1934 | Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio

1934 BUGATTI TYPE 57 STELVIO Cabriolet
Chassis Number: 57202
Registraton number: Swiss Registered.
The old saying 'like father, like son' springs to mind when considering Ettore and Jean Bugatti. Ettore's name is always associated with innovative, race-winning sports cars and beautiful grand tourers constructed to the highest standards of engineering and æsthetic excellence, but from 1930, after he persuaded his father to use twin-cam engines in lieu of the single overhead-cam designs which had served Bugatti so well through the 1920s, young Jean started to enjoy an increasingly active rôle at the Molsheim works.

Indeed, it was no less an authority than Hugh Conway who described the Bugatti Type 57 as "The most celebrated non-racing car that Bugatti ever produced," but it was almost entirely the brainchild of Bugatti fils. Jean intended to create a car which would combine the qualities of a sports car and grand tourer without compromising either and in the Type 57 he succeeded. Its appeal to the wealthy enthusiasts of the day was huge, and it was in production from 1934 until war forced the works to stop in 1940. Only a little over 600 were produced in that time, not including the 57S and 57SC sports models, most of them wearing one of five bodies by Gangloff, Bugatti's coachbuilder of choice: the Aravis two-seat cabriolet, Atalante two-seat coupé, Galibier saloon, Stelvio four-seat cabriolet and Ventoux four-seat coupé.

With its 3,257 cc, dohc straight-eight and luxuriously-appointed coachwork, the Type 57 represented one of the finest cars available in the 1930s and came with a suitably exclusive price attached. For something more exclusive still, one could always specify fully bespoke bodywork by a different coachbuilder, but perhaps the most distinguished Type 57 of them all is this Stelvio cabriolet, chassis 57202, which is believed to be a pre-series production car and is unique in multiple details.

As far as its documented history reveals, 57202 was in existence by July, 1934, but it is an earlier car than its chassis number would imply; Bugattis were not allocated chassis numbers until such time as they were sold. The order of production can usually be determined by the engine number, which in this case is 47, and its body is number 11. From this, it is known to have been among the first 50 examples produced, but there are good reasons for believing that it may only have been the second or third Type 57 chassis constructed.
Independent thinking
The first prototype was substantially different from all later cars. It had a raked radiator and fully independent front suspension, but it has been lost to time. Jean Bugatti was very keen to have independent suspension, but Ettore wouldn't allow it. It is understood that two Type 57s were then produced with a kind of semi-independent suspension utilising a split front axle which had some greater flexibility and helped to eliminate movement in the axle under braking, but for the series production cars Ettore exerted his influence and ensured that all were made with conventional tubular front axles. Fascinatingly, we find on 57202 a split front axle. The idea was revived a while later for the Type 57S, but 57202's is of a different design. We also observe on 57202 a wider front track than that seen on production 57s, and a type of brake backplate which only appeared on the very earliest cars.

The bodywork provides further food for thought. Although officially it's a Stelvio, it is not quite like any other Stelvio known to exist today. The elegant three-position 'disappearing' hood was used on a very limited number of early cars, but 57202 utilises a uniquely complex mechanism which must logically have been simplified for all the other cars. The windows and twin spare wheel arrangement are unique, and so are the front wings. All other 57s feature a 'fuller-bodied' style of wing which begins halfway down the front wheel. The body on 57202 was long believed to have been built by Gangloff, but in-depth examination revealed that it was not. It is now thought it must have been built at the Bugatti works to Jean's own design. Notably, the completed car was used to illustrate the first Type 57 sales brochure. It is depicted in two different colour schemes, one light and dark such as it sports today, and the other all dark. Or could it be that there were two identical bodies made, one of which has vanished?
An unmatched drive
That may not amount to concrete proof that we're looking at a pre-series chassis, but it seems like compelling evidence. In any case, we can now take the story up from where the documented history begins. This car was ordered on June 19th, 1934, by the Bugatti agent Monestier in Lyon, and was delivered on June 30th for 64,000 francs. Its first private owner was George Darne, a manufacturer of bespoke hunting rifles in the Quartier de le Sophère in Saint-Étienne, in the Loire region of France. The Bugatti's second owner bought it in 1937. Their identity is unknown, but it is believed they were killed in 1939 following the outbreak of war.

The car re-emerges in 1945, when it was bought by M. Collange, a dentist in Aubenas in the Ardèche department. By this point, the appearance of its doors had been modified. Collange undertook to modify it further by 'filling in' the front wings, so that they resembled those used on the series-production models. It was sold in 1952 to one Mrs. Combes, who kept a garage in Val-des-Bains, and she then sold it in 1958 to Henri Girod-Eymery, an enthusiast who enjoyed some renown as a writer on railway topics. He also maintained a small private motor museum in Uzès, and it was there that 57202 was documented by Hugh Conway in 1962. Girod-Emery retained it until the early 1970s, after which it was owned by the noted collectors Francky Dumontant and Hervé Charbonneaux.

It was in the 1990s that 57202 was restored to its original appearance, with the correct style of doors and wings reinstated. It changed hands a few more times until in 2011 it was acquired by the present owner, a Swiss Bugattiste, who has enjoyed taking it to numerous rallies and concours around Europe. As the owner of another Type 57, he describes the later cars as more comfortable and easier to drive, but opines that 57202 is much more a sports car. Other 57s, he says, can be prone to understeer, whereas the 57202's split axle contributes towards greatly improved roadholding and more sensitive feedback, which helps it to accelerate through corners and makes altogether closer to Jean Bugatti's vision for how the Type 57 should have been.

After 13 years, the present owner has decided that it is time to move the car on, and so it is being offered for sale through Vintage & Prestige. It represents a unique opportunity to acquire what is very likely one of the most important surviving Type 57s, but with lots of scope for further fascinating research.
Bugatti Typ 57
Stelvio Cabriolet Usine
Documentation of the vehicle history Type 57 Stelvio 57202
Around a dozen works convertibles of the Bugatti Type 57 were built, all the others were built
at Carrosserie Gangloff in Colmar, Bugatti's "house coachbuilder". With this Bugatti
but it is a prototype that in 1934 was the only one with a special design –
a "quasi" independent suspension.
The history of Bugatti can be divided into two
Divide chapters: Once the years in which Ettore
Bugatti created a myth with his company –
and then the glorious 1930s, in which his son
Jean gave the brand a new face: He turned it upside down
changed the brand and created a new basis with the Type 57
for day-to-day business. With the wonderful 3.3-liter
in-line eight-cylinder and two overhead camshafts
Jean also had an impressive engine.
Around this he created – on different wheelbases
and with various engine variants – a variety of
Models. For example, the engines, which were available in four-door
sedans, convertibles and coupés were used,
from 135 to 200 hp.
The name Stelvio – which comes from the Alpine pass of the same name
– was dedicated to the four-seater convertible
, which with the long wheelbase of 330 centimeters
provided sufficient space for the four occupants.
As far as its documented history shows,
Chassis No. 57202 in July 1934, but it is an older car,
than its chassis number suggests; Bugattis
received their VIN number only after the sale!
The order of production can usually be replaced by
the engine number, which in this case
the number 47, while the body is the number 11
. From this it can be seen that this car belongs to the
first copies produced; but there are good
Reasons for believing that it may be
only the second or third chassis built by the
Type 57. It also shows that the chassis
No. 57202 has a wider front track than the
standard Type 57.
The chronology of the owners
This Stelvio by Robert Braunschweig from the Basel region
was built on 19 June 1934 by Bugatti representative Monestier
ordered in Lyon and sold on 30 June for 64,000 francs to
George Darne im Quartier de la Solchère in St. Etienne in
of the Loire region – the owner of a small,
fine factory for hunting weapons. He owned this
sporty cabriolet for the next three years. The second
owner of the Bugatti bought it in 1937. His identity is
unknown, but it is believed that he died in 1939 after
outbreak of war.
The car reappears in 1945 when it
by M. Collange, a dentist in Aubenas
in the department of Ardèche.
By this time, the appearance of the
of its doors. Collange undertook
to modify it further by
"filled" the front fender in such a way that it
were similar to those of the production models. The car
was given in 1952 to a certain Mrs. Combes
which has a garage in Val-des-Bains
and it sold it on in 1958
to Henri Girod-Eymery, an enthusiast
who, as a writer on railway topics,
enjoyed a certain degree of notoriety.
He also maintained a small private
Motor Museum in Uzès, and there was a
the "57202" in 1962 by the classic car expert
Hugh Conway.
Girod-Emery kept this Bugatti until the early 1970s
years, after which it came into the possession of well-known collectors
Francky Dumontant and Hervé Charbonneaux. In the 1990s
years ago, the «57202» was restored to its original location at KCA in Milan
appearance, whereby the correct
style of the doors and fenders. He
changed hands a few more times until it was founded in 2010
was acquired by the current owner, who was happy to buy it from the
numerous rallies and concours throughout Europe.
Jean Bugatti's ingenious idea – the independent suspension
The first prototype with an independent suspension of
Jean Bugatti war der «Crème de Menthe» 57100. Jean
Bugatti was very interested in developing an independent suspension.
Implement. Father forbade this construction
Ettore Bugatti to his son, however, because he was of the opinion
was that "this is no longer a Bugatti".
The "crème de menthe" differed fundamentally
from all later cars. He had an inclined
radiator and an independent front suspension. This
Bugatti has been lost over time. It will
assumed that the second prototype
as the Type 57 (the car of Brunswick) with a kind of
Independent suspension in the form of a split front axle
was constructed. The effort for this axle was
but much too expensive.
The idea was developed some time later for the Type 57 S
revived. The first 50 copies were accompanied by a
split front axle. But it was a simplified
construction that led to problems. The cars arrived
usually back to the factory, where the axles are replaced
or soldered. In the production vehicles,
Ettore used his influence and made sure that all
with conventional axles.
The disadvantage of the front suspension
with leaf springs is to
that the axle should be used in and out of the
Rebound is an unintentional
steering movement. By the
Compression, the leaf spring stretches
and the bracket of the
Axis shifts to
at the front, if it is held at the back. In front it is over
held a seesaw to compensate. When rebounding,
it is the other way around: If you drive into a curve, one of them springs
Page one and the other out. So you have an additional
Steering movement. When you drive over an unevenness,
this causes compression and rebounding, which in turn leads to
an undesirable steering movement. The car
doesn't exactly expire.
Jean Bugatti has solved this problem. He has the axle
on both sides with a grab bar with pivot point
anchored. An undesirable steering movement is not
more possible. The axle is forged from one piece
with the holder for the grab bar. The balance
the change in length of the leaf spring is controlled by a
Seesaw.
Jean Bugatti's innovations
Robert Braunschweig has been enjoying himself for a few years now
on this rare Type 57 Stelvio, which was still designed by Jean Bugatti
was designed. It is the prototype with a "quasi"
Independent suspension with split hollow front axle.
It was not until two years later that this design was introduced in a simplified
execution on the S-types, and so it is
perhaps the only Stelvio with this construction.
Because to this day, there is no other Type 57 in this
execution detected. Also very special is his
Soft top construction that sinks into the trunk.
Jean intended to create a car that would combine the qualities of
of a sports car and a grand tourer, without
compromises, and with the Type 57
it to him. Its attraction to the wealthy
enthusiast of the time, and so he became
produced from 1934 to 1940, when the Second World War
brought the work to a standstill. Only a little more than 600
Examples were built during this time, sports models 57 S
and 57 SC. Most of them
wore one of the five body variants from Gangloff,
the coachbuilder from Bugatti: the two-seater
Cabriolet Aravis, the two-seater coupé Atalante, the
Galibier sedan, the four-seater Stelvio convertible
and the four-seater Ventoux coupé. With its luxurious
body, the Type 57 was one of the
cars of the 1930s, and it was built with a
according to exclusive price.
Perhaps the most distinguished type 57 of all is this
Stelvio Cabriolet, chassis no. 57202, in which
is a prototype that has been proven in many details
is unique.
The elegant three-stage retractable soft top has been
used for a very limited number of early cars.
The windows and the arrangement of the two
Spare wheels are unique, as are the front ones
Fender. All other 57s have a
wing with a "fuller body", which rises halfway up the
front wheel. For a long time, it was assumed that
that the body of the "57202" was built by Gangloff
became. But in-depth investigations
that this was not the case, but that
the entire car in the Bugatti factories for jeans
own design (= Usine). Especially
the finished car was used to illustrate the first
sales brochure of the Type 57. It's
shown in two different color schemes,
a light/dark, as can be seen today, and the
others very dark... Or could it be that two
identical bodies, of which
one has disappeared?
An unmatched drive
As the owner of another Type 57, Robert
Brunswick the later cars as more comfortable,
but thinks that the "57202" is much more like a sports car
complies. Other 57s, he says, can cause understeer
while the split axle of the "57202" leads to a
greatly improved road holding and a more sensitive
Feedback contributes what helps him accelerate in corners
and thus Jean Bugatti's vision of what the Type 57 would have been like
is getting closer overall.
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