Beschreibung:

1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Design by Jean Bugatti Chassis no. 57767 Engine no. 62C Body No. 313,257cc DOHC All-Alloy 8-Cylinder Engine Roots-type Supercharger Stromberg Twin-choke Carburetor 160bhp at 5,500rpm 4-Speed Manual Transmission 4-Wheel Leaf Spring Suspension 4-Wheel Hydraulic Lockheed Drum Brakes *Rare and desirable, factory supercharged example of Jean Bugatti's Atalante masterpiece *One of just 3 factory supercharged Atalante examples made with aluminum bodywork *Outstanding provenance, including Paris Salon exhibition and 60 years in singular ownership *A stunningly original car, with great measures taken to preserve its original finishes *Fastidiously documented, with factory letters from E. Bugatti and report from Pierre-Yves Laugier *Matching-numbers example, retaining its original aluminum bodywork and interior THE BUGATTI TYPE 57 The Bugatti Type 57 was introduced in 1934 and marked Jean Bugatti's emergence as Bugatti's creative driving force. It was the first new model built under his direction, and it incorporated many features new to the marque. The powerful 3,257 cc dual overhead camshaft eight-cylinder engine ran on a five main bearing crankshaft, driven by a train of helical-tooth gears at the engine's rear with a further crankshaft bearing behind them. Finger cam followers minimized side thrust on the valve stems. A four-speed transmission and single-plate clutch fixed to the engine crankcase, with the three top three gears in constant mesh were other Bugatti firsts. The lovely hollow-tube live front axle was suspended by semi-elliptical springs, while reversed quarter-elliptical leaf springs upheld the rear. Stopping power was provided by cable-operated mechanical drum brakes. All in all, the T57 was a mechanical tour de force in 1934, one of the great examples of what the French call la belle mécanique. The supercharged Type 57C arrived in 1936. It was given a stiffer frame to cope with its extra power, while the magnificent engine received a Roots-type supercharger that ran at 1.17 times engine speed, driven by the camshaft drive at the rear. This provided a 5-6 psi boost and a healthy 160 bhp which made close to 120 mph possible. Lockheed hydraulic brakes were added, as well as new center-lock wire wheels. The T57C is one of the truly legendary automobiles of the late 1930s. It soon became a benchmark for the general public and competing manufacturers alike, by which to measure all others. THE MOTORCAR OFFERED In the years of its existence, Bugatti built many road and race cars that are special. But not many Bugatti road cars are quite as special as chassis 57767, as it is one of only three Atalante that were built to its precise specification, an ultimate specification that makes it one of the fastest and most desirable of its kind. From April 1935 to December 1938, a grand total of only 33 Type 57 chassis were fitted with the breathtaking Atalante coachwork, designed in-house at Bugatti by Joseph Walter under the close direction of Jean Bugatti Chassis 57767 is the 31st of these rare chassis, and the number 31 is written on the inside of the hood, engraved on the woodwork on the trunk, and written in chalk on the back side of the dashboard woodwork. However, of the 33 Atalante-bodied chassis, only 16 received an aluminum body. In addition, of the 33, only 5 were factory supercharged. To cap it all, only three Atalante chassis were fitted both with the aluminum body and the supercharger by the factory, thereby making these few extraordinary cars the lightest and fastest of them all. This is a truly special and exceptionally rare combination which makes 57767 one of the most coveted Bugatti T57C in the world. On September 6 and 7, 1938, a certain Mr. Albert Cahen of 13 rue Joanàs in Paris, ordered two Bugattis at the Bugatti Magasin d'Exposition at no. 116 Champs-Élysées: a coach Ventoux, chassis no. 57671, and a 57C Atalante which was to be chassis 57767. One must assume that with its four se