Bugatti Type 57 History

Designed primarily by Jean Bugatti and introduced in 1934, the Type 57 used a new 3.257-litre twin-cam straight-eight engine of Jean's own design, a significant departure from the single-cam units of earlier touring Bugattis. A total of 710 cars were produced across several variants — the standard Type 57, the lowered Type 57S, the supercharged Type 57C, and the supercharged low-chassis Type 57SC — before World War II halted production in 1940.

The Type 57's most celebrated body is the Atlantic, a design that originated with the 1935 Aérolithe show car built from Elektron magnesium alloy (which could not be welded, so its panels were riveted, creating the distinctive external dorsal spine). The production Atlantics — just four built between 1936 and 1938 — used aluminium body panels but retained the riveted ridge as a signature stylistic element. Three of the four Atlantics survive and each has sold or been valued at well over €30 million; they are consistently listed among the most beautiful and valuable cars ever made.

On the racing side, the Type 57G 'Tank' streamliner won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both 1937 and 1939; the 1939 victory, secured by Jean-Pierre Wimille and Pierre Veyron (whose name would later grace Bugatti's 2005 hypercar) with minimal resources, came just weeks before the war ended all motorsport. Jean Bugatti died in a test-driving accident in August 1939, and Ettore Bugatti died in 1947, leaving the company without its guiding spirits.