1924 Bugatti Type 13

As early as 1911, the Type 13 finished second at the France Grand Prix. The combination of a light and agile body with a strong and reliable engine was new at the time. After World War I, Bugatti was only able to resume production in 1919. First with the well-known Type 13, but clearly much more refined, since Bugatti used the production-free period to continue improving the technology. The previous 1.3-liter four-cylinder had been given a four-valve cylinder head for faster and better gas throughput. This makes the Type 13 one of the first cars with four-valve technology. One hundred years ago, the white metal for crankshaft bearings and pistons was just as new as a gasoline pump and a pump that sprayed oil on selected components. From 1920, two spark plugs per combustion chamber ignite the mixture more quickly in the four-cylinder racing version, the energy they receive from two magnets.

The Type 13 took first place in its first major assignment, the race in the Voiturettes class (light racing car) at the French Grand Prix in Le Mans - with a 20-minute lead over the runner-up. The small, high-performance car quickly became popular - with both racing drivers and spectators. A year later, the volume of the Type 13 engine was just under 1.5 liters and an output of up to 50 hp. In addition to the power, the low weight of less than 400 kilograms also plays a role in the races: the Type 13 drives reliably, allows ease and speed of manoeuvre around the bends, especially in races on public roads with the often poor pavement. Flat tires, broken axles or burst engines are a rarity in the racing car.

The Type 13 won races on Lake Garda, mountain races on Mont Angel near Monte Carlo, South Harting, Limonest near Lyon and La Turbie near Nice. Bugatti successfully modified the general concept of the Type 13 with different body lengths of the vehicle, calling the resulting variations Type 15, Type 17, Type 22 and Type 23. The use in Brescia is still famous to this day: in 1921, the Type 13 took the first four places at the Grand Prix of the Voiturettes and cemented its unbeatable status. Its surname is therefore to this day: Brescia. All subsequent four-valve vehicles now bear this name.

by Bugatti

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 Jessican Donaldson