It is ironic that Ettore Bugatti’s most successful Le Mans car was intended as a grand routier, not an out-and-out sports car. Designed by his son Jean, the Type 57 used the eight-cylinder twin-cam engine of the Type 49, but with timing gears rather than chains. The model was introduced in 1934 and became the sole offering in 1936 when its siblings were discontinued. A lowered chassis model, Type 57S, was available and both could be had with a Roots-type supercharger, in which case a “C” suffix was used. In all, 684 Type 57s were built, just 96 of them 57Cs.

The Type 57 was originally offered in four body styles, three of which were named after famous mountain peaks in the Alps: Galibier, Stelvio and Ventoux. The attractive Stelvio was commonly outsourced to various coachbuilders, this one to the French firm Éts. Georges Gangloff SA, of Colmar.

Bugatti’s Marseilles agent, Gaston Descollas, ordered chassis 57716 on 21 April 1938, for use as a demonstrator. On 26 July it was sent to Gangloff, who delivered the completed car on 12 September. It was registered in October and sold to a Mr Jouillé, of Marseilles. It remained with a succession of owners in that area until it was sold to E.S. Ramirez in 1946, who registered it in Madrid, where he worked at the US Embassy.

The car is shown in Hugh Conway’s 1962 Bugatti Register as owned by Ramirez, who soon thereafter sold it to Baron J.O. Raben-Levetzau, who was establishing the museum at Aalholm Castle. At that time it had been modified with a longer bonnet, the fate of a number of Bugattis during that era. The Baron returned the car to its correct configuration.

Restored many years ago, the car shows its age. The body contours are generally good, as is the brightwork. The paint, however, shows cracking and should be redone. The instrument panel, apart from a couple of replacement gauges, is nice. The undercarriage is solid, and the engine compartment, whilst in need of detailing, is correct, including the original supercharger.

This is a rare opportunity to acquire one of the most iconic Bugatti models in very original condition.

Det er ironisk, at Ettore Bugatti mest succesrige Le Mans bil var tænkt som en grand routier, ikke en ’out-and-out’ sportsvogn., Type 57 blev designet af sønnen Jean og var udrustet med den otte-cylindrede twin-cam motor fra Type 49, men med takthjul i stedet for kæder. Modellen blev introduceret i 1934 og blev det eneste model af sin type i 1936, hvor produktionen af dens søskendemodeller blev standset. Man kunne få en model med sænket chassis, type 57S, og begge kunne leveres med en Roots-type kompressor, i hvilket tilfælde man brugte suffikset "C". I alt blev der bygget 684 Type 57S, men kun 96 af dem var 57C.

Type 57 blev oprindeligt udbudt i fire karrosseriformer, hvoraf tre blev opkaldt efter berømte bjergtoppe i Alperne: Galibier, Stelvio og Ventoux. Den attraktive Stelvio blev almindeligvis outsourcet til forskellige karosseribyggere, denne til det franske selskab Éts. Georges Gangloff SA, i Colmar.

Bugattis agent i Marseille, Gaston Descollas, bestilte chassis 57716 den 21. april 1938, til brug som demonstrationsbil. Den 26. juli blev det sendt til Gangloff, der leverede den færdige bil den 12. september. Den blev registreret i oktober og solgt til en hr. Jouillé fra Marseille. Den forblev hos en række ejere i området, indtil den i 1946blev solgt til E.S. Ramirez, der indregistrerede den i Madrid, hvor han arbejdede på den amerikanske ambassade.

Bilen er vist i Hugh Conway Bugatti-register fra 1962 som ejet af Ramirez. Snart derefter solgte han den til baron J.O. Raben-Levetzau. På det tidspunkt var den blevet modificeret med en længere motorhjelm, en skæbne som overgik en række Bugattier løbet af denne periode. Baronen bragte bilen tilbage til dens korrekte konfiguration.

Bilen blev restaureret for mange år siden og alderen kan ses på bilen. Karosseriets konturer er generelt gode, ligeså de polerede dele. Malingen viser imidlertid nogle revner og bør genmales. Instrumentpanelet er flot, bortset fra et par udskiftede målere. Undervognen er solid, og selvom der er behov for en gennemgang, er motorrummet korrekt, herunder den originale turbolader.

Dette er en sjælden mulighed for at erhverve en af de meste ikoniske Bugatti-modeller i en meget original stand.