Type 57 Bugattis were made in France from 1934 to 1940. Those fitted with a supercharger were denoted as Type 57C, with the “C” standing for Compressor.
This 1938 Bugatti Type 57C left the factory in 1938 for France, finding its way to Egypt by 1948, before being purchased by a Melbourne owner. In the early 1950s, the Bugatti was transformed into an open two-door, four-seater tourer. Over the next 25 years, it was raced, rallied, and hill-climbed extensively. By 1986, it had been meticulously restored to mirror the racing Grand Prix versions of the Type 57 and Type 59, complete with riveted bodywork, standing as a tribute to its sporting predecessors.
A streamlined Type 57C won the 1939 24 hour race at Le Mans (France), setting a new record of 3,354 kilometres at an average speed of 139 km/h (almost 90 mph), and exceeding 255kph (160mph) on the main straight. Not bad for a pre war car!
Today, retaining its original chassis, engine, gearbox, and axles, this masterpiece stands as one of only three Type 57Cs in Australia.
