the Paris Auto Show, employed the same deep-sided frame chassis as the 16-cylinder Type 45 and Type 47 Grand Prix cars, and the 4.9-liter Type 54. It was given the Type 51's supercharged engine and most examples received the four-speed gearbox from the contemporary Type 49. The top speed was in excess of 110 mph. This was the first-and-only time the 2.3-liter supercharged engine was used in a road-going car. The reverse quarter-elliptic rear springing and front axle arrangement hailed from the company's most successful Grand Prix cars.

Bugatti offered the Type 55 as a rolling chassis or could be fitted with one of three factory bodies that included a coupe, cabriolet, and Roadster. All three of the factory bodies were designed by Jean Bugatti.

Thirty-eight examples of the Super Sport Bugattis left the Molsheim works between 1932 and 1935, with 14 wearing the Jean Bugatti Roadster coachwork. Although these production figures appear low, especially when compared to the Type 43, the Type 55 was a much higher-priced car built for Bugatti's elite clientele. They were essentially the supercar of its era using the race-proven mechanicals of Bugatti's most legendary race cars.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster

About 15 of the 38 Bugatti Type 55s were fitted with Jean Bugatti-designed roadster or coupe coachwork, the classic roadster being considered by many cognoscenti to be the most attractive sports car ever offered to the motoring public. The Type 55s, 2262cc, supercharged, twin-cam, straight-eight engine was carried over in detuned from form from the successful Type 51 Grand Prix car and fitted to a modified Type 54 ladder frame chassis. It was the ultimate exclusive supercar of the early 1930s.

This car was delivered new to Madame Saquier of Paris and, after restoration, was owned by Ralph Lauren until 2003. Its present owner purchased the car from Bill Ainscough in 2005.

Cabriolet by Billeter & Cartier
Chassis number: 55206
Engine number: 6

The racing accomplishments of the Bugatti Type 35 led to the production of the Type 43. The idea was to power road-going cars with the Grand Prix motor. As competition continued to grow, Bugatti introduced the Type 51. The new Grand Prix car featured the same inline eight-cylinder, now powered by double overhead camshafts plus a supercharger.

The Type 43 was replaced in 1931 with the new Type 55. The Type 47's twin-cam eight-cylinder engine was used to power Type 55. They had cast aluminum wheels from the Type 51, with a brake setup and gearbox from the Type 49. The performance was impressive, with zero-to-sixty taking just 10 seconds.

By 933, Bugatti had built just 38 examples of the Type 55. Jean Bugatti designed two factory bodies: a roadster and a coupe known as the 'Faux cabriolet.' 14 examples received the works coupe body and only one factory cabriolet was built. The 14 remaining cars received coachwork from other coachbuilders. 11 were bodied by Vanvooren or Gangloff, and the remaining three by other outside firms.

One of the original owners of this Type 55 was Dr. Jacques Kocher. By 1938 he had owned at least 14 Bugattis. He had purchased a Type 35, a Type 37, a Type 44, two Type 43s, three Type 57s, a Type 57C, the 1936 Paris Show Type 57S Atalante, a Type 50, and a Type 57C Atalante. On February 2nd, 1932, chassis 55206 was offered to him. It was given engine number 6 and invoiced on March 4th, 1932, who took delivery of the chassis from Dache & Pic. Dache & Pic was a small Bugatti agency in Valence and sold about two dozen Bugattis in the 1930s.

Upon delivery, Dr. Kocher commissioned Billeter & Cartier (a Lyon-based coachbuilder) to build a special two-seat cabriolet. Much of their work had been for the Rochet-Schneider brand cars, which were also based in Lyon. Billeter & Cartier bodied a number of five-liter Bugatti chassis and at least one Type 46S chassis.

The coachwork was completed in roughly six weeks. The Cabriolet body featured long, sweeping fenders similar to that of the Super Sport Roadster and dual rear spares. It also had outside exhausts, the only Type 55 with this specification. It also was given a fold-flat windscreen that opened forward when vertical, as well as roll-up windows. It also was given plated irons on top, plated accents on both doors and plated strips on the rear deck for additional baggage. The inside was finished in black with a dark green leather interior. The interior was offset by green accents along with the fenders, a green leather top boot, and green painted wheels with a polished surface.

This Bugatti Type 55 is the only Bugatti known to be specified with the brake drum and wheel castings predominately painted.

The Type 55 was used regularly, even competing in the 1933 Rallye des Alpes. In January of 1935, the Type 55 was purchased by Emile Sambuc, who had owned several other Bugattis. Mr. Sambuc retained the Type 55 for two years before replacing it with a new Type 57 Gangloff. Laurent Biancotto of Marseille purchased the Bugatti and kept it for an additional two years. In November of 1938, the car was sold to Marseille resident Alexandre Oliva. On June 2, 1939, the Cabriolet was registered by Department du Nord as '3252 MD 6' to Paul Lefevre in the town of Lille. In 1947, the car passed to another Lille resident Pierre Gerard. On April 21, 1949, the Type 55 was re-registered as '7626 NB 1' in the name of Ghislain Gengembre, who kept the car until his death.

The next owner was Yves Garnier, who purchased it in 1970. Mr. Garnier rebuilt 55206 entirely by himself and in 1978 he bought a spare engine (no. 36, ex-55236) from M. Mulnard. During the restoration, the original crankshaft was replaced with the original crank of engine number 36. The work took more than a decade to complete and was finally finished around 1980. In 1987 the car was purchased by German dealer Hans Bitterwolf who in turn sold the car to Peter Agg, then living in Sussex, England. During Mr. Agg's ownership, the car received further restoration, including a new paint scheme of black wings with a blue body and grayish-beige interior. It was later brought to the US by Mr. Agg, where it participated in several major events, including the Colorado Grand. After Mr. Agg's seven-year ownership, ownership passed to Ruedi Schmid of Basel, Switzerland, who retained the car for 16 years. Mr. Schmid drove the car in the 1998 Klausen Hillclimb and the 1994 International Bugatti Rally.

In 2007, the car was given a significant mechanical overhaul which included the installation of a new Brineton cylinder block. A year later, the car participated in the Bugatti Owner's Club Prescott Garden Party.

The current owner purchased the car from Mr. Schmid in November 2010. A thorough restoration soon followed. The car retains its original frame in addition to its brass chassis tag mounted to the original aluminum bulkhead. The original lower crankcase is stamped 'No. 6'. The upper crankcase bears the assembly number '72', which is believed to originate from the factory service of the car after some sort of crankshaft failure. The original supercharger and the original gearbox are stamped '6'.

This is one of the most (if not the most) original Type 55s in existence. The Billeter & Cartier coachwork is original and solid. Body no. 2238 is stamped on several panels and timbers. Original interior fabric materials were found. The interior and exterior finishes were matched to the original specifications.

In January of 2012, the car was Bugatti's sole exhibit at Retromobile in Paris. It was displayed in its original black and green livery.

Powering the car is a 2262cc dual overhead cam inline 8-cylinder engine fitted with a single Zenith 48K Updraft Triple-Diffuser carburetor. With the assistance of the Roots-Type supercharger, it produces 135 horsepower. There is a four-speed non-synchromesh manual gearbox and four-wheel mechanical drum brakes.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Pebble Beach auction presented by Gooding & Company. The car was estimated to sell for $5,000,000 - $6,500,000. Unfortunately, a buyer willing to satisfy its reserve was not found. It would leave the auction unsold.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Chassis number: 55270

This Type 55 Bugatti has chassis No. 55270 and was delivered new to Baron Phillip de Rothchild in 1932. After passing through various owners, the present owner purchased the vehicle at the Sotherby Auction in London in 1985.

This Type 55 Bugatti was one of only 38 examples produced from 1932 through 1935.

The car is powered by a 2.3 liter (2262 cc) straight eight-cylinder engine with a Roots-Type supercharger. The 2-valve DOHC unit produced 130 horsepower and can rev to 5000 RPM. The transmission is a manual four-speed, and the vehicle sits on a 108.3-inch wheelbase and weighs 1800 lbs.

The car has participated in numerous shows and events since its restoration in 1993.

Roadster
Chassis number: 55201
Engine number: 1

This 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster is chassis number 55201 and engine number 1. It is the prototype Type 55 car and the only example to have louvers on the top of the bonnet. The first owner was Duc de la Tremoille who took possession of the car in October 1931 after the Paris Salon. Later in the car's life, it was given Figoni-style fenders and a removable tonneau.

In 1951, the car was imported from France to the United States by Otto Zipper. Recorded owners include Odabashian, Dr. R. Vann, and Mrs. Bowers. In 1960, Edsel Pfabe purchased the car from Mrs. Bowers for the sum of $1,200. At this point in the car's history, it was not running, and was partially assembled and may have even been without its coachwork.

In June of 1963, the car was sold to Dr. Peter and Susan Williamson, and the ongoing restoration was continued. A re-creation of the Jean Bugatti Roadster body was made for the car, which it still wears today. The restoration was completed around 1964 and finished in cream with black fenders and body accents, a red coach-line, and a brown leather interior. The car rides on eight-spoke alloy wheels with integral brake drums, Marchal headlights, and a raked folding windshield.

This is the first Type 55 built, one of only 38 Type 55s produced, has its original engine and chassis, and one of the most coveted prewar sports cars. In 2008, this Type 55 Roadster was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, California. It was estimated to sell for $1,400,000 - $2,100,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the lot had been sold for $$1,760,000, including the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Chassis number: 55213
Engine number: 10

The Bugatti type 55 is a very rare and historically important car, with just 38 examples built between 1931 and 1936. Of these, just 14 were completed with Jean Bugatti's Roadster coachwork. Of the 13 surviving Roadsters, it is believed that five or six retain their original coachwork and major mechanical components.

Ettore Bugatti was an early proponent of reducing weight instead of increasing engine size. Along with offering performance and acceleration, the lightweight sports cars had excellent road-holding and better braking than their larger competitors. The Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix, making its Grand Prix debut at the Grand Prix of Lyon in 1924, weighed just 1,500 lbs and was powered by an overhead-camshaft straight eight. By 1927, it had proven its capabilities and potential by winning over 2,000 race victories.

The Bugatti Type 51, inspired by Harry Miller's racing cars, was powered by a supercharged 2.3-liter twin-cam engine and would continue the company's racing resume well into the 1930s.

Jean Bugatti, Ettore's son, was a talented engineer and designer as well. He proposed many technical innovations, including the use of an independent suspension setup. His designs were equally bold and daring, and it was Jean who had the idea to create the Type 55 'Supersport,' a vehicle that appealed to the company's most demanding clients. It would combine the mechanical underpinnings of the Type 35 B with sporting coachwork. It had the same chassis as the 16-cylinder Type 45 and Type 47 Grand Prix cars and was powered by the 4.9-liter engine found in the Type 54. It was given the Type 51's supercharged engine, and the four-speed gearbox found in the Type 49.

Bugatti unveiled the Type 55 in October of 1931 in Paris. It was a road-going vehicle that boasted a top speed in excess of 110 mph. Bugatti offered the Type 55 as either a chassis or it could be outfitted with one of three factory bodies - a cabriolet, Roadster, and the coupe, each wearing a design created by Jean Bugatti.

This particular example was completed in April 1932. It left the factory powered by engine number 10 and given Jean Bugatti Roadster coachwork. It was the second example ever built and the first completed that year.

The car was given factory invoice 55213 to Bucar S.A. on April 6th, 1932. It was given a temporary registration in Basel though it was never officially imported into Switzerland. It made its first public appearance at the Mille Miglia that started in Brescia, Italy, on April 9th, 1932. This Roadster is the only Type 55 to compete in the Mille Miglia. It wore race number 102 and was entrusted to Achille Varzi, the Bugatti factory driver, and co-driver Count Luigi Castelbarco. Bugatti's other factory entry was a Type 51 Grand Prix, driven by Carlo Cazzaniga and Archimede Rosa.

The Type 55 Roadster raced at the Mille Miglia wearing a red and black livery. It was outfitted with road equipment, a leather hood strap, central driving light, and headlamp covers. It was also fitted with special 'sport wings.'

Sadly, the Bugatti was forced to retire from the race after a rock punctured the fuel tank, and it was unable to be repaired.

After the Mille Miglia, the Roadster was registered in Strasbourg, France. It was registered to Carlo Cazzaniga at the address of the Bugatti shop in Strasbourg. Though not confirmed, its first private owner may have been Andre Derain, who owned at least 11 Bugattis during his life.

The early history of 55213 is not certain, until 1946 when it was owned by Georges Metz. M. Metz advertised the Roadster for sale in Action Automobile et Touristique in April 1950 and then sold it to a garage in Paris. In May 1951, it was registered in Paris to Jean-Baptiste Altieri. In 1983, M. Altieri was approached by Nicolas Seydoux, who was interested in purchasing 55213. After acquiring the car, it remained in Seydoux's collection until 2008, when it was sold to a Swiss individual named Peter Livanos. Mr. Livanos had the car completely restored by Laurent Rondoni of Ventoux Moteur Ingénierie in Carpentras, France. Upon completion, it was refinished in blue and black nitrocellulose.

During the restoration process, a new engine and gearbox - exact replicas - were built for the car. (The original components remain with the car.)

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Chassis number: 55219
Engine number: 11

Bugatti produced its Type 55 from 1931 through 1935, and they were a direct descendent of the Type 51 racecar, employing a similar 2.3-liter (2,262cc) dual-overhead-camshaft inline-eight cylinder engine enhanced by a supercharger (itself an evolution of the supercharged 2.3-liter Type 35B). A total of 38 examples were built and they typically wore sporting coachwork that favored open-top motoring. Built atop a 108.3-inch wheelbase platform, the majority wore bodywork designed by Jean Bugatti, with 16 having 2-seater roadster coachwork. Seven examples wore coupe bodies designed by Jean. Eleven of the remaining fifteen were clothed by independent coachbuilders and the other four remain unidentified.

While most of the Type 55s bodied by outside coachbuilders had doors, those created by the factories were doorless.

The Type 51 and Type 55 engines were similar, with the latter being detuned via a larger 9mm compression plate compared to a 6mm plate used on the Type 51. The camshaft drove an AC mechanical petrol pump on the Type 51 and it used a modified supercharger drive. Depending on the configuration, the Type 51 developed 130 to 185 horsepower, while the Type 55 produced the lower output on the spectrum. Its transmission was a four-speed manual unit sourced from the Type 49 touring car with straight-cut gears. The whine of the supercharger and the straight-cut gears, coupled with the lack of doors, made the cockpit of the Type 55 very loud and was often criticized for its lack of practicality.

This particular roadster was ordered by the Swiss Bugatti Agent Bucar of Zurich during the winter of 1932 on behalf of Mr. Edmond Reiffers of Luxembourg. The rolling chassis was completed by spring and one of Mr. Reiffer's three sons (Ernest) entered it in several local events organized by the Automobile Club of Luxembourg. At the time, the Type 55 had only a bonnet and headlights, and a seat. When it finally received its four-seat cabriolet coachwork, the work was entrusted to Pritchard & Demollin of Angluer, Belgium. Even with the added weight of the bodywork, Mr. Reiffer's sons continued to compete with the Type 55. It was even taken on hunting trips.

Rudi Cloos of Luxembourg acquired the car in 1938, and within the next two years, it was traded two more times. It was hidden away during the war, and when it was unearthed in 1945, the car was registered to Pierre Schickes. While in his custodianship, the car suffered front-end damage. By 1955, the car was owned by an individual named Gillard, and in 1957 it was in the care of Jean de Dobbeleer.

Bob Estes of California acquired it during the late 1950s as a parts car for his other Type 55 (chassis 55230). The parts that were not used were sold to Ray Jones of Birmingham, Michigan, in 1963. During the 1970s, the car was given its present coachwork created in the style of the Jean Bugatti-designed roadster.

Oscar Davis acquired a car in 1988 containing elements of 55219. Extensive research and a quest to make the Type 55 whole again soon followed. Chassis 55219, 55229, and 51127 were acquired and used to piece together 55219, and the Bugatti Owners Club officially recognized the re-constituted car on August 17th of 1993 and issued a replacement chassis plate. A comprehensive mechanical and cosmetic restoration was undertaken by Leydon Restorations of Lahaska, Pennsylvania, in 2008, combining the

original components from the three cars acquired. Bugatti expert David Sewell inspected the components and concluded that the differential casing, gearbox, engine, chassis frame, and bulkhead assembly were correct to chassis 55219. Due to extensive engine wear the top crankcase and cylinder block were removed (still remaining with the vehicle) and replaced with new components.

Since completion, Mr. Davis has displayed the Type 55 at various concours events.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Chassis number: 55220
Engine number: 21

Production of the Super Sport Bugatti Type 55 lasted from 1932 through 1935, with a mere 38 examples leaving the Molsheim works. Of those, 14 received the Jean Bugatti Roadster coachwork and currently, 11 retain the original bodywork.

This particular example, chassis number 55220, wears factory roadster bodywork and is powered by a 2,262c dual overhead camshaft inline eight-cylinder engine with a single Zenith carburetor and roots-type supercharger. There is a four-speed manual transmission, four-wheel cable-operated drum brakes, and a semi-elliptic leaf spring suspension in the front with quarter-elliptic leaf springs in the back.

Its English ownership was followed by the single U.S. ownership of Dean S. Edmonds Jr. in 1985, in whose care it has resided ever since. It was originally ordered by Nathaniel Mayer Victor Rothschild who was just 22 years of age at the time. Since it was a British delivery, the Type 55 was ordered through agent Colonel Sorel. It was built as a rolling chassis at the works in May of 1932 and received its factory coachwork to be completed in August of that year. The Bugatti was registered for the road with the distinctive road license plate of 'EPF 4'.

One of the vehicle's next owners was R. MacLeod-Carey, who acquired it on April 12th, 1939, from Arthur Baron. In 1940, ownership passed to T.M. Walters who would retain it through to the 1950s. While in his care, the car enjoyed light racing at the Bugatti Owner's Club Prescott Hillclimb certainly as late as 1950.

M.H. Scott purchased the car from Walters who sold it to A.A. Morse, who sold it to H. B. Murphie. The car resided in Mr. Murphie's care (and his daughter's) for over a decade. During that decade, the windshield was altered to a taller format, the only material change to its appearance during its lifespan. The back axle was changed to a 15x54 ratio at this point, however, it currently retains its original 13 x 54 casings.

The Honorable Artillery Company in London sold the car at auction in 1985 and was purchased by Dean Edmonds. Early auction estimates valued the car at around £70,000 or £100,000, but with interest from several collections and museum curators, the car sold for £440,000, which was a considerable increase over the £270,000 paid a year earlier for the Barnato Gurney Nutting Speed Six, then known as the Blue Train car, as the most valuable car ever to sell in the UK.

Mr. Edmonds entrusted Peter Seferian to perform a restoration. Sadly, Mr. Seferian passed away within a year or so and the work was transferred to Donald Koleman's Competition Motors Ltd. of Salem, Mass, for the majority of the work to be undertaken. An exhaustive but wholly sympathetic rebuild was carried out, during which the windshield was returned to its original height and the dashboard layout to the standard configuration.

After the work was finished, the car made its post-restoration debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1993, where it took First in Class. It then competed in the Mille Miglia and International Bugatti Rally in 1994, and it would later be shown at various events, including Meadowbrook Hall Concours d'Elegance and at Amelia Island in 2001.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Chassis number: 55219
Engine number: 11

This Bugatti Type 55 was ordered in February 1932 by the Swiss Bugatti agent Bucar of Zurich on behalf of their client Edmond Reiffers a notary in the city of Luxembourg. The completed chassis, numbered 55219 with engine number 11, was delivered by a Bugatti employee who drove the car fitted with temporary seating and the plate number 1655 WW5 from Molshiem to Luxembourg in early April 1932. Reiffer's son Earnest immediately began racing the bare chassis with success in events organized by the Automobile Club of Luxembourg. In October 1932, Reiffers commissioned the Belgium coachbuilder Pritchard and Demollin to build a four-seat cabriolet body for chassis 55219. With this new body fitted the car continued to be used by the family for sporting activities including rallies and hunting expeditions.

By the late 1950s, the car was in the possession of a Belgian Bugatti dealer who offered the car to American clients. The car was purchased by Bob Estes of California, who used it as a parts car for two other Type-55s he also owned. The dismantled and incomplete car was sold to Ray Jones of Michigan, who rebuilt the car using available components and re-bodied the car as a Jean Bugatti Roadster. Efforts were made to locate cars that contained the missing original parts of 55219 and bring them back together. The only exception was to retain the roadster body.

Bugatti had a distinguished history when it came time to produce the Type 55. Their resume included extremely successful race cars and elegant and sophisticated road-going vehicles. In the racing department, the minimalist Type 35 was a very competitive car that racked up many impressive victories. It was, like so many other Bugatti's, available with either a naturally aspirated engine or with the addition of a supercharger. In the early 1930s, a new car was needed to keep Bugatti at the front of its game and to comply with new racing regulations.

Bugatti had been very successful in creating great racing machines and using the lessons learned to create performance-minded road-going cars. In other words, the technology that worked on the track often made it into the production vehicles. This continual growth and constant evolution aided in the marque's success both on and off the track.

Bugatti had been working on the Type 47 and its Grand Prix sibling Type 45 when the French Grand Prix ended in 1928, effectively canceling these projects. Much time and attention had gone into designing these machines. The deep-section rail frame for the Type 47 Grand Sport was designed to house a three-liter U-16 engine. The chassis frame, with its widely spaced rear springs and long rear-axle trailing arms, was strong enough to house a larger engine, which it did with the Type 54 Grand Prix. The engine was a 4.9-liter unit straight-eight. Jean Bugatti continued his previously successful endeavors by offering a de-tuned version of the Grand Prix car for road-going purposes.

The Type 55 was given the Type 47/54 chassis and a lower compression Type 51 Grand Prix engine. A very attractive, Jean-Bugatti-designed, two-seater coachwork was created for the Type 55, along with a similarly styled coupe body coachwork.

Production of the Type 55 began in 1932 and continued until 1935, with a total of 38 examples created. Twenty-three examples were completed during its first year of production. The straight-eight engine had a cast-iron block and head, dual overhead camshafts, Zenith carburetor, Roots-type supercharger, and displaced 2262cc. There was a four-speed manual gearbox, cable-operated drum brakes at all four corners, and live axle suspension.

In 2008, this Type 46 Sports Saloon was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company Auction held in Pebble Beach, California. It was estimated to sell for $650,000 - $850,000 and offered without reserve. The lot was sold for $440,000, including the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Despite what every adolescent boy in America may tell you, the awe-inspiring Veyron was not Bugatti's first car. Nor was it Bugatti's first tribute to speed, excess, and unbridled wealth.

The 16-cylinder, quad-turbo Veyron was conceived under Bugatti's current Volkswagen ownership. Before the German takeover, the Italians had some fun with Bugatti as well. For a few years during the early 1990's, an Italy-based Bugatti produced the EB110 supercar with as many turbos and as much presence as the Veyron, albeit with a paltry 12 cylinders.

The Veyron and EB110 represent the whole of Bugatti's recent history. Between 1956 and 1991, no new Bugattis were produced.

That fact may say more about the Bugatti legend than anything else. Here was a company that could vanish for 35 years and then come back, under foreign rule no less, to build the fastest, most exotic machines on the planet. Only an absolutely exhilarating past could have inspired the inception of these modern Bugatti vehicles, and from 1909 through 1956 the French marque founded by Ettore Bugatti had just that.

Though marvelous excesses like the 12.8-liter Royale had most in common with the extravagant Bugattis of today, the company also had the power to produce less glitzy cars in the name of tasteful perfection. One such work was the Type 55 produced from 1932 through 1935.

One of the best sports cars of its time, the Type 55 was an incredible piece of engineering. Sharing its chassis with the Type 54 and its basic engine design with the Type 51, it was a terrific performer on road and track.

The detuned Type 51 engine found in the Type 55 was a dual overhead cam inline eight displacing 2262cc. Fed by a Zenith carburetor, the engine featured a roots supercharger that helped bring power output up to 130hp. In a car that weighed as little as 1,800lbs, that kind of power proved ample for rapid motoring. The cast alloy rear wheels were driven through a four-speed transmission.

Only 38 Type 55 chassis were produced. Close to half of these were fitted with roadster or coupe coachwork by Ettore's son, Jean Bugatti. These bodies reinforced the Type 55's image as a sports car and established the car as one of the best-sculpted vehicles ever produced.

Jean Bugatti was undeniably talented. The work he did for his father resulted in some of the most stunning and gorgeous cars in automotive history. While he may be best remembered for the drastically curvaceous lines of some of the Type 57 bodies, Jean Bugatti's Type 55 coachwork was brilliant in its own right.

The Super Sport roadster especially was a lovely design. Perfectly proportioned and with just enough curvature, it was tasteful elegance at its best. The delicate front fenders swept down to form short running boards which then leaped up quickly to form rear fenders that fell in tight circles around the rear wheels. The stately Bugatti grille stood proudly up front, situated between carefully placed headlights. The long nose, with louvers on its sides, hinted at the car's potent powerhouse as the short tail, bedecked with twin spare tires, finished the declaration of the car's sporting intentions.

With its speed and style, the Type 55 fit perfectly with Bugatti's history as an independent carmaker. It was as enjoyable to drive as it was to look at, and its price tag and small production ensured that it would only fall into the hands of a fortunate few. The Type 55 helped establish a story incredible enough to compel a new generation of aficionados to dust off three and a half stagnant decades and bring back one of the most phenomenal names to ever grace an automobile.

Sources:

'Bugatti Type 55.' The Bugatti Trust 29 Mar 2009 http://www.bugatti-trust.co.uk/bugatti-cars/bugatti-55.shtml.

'Bugatti Type 55 1932-1935.' Auto Evolution 29 Mar 2009 http://www.autoevolution.com/cars/bugatti-type-55-1932.html.

'Lot 147: Bugatti Type 55 Super Sport Roadster: Collectors' Sports & Grand Touring Motor Cars, Bonhams (10th May 2008).' Motorbase 29 Mar 2009 http://www.motorbase.com/auctionlot/by-id/266674516/.

Wise, David Burgess. 'Bugatti, Germany, France, 1909-1956; Italy, 1991 to 1994.'The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles. 2000.

by Evan Acuña