A rare piece of automotive history will go on the block with no reserve as the 1936 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe that was Ettore Bugatti’s personal car is auctioned as part of Gooding & Company’s annual Pebble Beach sale. Bugatti is the featured marque of this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, so the sale of this significant machine serves as the icing on the proverbial cake.
Believed to have been assembled by Bugatti factory employees as a gift for their patron, this precious vehicle was cautiously sequestered away during World War II to prevent it falling into the wrong hands. After Bugatti’s death in 1947, the car was maintained and stored at the Bugatti workshop in Molsheim, France, where it received factory upgrades as developments progressed. These included tailored interior accessories, a unique engine and transmission combination, and other subtle technical improvements that make it the most advanced example of the Type 57. Further, the car’s unique coachwork is believed to be one of the last designs penned by Bugatti’s son, Jean, before his own death.
Its unique features include the famed EB logo engraved on the wheel hubs, in cloisonné on the rear bumper, and in enamel on the steering wheel. Every detail on the spectacular automobile reflects the artistry of the Bugatti marque, making it a tangible link to some of the most important innovators in automotive history.
Also of note at this event will be an offering of various historic Indy cars from The Don Lyons Collection. Included in that list will be an ex-Henry Banks Blue Crown Spark Plug Special Indy car, an ex-Mario Andretti Dean Van Lines Spl. roadster, an ex-Jim Hurtubise Gerhardt-Offy, an ex-Denis Hulme Eagle-Ford built by Smoky Yunick, and an ex-Andretti Lola-Cosworth from his final championship year in 1984.
Preview days for the Gooding & Company Pebble Beach auction are Wednesday, August 12 through Sunday, August 16, and the Saturday and Sunday evening auctions will commence at 6 p.m. in the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. Bidder registration forms, press credentials, and additional auction information are available on www.goodingco.com.
