The earliest Bugattis
may have used small, relatively hard-working
engines, however their precision manufacture
was immediately evident and stands as tribute
to the founders continual quest for excellence...
Prior to World
War 1 Bugatti manufactured the “Type
13”, powered by a small but
relatively powerful 1327cc engine...
In the short time
between 1925 and 1926 Bugatti cars
would score an astonishing 1045 different
racing event victories. Obviously
this car was not amoung the winners...
Jean Bugatti (right)
bore a close resemblance to the young
Ettore...
The Bugatti Type
35C featured a wonderful straight-eight
engine. In fact, Bugatti would only
build either 4 or 8 cylinder cars,
never a 6...
Tragically, Jean
Bugatti would be killed in 1939 while
testing one of the factory Type 41
Royale's around Molsheim. But just
get a load of the size of that thing...
The most sporting
of all was the short-chassis, lowered
Type 57S, and its supercharged version,
the 200bhp Type 57SC, though only
about 40 of these two derivatives,
from a total Type 57 output of 750
cars, were manufactured...
The Type 57SC
backed up its looks with racing vicories,
such as the 1936 French Grand Prix
and the Le Mans 24 Hour races of
1937 and 1939...
Bugatti in name
only, the EB110 had much more in
common with the likes of Ferrari
and Lamborghini... |
There was a time when Bugatti were arguably one of
the most famous sports-car manufacturers in the world.
The cars were aesthetically magnificent, if sometimes
technically backward, and all were the work of Ettore
Bugatti himself.
Naturally Ettore was born in Italy, and in 1900 at the
somewhat tender age of 19 he would design his very first.
Later he was responsible for the layout of several other
cars not bearing his name, before he started up his
own company at Molsheim, near Strasbourg, now in France,
in 1909.
The earliest Bugattis may have used small,
relatively hard-working engines, however their precision
manufacture was immediately evident and stands as tribute
to the founders continual quest for excellence.
Prior to World
War 1 Bugatti manufactured the “Type 13”,
powered by a small but relatively powerful 1327cc engine.
More popular, and much larger, the chain-driven 'Garros'
model enjoyed success in sales and competition.
But
it was after the war that Bugatti developed some truly
sporting cars, among them the highly acclaimed “Type
13 Brescia” models - so named because cars of
this type took the first four places in the Italian
GP supporting race, at Brescia, in 1921.
Evolution of the Brescia included various derivatives
with. engines between 1368 and 1496cc, the most powerful
of all having being an overhead camshaft 16-valve four-cylinder
engine.
Good for up to 40bhp, this was sufficient to
propel the lightweight (1350lb) racing versions at up
to 100mph. Longer wheelbase touring models (the Types
22 and 23), could maintain 70mph with only a meager
30bhp on tap.
The Brescia’s would enjoy victory at the Le Mans
Voiturette race in 1920, and followed this up with many
impressive victories all over Europe.
Even in Britain,
where hill-climbs were finding immense popularity with
the public, Raymond Mays would always be able to put
in a good performances in his Brescia.
The cars would
continue to be manufactured until 1926, with around
2000 being assembled at Molsheirn, though variants were
also built by Rabag in Germany, Diatto in Italy and
Crossley in England.
In 1924, Bugatti produced the famous Type 35, a car
that would achieve some 2000 competition victories in
its production life of seven years.
There were several
sub-derivatives of the Type 35, with engines ranging
in capacity from 1100cc to 2300cc, and body work built
to sports or purpose built racing car specifications.
The Type 35, like the earlier Type 30 of 1922, used
a straight-eight cylinder engine, originally of 2 litres
and good for 90bhp.
It is interesting to note that Bugatti
made the leap from 4 cylinders to straight-8 cylinder
engines without ever developing a mid-range 6 cylinder
unit.
Later there were 2.3-litre Type 35Ts (the T designating
“Targa Florio”), and various Grand Prix
types, including the supercharged Type 35Bs and 35Cs.
The straight-eight engine was a masterpiece,
both in its appearance and in its function. Two separate
four-cylinder aluminum blocks were fixed to a common
crankcase, all fits and finish being such that gaskets
were not required. The crankshaft ran in five ball
(or roller) bearings.
A Type 35 weighed about 1650lb,
and racing versions were dominant in GP racing for
several years. Most 'touring' versions were Type 35As,
which looked like the GP racing derivatives, but had
a less-complicated three-ball-bearing crankshaft engine
from the Type 38.
These cars were good for a top speed
of around 90mph (145 km/h), though competition types
were capable of well over 100mph (160.9 km/h), and
a 35B was clocked at almost 125mph (201 km/h) in 1930.
Bugatti followed the success of the
Type 35’s
with the less loved Type 37, a car that effectively
replaced the Brescia. The 37 was fitted with a 1496cc
engine similar in design to the straight-eight, all
in the chassis and bodywork of the familiar Type 35.
Critics naturally compared this 37 un-favorably with
the Type 35; the touring version of the design, the
Type 40, received an even less favorable reception.
Both models were capable of 70mph (112.6 km/h) and
were far less temperamental than the 'eights', but
they never attained the God-like status of the Type
35’s.
In total, some 290 Type 37s and 840 Type 40s were built
in a five-year production span.
It may have taken 5 years, but Bugatti
realized the allure of their marque was being lost,
and so in 1927 they released the new Type 43, which
now used the 2.3-litre supercharged straight-eight
engine lifted from the Type 35B racing car.
Often
called a 'Grand Sport' model, it could reach 90mph
(145 km/h) from rest in 30 seconds and was good for
a top speed of around 105mph (169 km/h).
More than
capable on the rally circuit, where it enjoyed much
success, the car did not inspire the buying public
and only 160 were sold over a five year period.
Keen to turn their fortunes around,
the Type 43 was replaced by the Type 55 in 1932. The
2.3 litre straight-eight engine now featured a twin
overhead camshaft and was good for a very healthy
135bhp.
It had a top speed of around 112mph (180 km/h)
and, although it was available in a range of different
body styles, only 38 cars of the type were ever built.
While focus may have been on the sports-car, Bugatti
realized the need to manufacture more refined touring
cars if the factory was to remain viable. In fact
the factory produced many high-speed touring cars,
the most famous being the splendid 1934 3.3 litre
eight-cylinder twin-cam (140bhp) Type 57.
Though inspired by Ettore, much of the detail work
was carried out by his son Jean; the cars were sold
in various distinctly different types covering a range
of body styles.
The most sporting of all was the short-chassis,
lowered Type 57S, and its supercharged version, the
200bhp Type 57SC, though only about 40 of these two
derivatives, from a total Type 57 output of 750 cars,
were manufactured.
The Type 57 would take out the 1936
French Grand Prix and the Le Mans 24 Hour races of 1937
and 1939.
Far and away the most famous Bugatti touring car was
the “Type 41 Royale Roadster”, designed
and styled in 1932 by Jean. Tragically, Jean Bugatti
was killed in 1939 in a car accident while testing one
of the factory cars around Molsheim.
The Royale however
went on to become one of the most memorable sports-luxury
cars in history! The name “Royale” was given
to help the car appeal to the rich and famous and among
the few that could afford to buy the car was King Alphonso
XIII of Spain.
Unquestionably the "Grandest"
car ever made – it weighed in excess of 3 tons
and was powered by a 13 litre straight-8 engine derived
from an airplane. In fact, the engine was so strong
that it was later converted for train use!
The Germans would occupy the Bugatti factory during
World War II, and car production never seriously re-started
after that.
A hand-full of cars were cobbled together
from left over pre-war parts in an attempt to re-establish
production but this was simply too little, too late.
Ettore would die in 1947 and the marque would fade into
obscurity until 1987, when Italian tycoon Romano Artioli
purchased the Bugatti name and built a modernised factory
in Modena.
Artioli’s masterpiece EB110 was a V12
supercar beast, but owed much of it’s inspiration
to fellow Modena residents such as Ferrari, Lamborghini,
Maserati and De Tomaso, and only in name was it a Bugatti.
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