1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Drophead Coupé by Gangloff. © 2012 courtesy RM Auctions
Chassis No. 57716. Estimate : €240.000-€280.000
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.
RM Auctions. Aalhom Automobile Collection. Sunday, August 12, 2012 www.rmauctions.com