The Bugatti Type 57 was the most important road car produced by Bugatti during the 1930s and one of the defining high-performance automobiles of the prewar era. Introduced in 1934 and developed largely under the direction of Ettore Bugatti’s son Jean, the Type 57 combined a sophisticated 3.3-liter twin-cam straight-eight with a traditional Bugatti chassis and an extraordinary variety of factory and coachbuilt bodies. It could be ordered as a comfortable four-door Galibier, elegant Ventoux coach, open Stelvio, sporting Atalante coupe or, in its most exotic form, the extraordinarily low Atlantic.
More important, the Type 57 was not a single mechanical specification. The standard Type 57 provided the foundation, while the Type 57C added a Roots-type supercharger. The much rarer Type 57S — “Surbaissé,” or lowered — used a substantially shorter and lower chassis, dry-sump engine lubrication and other changes intended to create a genuine high-performance sports car. Combining the lowered S chassis with supercharging produced the Type 57SC, one of the fastest road cars of the 1930s. Bugatti built only about 43 Type 57S chassis, and only a very small number were originally constructed as SCs, although numerous 57S cars were subsequently supercharged.
The Type 57 also occupies a pivotal position in Bugatti history because it was closely identified with Jean Bugatti, whose engineering and styling influence was transforming the company. Type 57-derived racing cars won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1937 and 1939, but Jean was killed in August 1939 while testing the victorious 1939 car. The outbreak of World War II soon brought automobile production at Molsheim to an end, making the Type 57 the last great Bugatti developed during the company’s original prewar period.
Jean Bugatti and the Development of the Type 57
By the early 1930s, Bugatti had established extraordinary success in motor racing and had produced some of Europe’s most prestigious road cars, but its model range was fragmented. Ettore Bugatti’s enormous Type 41 Royale demonstrated the company’s engineering ambition but was almost impossibly expensive, while cars such as the Type 46, Type 49, Type 50 and Type 55 addressed different portions of the luxury and sporting markets.
Jean Bugatti increasingly influenced both engineering and design within the family company. Rather than continuing to create numerous unrelated models, he developed the Type 57 as a versatile foundation from which Bugatti could produce everything from luxurious four-seat touring cars to extremely fast sports machines. The approach helped rationalize production while still allowing the extensive individualization expected by Bugatti’s wealthy clientele.
The Type 57 therefore became far more than another model in the company’s catalog. Its engine, chassis and body variants effectively formed a complete Bugatti range, and the approximately 700 cars ultimately constructed made it one of the company’s most numerous large prewar models. Exact totals differ among historical references depending upon which derivatives and incomplete chassis are counted.
The 3.3-Liter Twin-Cam Straight-Eight
At the heart of virtually every Type 57 is Bugatti’s 3,257cc inline eight-cylinder engine, with a 72-mm bore and 100-mm stroke. The engine uses dual overhead camshafts and represents a substantial development of Bugatti’s earlier straight-eight architecture. Unlike some earlier Bugatti twin-cam engines that drove the camshafts from the front, the Type 57 used a gear train at the rear of the engine, with fiber gears incorporated partly to reduce mechanical noise.
In standard naturally aspirated Type 57 form, output was approximately 135 horsepower, a substantial figure for a road car introduced in 1934. Equally important was the character of the engine. The long straight-eight provided smooth power delivery and enough flexibility to move relatively substantial coachbuilt bodies while retaining the willingness to rev expected of a Bugatti.
The engine’s combination of displacement, sophistication and durability allowed Bugatti to develop it considerably further. Higher-compression versions powered the Type 57S, while the addition of a Roots-type supercharger created the Type 57C and ultimately the formidable 57SC.
Four-Speed Gearbox
The Type 57 uses a four-speed manual gearbox, transmitting power to the rear wheels through a conventional propeller shaft and live rear axle. Like many prewar high-performance cars, it requires a driving technique very different from a modern synchronized transmission.
Correctly executed gear changes reward deliberate timing and sensitivity to engine speed. Drivers accustomed to modern gearboxes can easily mistake the mechanical nature of the transmission for poor condition, while an experienced driver can move through the ratios remarkably smoothly.
Gearbox condition is important because repairs require specialist knowledge and expensive components. Noise, damaged gears and worn bearings deserve considerably more attention than the small oil leaks often encountered on prewar machinery.
Standard Type 57 Chassis
The standard Type 57 uses a relatively conventional steel ladder-type chassis with a wheelbase of approximately 3.30 meters, or 130 inches. The engine, gearbox, suspension and body are mounted to this separate frame, allowing Bugatti to accommodate numerous body configurations without creating a different basic structure for each.
Early Type 57s mounted the engine relatively rigidly, with the engine contributing somewhat to chassis stiffness. Later development introduced more compliant engine mounting and corresponding chassis reinforcement, improving refinement. The Type 57 evolved continually during production rather than remaining mechanically static from 1934 through 1939–40.
This separate-chassis construction also made the Type 57 attractive to independent coachbuilders. Buyers could purchase a chassis and have it clothed by firms such as Gangloff, Vanvooren, Graber, Letourneur et Marchand or Corsica, producing enormous variation among surviving cars.
Front Suspension and Ettore Bugatti’s Influence
One of the fascinating aspects of the Type 57 is the tension between Jean Bugatti’s modernizing instincts and Ettore Bugatti’s attachment to engineering principles that had served the company successfully for decades. The standard Type 57 retained Bugatti’s characteristic rigid front axle, even as independent front suspension was becoming increasingly common on sophisticated European cars.
The front axle was beautifully manufactured and, combined with appropriate springing and damping, could provide excellent steering precision on smooth roads. Nevertheless, the arrangement limited wheel independence over rough surfaces. Bugatti relied on careful geometry, low unsprung mass and high-quality damping rather than abandoning the beam axle concept entirely.
Rear suspension likewise remained conventional, using a live axle and semi-elliptic springs. The result was technically conservative compared with some contemporaries but exceptionally well developed within those constraints.
Brakes
Early Type 57s used Bugatti’s traditional cable-operated drum brakes, with large drums providing substantial swept area. Ettore Bugatti strongly favored mechanical brakes and resisted hydraulic operation even after competing manufacturers had adopted it.
By 1938, however, hydraulic brakes appeared on the Type 57, one of several important updates made during the model’s production life. Telescopic dampers also appeared on later cars, further modernizing the chassis.
Brake specification therefore matters when evaluating originality. A late Type 57 equipped with hydraulic brakes is not necessarily a modified car, while converting an early example can remove an important element of its original specification.
1934 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier sedan, from an auction in Paris on January 29th, 2026
Type 57 Galibier
The Galibier was the four-door sedan, or saloon, version of the Type 57 and demonstrated the versatility of Jean Bugatti’s basic chassis. It offered proper accommodation for four occupants while retaining the sophisticated straight-eight and performance of the sporting models.
Its body was relatively restrained compared with the Atlantic or Atalante, but the Galibier was still unmistakably a Bugatti. The long hood, compact passenger compartment and characteristic horseshoe radiator gave it proportions far removed from an ordinary luxury sedan.
Because closed four-door cars were historically less coveted than sporting coupes and cabriolets, Galibiers sometimes received less preservation attention when values were lower. Correct and highly original examples are consequently particularly interesting today.
1934 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux coupe, from an auction in Monaco on April 23rd, 2021
Type 57 Ventoux
The Ventoux was a two-door, four-seat closed coach and became one of the most recognizable standard Type 57 bodies. It combined greater practicality than the two-seat Atalante with a much sportier profile than the Galibier.
Its design evolved during production, with changes to the hood, fenders, dashboard and body detailing. As with many Type 57 bodies, describing all Ventoux cars as identical can therefore be misleading.
A Ventoux provides an excellent example of the standard Type 57’s original grand-touring purpose: enough passenger and luggage capacity for long journeys combined with performance that was exceptional for a luxury road car of the mid-1930s.
1934 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio cabriolet, from an auction on Amelia Island on March 2nd, 2023
Type 57 Stelvio
The Stelvio was the principal open four-seat Type 57 and was generally bodied by Gangloff. Its convertible body combined the long hood and low beltline of the Bugatti chassis with genuine touring practicality.
Gangloff’s craftsmanship gave the Stelvio a distinctive character even though it belonged to Bugatti’s cataloged range. Numerous detail variations appeared over the production run, and individual customers could specify trim, colors and equipment.
Today, authenticity depends upon understanding those differences. A restoration should be based on the particular chassis and its original body rather than attempting to make every Stelvio conform to a single idealized specification.
1935 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante coupe, from an auction in London on August 30th, 2024
Type 57 Atalante
The Atalante was one of the most sporting closed bodies available on the Type 57 and is now among the most celebrated Bugatti designs. The two-seat coupe combined a compact cabin with flowing fenders, a long hood and distinctive side-window treatment, producing a much more aggressive appearance than the Ventoux.
Atalante bodies appeared on both standard Type 57 and lowered Type 57S chassis. That distinction is extremely important: a Type 57 Atalante and a Type 57S Atalante may appear broadly similar, but underneath they are substantially different automobiles.
The low-production S version is especially prized because the shorter, lowered chassis allows the body to sit closer to the road, giving it proportions that more clearly express Jean Bugatti’s sports-car vision.
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante coupe, from an auction on Amelia Island on February 29th, 2024
The Type 57C
The Type 57C added a Roots-type supercharger to the standard Type 57 chassis. The “C” refers to Compresseur, distinguishing the supercharged engine from the naturally aspirated version.
Output increased from approximately 135 horsepower to around 160 horsepower, providing substantially stronger acceleration while retaining the longer, more comfortable standard Type 57 chassis. Roughly 96 Type 57Cs are generally cited as having been produced, although totals can vary depending upon how cars converted or completed during the period are classified.
The 57C is sometimes overshadowed by the more exotic 57SC, but the two should not be confused. A 57C combines supercharging with the standard chassis; the 57SC combines supercharging with the dramatically different lowered S chassis.
Roots-Type Supercharger
The Bugatti supercharger is mechanically driven from the engine and forces a greater mass of air into the cylinders, allowing more fuel to be burned and substantially increasing output. Unlike a turbocharger, boost response is directly related to engine operation rather than exhaust-gas energy.
The result is a significant increase in torque as well as maximum horsepower. In a large-bodied Type 57C, this makes the car considerably more effortless at speed and provides stronger acceleration without sacrificing the straight-eight’s smooth character.
Supercharger condition is a major consideration today. Correct clearances, lubrication and drive components require specialist attention, and improper rebuilding can damage components that are both rare and extremely expensive.
1936 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante coupe, from an auction in St. Mortiz on September 9th, 2022
The Type 57S: Surbaissé
The Type 57S introduced in the mid-1930s was much more than a standard Type 57 with lowered suspension. “S” stands for Surbaissé, meaning lowered, and the entire chassis was redesigned to reduce height and create a more focused sports car.
The wheelbase was shortened from approximately 3.30 meters to roughly 2.98 meters, substantially changing the car’s proportions and agility. Most dramatically, the rear axle passed through openings in the frame rails rather than beneath them, allowing the chassis and body to sit much closer to the road. Bugatti states that only 43 Type 57S chassis were produced before production ended in 1938.
The engine also had to sit lower, requiring dry-sump lubrication rather than the standard Type 57’s conventional arrangement. These were fundamental engineering changes, which is why a genuine 57S occupies a completely different collector category from a standard Type 57 modified to sit lower.
Type 57S Engine
The naturally aspirated 57S engine used a substantially higher compression ratio than the normal Type 57 and produced approximately 170 horsepower, according to Bugatti’s historical material. This made the unblown 57S more powerful than the supercharged 57C in some period specifications, while the shorter and lighter chassis further improved performance.
Dry-sump lubrication allowed the engine to sit lower in the chassis and provided reliable oil supply during aggressive driving. Magneto ignition was another notable difference from the standard touring model.
The combination created a car capable of approximately 125 mph depending upon bodywork and gearing—extraordinary performance for a road automobile of the mid-1930s.
Type 57S Chassis and Handling
The lowered chassis changed far more than appearance. Moving the mass closer to the road reduced the center of gravity, while the shorter wheelbase made the car substantially more responsive. The rear axle’s passage through the frame was the most obvious engineering solution, but revisions were made throughout the chassis to achieve the desired proportions.
The front axle arrangement also differed substantially from the standard Type 57 and has sometimes been described as a divided or split axle approaching independent suspension in concept. Bugatti itself describes it as a precursor to individual front-wheel suspension rather than a conventional fully independent arrangement.
Ettore resisted fully independent front suspension, but Jean designed a de-Dion-style two-piece hollow front axle joined in the middle with a sliding sleeve and damped by quarter-elliptic springs. It allowed limited independence for each front wheel while retaining structural rigidity.
The result was the most sporting production chassis Bugatti offered during the period and the foundation for some of the most valuable automobiles ever built.
1937 Bugatti Type 57SC tourer, from an auction in Monterey on August 18th, 2023
The Type 57SC
Combining the 57S chassis with the Roots supercharger created the Type 57SC. Output rose to approximately 200 horsepower, giving the lightweight, low-slung Bugatti performance that few road cars in the world could approach during the late 1930s. Period-dependent top-speed figures are commonly around 135 mph, with body aerodynamics and gearing significantly affecting the result.
The history of SC production requires care. Only a very small number of cars appear to have been built originally in complete SC specification, while numerous 57S owners subsequently returned their cars to Bugatti to have superchargers installed. Consequently, “57SC” can describe cars with somewhat different histories even when the resulting mechanical specification is authentic.
For collectors, that provenance matters enormously. An original factory-supercharged SC, a 57S supercharged by Bugatti during the period and a modern conversion may perform similarly, but they do not have equivalent historical significance.
Type 57S Atlantic
The most famous expression of the Type 57 family is the Atlantic, developed from Jean Bugatti’s extraordinary Aérolithe concept of 1935. Its extremely low roof, teardrop profile, enclosed rear wheels and prominent longitudinal dorsal seam created a shape unlike any conventional automobile.
The Aérolithe’s body used Elektron, a lightweight magnesium-rich alloy that presented substantial fabrication challenges. The famous external seams and rivets became part of the design language. Production Atlantics used more conventional material, but Jean retained the central seam as a visual element. Bugatti describes the Atlantic as one of the most important designs in the company’s history.
Exactly 4 production Atlantics were built (chassis 57374, 57453, 57473, and 57491) in addition to the original 1935 Aérolithe prototype. Three survive today (including Ralph Lauren’s 57591/57473 and the Williamson/Mullin 57374); chassis 57453 (the “La Voiture Noire”) was lost in transit during WWII and remains missing.
Their importance comes not simply from rarity but from the combination of Jean Bugatti’s design, the 57S/SC chassis and extraordinary provenance attached to individual examples.
Atlantic Versus Atalante
The Atlantic and Atalante are sometimes confused because both are low two-seat Type 57 coupes, but their bodies are entirely different.
The Atlantic is the more radical design, with its extremely low roof, flowing rear body and famous central seam. The Atalante is more conventional but arguably more practical, with a taller cabin and a shape that integrates traditional Bugatti proportions with the emerging aerodynamic styling of the 1930s.
Atalantes were also built in greater numbers and appeared on both normal and S chassis. Establishing whether an Atalante is a standard Type 57, Type 57S or supercharged derivative is therefore essential when evaluating a car.
Coachbuilt Type 57s
Bugatti also supplied Type 57 chassis to independent coachbuilders, creating some of the most individual examples of the model.
Gangloff was particularly important and produced numerous bodies for Bugatti customers, including Stelvios and other designs. Vanvooren, Graber, Letourneur et Marchand, Corsica and other firms also constructed bodies on Type 57 chassis.
These coachbuilt cars complicate any attempt to create a simple hierarchy based purely on body style. A unique period body with documented provenance from an important coachbuilder may be more historically significant than a nominally more sporting standard model.
Conversely, rebodied chassis require careful scrutiny because numerous Type 57s received replacement sporting bodies later in life.
Type 57G “Tank”
The Type 57 family also formed the basis for Bugatti’s extraordinary Tank-bodied competition cars.
Rather than using separate cycle fenders like traditional Grand Prix machinery, the Tank enclosed its wheels beneath a broad aerodynamic body. The shape was developed to reduce drag and provide high-speed stability in long-distance competition.
The Type 57G demonstrated that the basic Type 57 architecture could support serious international racing rather than merely fast touring.
1936 French Grand Prix
A Type 57G achieved major success in the 1936 French Grand Prix, which that year was run for sports cars rather than conventional Grand Prix machinery. Jean-Pierre Wimille and Raymond Sommer shared the winning Bugatti.
This result was particularly important because Bugatti’s competition dominance from the Type 35 era had begun to fade as German manufacturers deployed increasingly sophisticated and heavily financed racing programs.
Sports-car racing gave Bugatti an arena in which the company’s combination of aerodynamic design, reliability and high-speed performance remained extremely competitive.
1937 Le Mans Victory
Bugatti’s Type 57-derived competition program reached another level at the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Jean-Pierre Wimille and Robert Benoist drove a streamlined Bugatti Tank to victory, demonstrating both speed and durability over the full 24-hour race. The victory placed Bugatti among the small group of manufacturers capable of combining luxury-road-car engineering with success at the world’s most important endurance race.
The achievement also strengthened the sporting reputation of the Type 57 family at a time when the road-going 57S and 57SC were demonstrating similarly exceptional performance.
1939 Le Mans Victory
Bugatti returned to Le Mans in 1939 and won again, with Jean-Pierre Wimille and Pierre Veyron driving the Type 57-derived Tank.
The victory should have represented another high point for the company. Instead, it was followed almost immediately by tragedy. On August 11, 1939, Jean Bugatti was driving the Le Mans-winning car near Molsheim when he crashed while avoiding another road user and was killed at only 30 years old.
His death deprived Bugatti of the person most responsible for moving the company’s engineering and styling into a new generation. Weeks later, Europe entered World War II.
Evolution During Production
The Type 57 underwent numerous changes between 1934 and the end of production. Early and late cars therefore differ in ways that extend well beyond body style.
Chassis reinforcement, engine mounting, damping and braking evolved, while body designs were continuously refined. Hydraulic brakes and telescopic dampers appeared on later cars, and engine specifications varied depending upon production period and whether supercharging was fitted.
These running changes are crucial during restoration. Installing a technically improved later component on an early car may make it easier to drive but can make the car historically incorrect. Chassis-specific research is therefore essential.
Wheels and Tires
Type 57s typically use large-diameter wire wheels with knock-off hubs, combined with relatively tall and narrow tires. The arrangement provides very different handling characteristics from the low-profile radial tires fitted to modern performance cars.
The narrow tires contribute to the car’s steering feel and allow grip to build and release progressively. Installing inappropriate modern tire sizes can change steering effort, ride quality and chassis balance.
Wheel condition also matters structurally. Spokes, rims and hubs should be inspected carefully, particularly on cars that have been used in competition or driven extensively.
Steering
The Type 57 uses unassisted steering with a large steering wheel providing the leverage expected in a substantial prewar automobile.
At parking speeds the steering can be heavy, particularly on cars with sporting bodies and tires, but effort decreases once underway. The rigid or semi-rigid front axle communicates road conditions directly, creating a driving experience very different from later independent-suspension grand tourers.
Wear in the steering box, kingpins, linkages or wheel bearings can make a Type 57 feel vague. Correctly restored examples should have precise, predictable steering rather than excessive free play.
Engine Maintenance
A Type 57 engine requires specialist knowledge. The twin-cam straight-eight is beautifully engineered but substantially different from ordinary production engines of the period, and correct assembly depends upon understanding Bugatti-specific procedures and clearances.
Cooling-system condition, oil pressure, ignition setup and valve adjustment all deserve close attention. Engines that have spent decades in collections may suffer from corrosion, blocked passages or deteriorated seals despite accumulating little mileage.
A documented rebuild by a recognized Bugatti specialist can therefore be a major asset, particularly if original major components have been preserved.
Supercharger Condition
On a 57C or 57SC, the supercharger adds another layer of complexity.
Rotor condition, clearances, bearings, lubrication and drive components must all be correct. Improperly rebuilt blowers can generate heat, lose efficiency or damage expensive internal components.
Because the presence of a supercharger dramatically affects both performance and value, its provenance is also important. Collectors should establish whether the blower was installed when the car was new, added by Bugatti during the period or fitted much later.
Cooling
The Type 57’s long straight-eight produces substantial heat, particularly when supercharged. Radiator condition, water passages, hoses and water-pump operation are therefore important.
A properly maintained cooling system should allow the car to operate reliably under normal conditions. Chronic overheating is generally evidence of a problem rather than an unavoidable characteristic.
Old restorations deserve particular scrutiny because internal radiator deterioration or accumulated deposits may not be visible externally.
Chassis Condition
The separate steel chassis is one of the most important areas to inspect on any Type 57.
Corrosion, fatigue and old accident repairs can affect frame rails and suspension mounting points. On a 57S, the specialized lowered frame and openings through which the rear axle passes make originality and structural integrity especially significant.
Major frame replacement or alteration can have enormous implications for identity and value. Before purchasing an important Type 57, the chassis should be evaluated by someone who understands how these cars were originally constructed.
Body Authenticity
Body history can be even more complicated than mechanical history. During periods when ordinary Type 57 sedans and coaches were worth substantially less than Atalantes or open sporting cars, some chassis were rebodied into more desirable configurations.
A beautifully constructed modern Atalante-style body can produce an excellent automobile, but it is not historically equivalent to a car retaining its original Jean Bugatti or period coachbuilt body.
Original body number, coachbuilder records, historical photographs and continuous ownership documentation are therefore extraordinarily valuable. On the most important Type 57s, provenance can matter as much as physical condition.
Matching Components
Traditional ideas of “matching numbers” do not always apply to prewar Bugattis in exactly the same way they do to later mass-produced collector cars. Engines, gearboxes, axles and other components have serial or identifying information, but parts could be changed during factory service or competition use.
The objective is therefore to reconstruct the car’s actual history rather than simply searching for identical stamped numbers. A component installed by Bugatti in 1938 may be historically authentic even if it was not fitted when the chassis first left Molsheim.
Expert archival research is especially important with high-value S and SC cars.
Restoration
Restoring a Type 57 properly requires expertise across several disciplines: mechanical engineering, traditional coachbuilding, woodworking, upholstery and historical research.
The engine and drivetrain require Bugatti-specific knowledge, while body restoration may involve hand-forming aluminum or steel panels over complex framing. Interior materials and hardware often need to be recreated using traditional methods.
Completeness is consequently critical. Missing original instruments, castings, trim or mechanical components can be extraordinarily expensive to replace, and reproduction pieces may not accurately duplicate the originals.
For this reason, a complete unrestored car can be a much stronger restoration candidate than a partially dismantled project that appears inexpensive.
Preservation Versus Restoration
As Type 57 values have increased, preservation has become increasingly important.
An original interior with worn leather, aged paint and factory hardware can provide historical information that disappears during restoration. Original coachwork is especially valuable because subtle shapes and construction techniques are difficult to reproduce perfectly.
A sympathetic mechanical restoration that preserves original cosmetic materials can therefore be preferable to a comprehensive concours rebuild, depending upon the condition and significance of the particular car.
Cars that have already undergone major restoration should be judged on historical accuracy as well as craftsmanship.
Understanding the Major Bugatti Type 57 Variants
The Type 57 family can be divided into four principal road-going mechanical configurations:
- Type 57: Standard 3.3-liter naturally aspirated model on the approximately 3.30-meter chassis, producing around 135 horsepower and available with numerous factory and coachbuilt bodies.
- Type 57C: Supercharged version of the standard Type 57, using a Roots-type compressor to raise output to approximately 160 horsepower while retaining the longer touring chassis.
- Type 57S: Surbaissé sporting version with a substantially shorter and lower chassis, rear axle passing through the frame, dry-sump lubrication and a higher-output naturally aspirated engine producing around 170 horsepower.
- Type 57SC: Combination of the lowered Type 57S chassis and supercharged engine, producing approximately 200 horsepower and representing the ultimate road-going mechanical specification of the family.
Body style must then be considered separately. Galibier, Ventoux, Stelvio and Atalante bodies appeared in various configurations, while independent coachbuilders produced additional designs. The Atlantic occupies its own exceptional position as the most radical expression of the lowered Type 57S/SC architecture.
What Matters to Collectors
For a Type 57, identity and provenance come before cosmetic condition. The enormous difference in desirability among a standard Type 57, genuine 57S, period-supercharged 57SC and later reconstruction makes chassis research essential. Factory records, marque registries, historical photographs and documented ownership should be examined before conclusions are drawn from the car’s current appearance.
Original coachwork is equally important. A genuine Atalante body installed when new has a fundamentally different historical status from a modern Atalante recreation built on a chassis originally delivered as a Galibier. The latter may be beautifully constructed and excellent to drive, but its history should be represented accurately.
For 57C and 57SC cars, the history of the supercharger installation deserves particular attention. Because numerous naturally aspirated cars were supercharged later—and some 57S cars received blowers from Bugatti itself during the period—the simple presence of a compressor does not explain the car’s historical specification.
Factory assembly records indicate only 2 or 3 cars were originally delivered from the factory as 57SCs (most notably Atlantic chassis #57374). The majority of 57SC cars had the Roots blower installed by the Molsheim factory or factory branch offices shortly after purchase.
Major mechanical components should also be researched individually. Engine, gearbox, axle and supercharger histories can materially affect significance, but factory replacement components and period competition changes should not automatically be treated the same way as modern substitutions.
Finally, restoration quality matters enormously. Type 57 bodies contain shapes, materials and construction techniques that can be difficult to reproduce. A highly polished car is not necessarily an accurate one, and surviving original material can sometimes be considerably more significant than cosmetic perfection.
Collector Hierarchy
At the summit of the Type 57 family are the 57S and 57SC cars with important original coachwork, particularly the Atlantic and the finest Atalantes. Their combination of extreme rarity, Jean Bugatti design, advanced lowered chassis and exceptional performance places them among the most significant prewar automobiles.
The Atlantic exists almost outside the normal collector hierarchy because so few were constructed and each surviving car has an extensively documented individual history. These cars are regarded as major artifacts of automotive design rather than simply rare production automobiles.
A genuine 57S Atalante occupies the next exceptionally high level, particularly when it retains its original body and major mechanical components. Period-supercharged 57SC examples add another level of mechanical significance, although individual provenance can outweigh simple specification.
The 57C is particularly appealing for collectors who want supercharged performance while retaining the longer touring chassis. An important original-bodied 57C can be a tremendously significant automobile even though it lacks the shortened S frame.
Standard Type 57s cover an enormous range. A beautifully preserved Jean Bugatti-designed body or significant period coachbuilt car can be much more desirable than a nominally sportier example with uncertain body history. At this level, coachwork, provenance and preservation frequently matter more than the basic chassis designation.
Driving the Standard Type 57
A standard Type 57 feels very different from the sports cars that its appearance can sometimes suggest. The long wheelbase, large steering wheel and substantial straight-eight initially give the impression of a luxury touring automobile, which is precisely what much of the range was designed to be.
Once moving, however, the engine changes the car’s character. The 3.3-liter twin-cam eight is unusually willing for a prewar touring engine, delivering smooth power while becoming increasingly energetic as engine speed rises. The mechanical sounds of gears, valve gear and induction contribute heavily to the experience.
Steering requires deliberate inputs, and the rigid front axle communicates road surfaces directly. On smooth roads the chassis can feel remarkably precise, while rough pavement reveals the limitations of prewar suspension design.
The brakes require considerably more anticipation than those of a modern automobile, particularly on mechanically braked early cars. Proper adjustment is essential because a well-set-up cable system can perform much better than drivers unfamiliar with prewar cars often expect.
The overall experience is one of mechanical precision rather than effortless isolation. Controls have weight, the engine is always audible and the driver participates actively in every gear change and braking maneuver.
Driving the Type 57C
The 57C retains much of the standard car’s touring character but gains noticeably stronger acceleration from the supercharger.
The improvement is particularly apparent at intermediate speeds. Rather than requiring the driver to build engine speed patiently, the blown straight-eight provides greater torque and allows the car to gather speed with surprising authority.
In a closed Ventoux or Galibier, the combination creates something resembling a prewar high-speed express: comfortable enough for substantial journeys but capable of performance that would have been extraordinary among ordinary 1930s automobiles.
The longer chassis still makes the 57C feel more like a grand tourer than a pure sports car, distinguishing it clearly from the S and SC.
Driving the Type 57S
The 57S changes the character dramatically. Its shorter wheelbase, substantially lower center of gravity and reduced overall height make it feel more compact and responsive than the standard Type 57.
The naturally aspirated 170-horsepower engine provides enough performance that the lack of a supercharger is hardly a deficiency. Because the chassis is lower and lighter, acceleration and directional changes feel much more immediate.
The driving position also reinforces the sensation. The driver sits much closer to the road, particularly in an Atalante or Atlantic body, making the car feel like a purpose-built sports machine rather than a shortened touring automobile.
It is this combination—not simply rarity—that explains the extraordinary reputation of the 57S.
Driving the Type 57SC
The 57SC adds another layer of performance without fundamentally changing the character of the S chassis.
Approximately 200 horsepower in a low, lightweight automobile was an extraordinary specification during the late 1930s. Contemporary family cars often struggled to reach 70 or 80 mph, while a well-bodied 57SC could exceed 125 mph and potentially approach the mid-130-mph range.
More remarkable is the combination of speed and refinement. The straight-eight remains smooth, while the supercharger provides additional urgency without requiring the explosive power delivery associated with some later forced-induction cars.
The chassis demands respect because tires, brakes and suspension remain products of the 1930s. Nevertheless, in its historical context the 57SC offered a combination of road performance, sophistication and beauty that very few automobiles could equal.
Lasting Importance
The Bugatti Type 57 represents the point at which the artistic and engineering traditions established by Ettore Bugatti were most successfully combined with Jean Bugatti’s more modern vision. It retained many characteristic Bugatti principles—straight-eight power, a beautifully manufactured chassis and relatively traditional suspension—while introducing a new emphasis on aerodynamics, integrated body design and high-speed grand touring.
Its extraordinary range demonstrates how versatile the underlying design was. A Galibier could transport four people in considerable luxury, a Stelvio could serve as an elegant open tourer, a Ventoux could cross Europe rapidly and an Atalante could provide genuine sports-car performance. Add the supercharger and the Type 57C became one of the fastest touring cars of its period.
The Type 57S went considerably further. Shortening and lowering the chassis, routing the rear axle through the frame and adopting dry-sump lubrication transformed the Type 57 into something fundamentally different rather than merely producing another trim level. Bugatti’s own historical material records only 43 S chassis, explaining both their rarity and their importance.
Adding supercharging produced the 57SC, whose approximately 200 horsepower placed it among the most formidable road cars available before World War II. The specification remains impressive even before considering the extraordinary bodies fitted to some examples.
The Atlantic elevated the engineering into automotive sculpture. Its form was not merely decorative; it emerged from Jean Bugatti’s experimentation with aerodynamics, lightweight materials and new construction techniques. The central seam that became its visual signature began as a response to the unusual material used for the Aérolithe concept and survived as an intentional design feature on the later cars.
Competition reinforced the Type 57’s engineering reputation. Type 57-derived Tanks achieved major victories in the 1936 French Grand Prix and at Le Mans in both 1937 and 1939. Those results gave the road cars a genuine competition connection rather than a racing image created retrospectively.
Jean Bugatti’s death immediately after the 1939 Le Mans victory gives the Type 57 story a tragic ending. At only 30, he had already demonstrated extraordinary ability as both engineer and designer. The war that followed prevented anyone from discovering how far he might have taken Bugatti.
For collectors today, the Type 57 is therefore much more complicated than a hierarchy of horsepower figures. Chassis specification, original coachwork, supercharger history, surviving components, restoration accuracy and documented provenance can completely change the historical significance of two superficially similar cars.
A standard Type 57 with beautifully preserved original coachwork may be more historically important than a car modified later to resemble a 57SC. Conversely, a genuine 57S that returned to Molsheim during the 1930s for factory supercharging represents a legitimate part of the model’s evolution even if it was not born as an SC.
That complexity is central to the Type 57’s appeal. It was simultaneously a luxury car, sports car, coachbuilder’s canvas and foundation for successful racing machinery. In its ultimate 57S and 57SC forms, it was also one of the fastest and most advanced road cars of the prewar period.
More than any other model, the Type 57 captures the character of the original Bugatti company at its mature peak: technically unconventional, mechanically beautiful, extraordinarily fast and inseparable from the art of its coachwork.
Important Sales Reviewed by SCM Experts
In each month’s issue for the past 38 years, SCM’s analysts have reviewed 5 to 7 significant cars sold at auction, and discuss what options, history, or details made that particular more or less valuable. They give their expert opinion on the market for these cars, and whether this car was well bought or well sold. If you’re thinking of purchasing a Bugatti Type 57, you’ll likely find these profiles critical in helping you make the right decision. Each of the following is an article from our print magazine on a Bugatti Type 57 sold at auction.
1937 Bugatti Type 57 CabrioletA beautiful early example of Jean Bugatti’s masterfully engineered touring model, this unique Type 57 is numerically just the 56th example built and among the first 30 cars invoiced. The chassis was clothed with Bugatti’s 4-door pillarless saloon Galibier coachwork and was delivered through Parisian agents Bucar to the Belgian rally driver Ginet Trasenster on behalf […]Read more
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Special CabrioletIntroduced in 1934, the Type 57 is widely regarded as a masterpiece by the hand of Jean Bugatti. Like all Bugattis that preceded it, the Type 57 handled with finesse and possessed a delicate feel characteristic of these magnificent automobiles. Graceful, exquisitely made and incredibly exclusive, the Type 57 was instantly recognizable as a conveyance […]Read more
1936 Bugatti Type 57 AtalanteThe Type 57 presented here in its striking original color scheme is chassis no. 57432, which left the Bugatti coachbuilders on July 13, 1936. This is one of the four known surviving sunroof cars, described in factory records as “Coupé Atalante 57432, black and ivory, tan leather.” It was ordered by Gaston Descollas, the Bugatti […]Read more
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante CoupeWhen the Bugatti Type 57 first hit the pavement back in 1934, there was simply nothing that could compare to it. Designed by founder Ettore Bugatti’s son, Jean, the Type 57 captured the swanky allure of Art Deco styling with vast curving lines that concluded in sharp, striking angles. Like its predecessors, the Type 57 […]Read more
1936 Bugatti Type 57 Two-Light Ventoux CoupeIn 2001, chassis 57469 was sold to the current owner, a passionate enthusiast and longstanding member of the American Bugatti Club. Early in his ownership, it was finished in an appropriate two-tone dark blue and black paint scheme. Although the car benefited from some cosmetic and mechanical attention, a concerted effort was made to preserve […]Read more
Cars For Sale
Quick links to listings for this make and model online:
Books on the Bugatti Type 57
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Past Auction Sales – Bugatti Type 57
Average Bugatti Type 57 Sale Price by Year from SCM’s Platinum Auction Database:
Includes sales listed as Bugatti Type 57C, Bugatti Type 57S, Bugatti Type 57SC.
Bugatti Type 57 Sales from SCM’s Platinum Auction Database:
Bonhams Cars
Condition: 2-
Jan 29, 2026
$260,430
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 1-
Oct 8, 2025
$759,000
Bonhams Cars
Condition: 3+
Jun 29, 2025
$287,629
Bonhams Cars
Condition: 2-
Feb 6, 2025
$406,076
Gooding & Co.
Condition: 2-
Aug 30, 2024
$3,113,770
Gooding & Co.
Condition: 5-
Apr 26, 2024
$472,500
Gooding & Co.
Condition: 5-
Apr 26, 2024
$179,200
Gooding & Co.
Condition: 5-
Apr 26, 2024
$511,000
Gooding & Co.
Condition: 5-
Apr 26, 2024
$179,200
Bonhams Cars
Condition: 3+
Jan 25, 2024
$1,380,000
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 2+
Aug 18, 2023
$841,000
Bonhams
Condition: 3
Feb 1, 2023
$296,951
Mecum Auctions
Condition: 1-
Jan 4, 2023
$577,500
Broad Arrow Auctions
Condition: 2
Oct 14, 2022
$346,000
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 1-
Mar 5, 2022
$582,500
Bonhams
Condition: 2
Feb 3, 2022
$869,586
Gooding & Co.
Condition: 5-
Aug 13, 2021
$179,200
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 1-
Aug 12, 2021
$665,000
Bonhams
Condition: 1
May 20, 2021
$1,200,000
Bonhams
Condition: 2-
Apr 23, 2021
$464,843
Artcurial
Condition: 2+
Jul 21, 2020
$572,882
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 3+
Jun 3, 2020
$873,796
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 2+
Mar 6, 2020
$1,655,000
Artcurial
Condition: 2+
Feb 7, 2020
$420,000
Bonhams
Condition: 2-
Sep 14, 2019
$1,866,915
Gooding & Co.
Condition: 2+
Aug 16, 2019
$1,325,000
Artcurial
Condition: 2
Feb 8, 2019
$967,741
Artcurial
Condition: 4-
Feb 8, 2019
$568,026
Gooding & Co.
Condition: 2+
Jan 18, 2019
$885,000
Bonhams
Condition: 3
Feb 8, 2018
$873,568
Gooding & Co.
Condition: 2-
Aug 19, 2017
$1,512,500
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 1-
Aug 18, 2017
$572,000
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 2+
May 27, 2017
$3,385,670
Artcurial
Condition: 3+
Feb 10, 2017
$2,477,832
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 1-
Jan 19, 2017
$1,017,500
Artcurial
Condition: 4+
Jul 9, 2016
$580,599
RM Sotheby's
Condition: 3+
May 14, 2016
$757,105
Bonhams
Condition: 2
Mar 10, 2016
$9,735,000
Bonhams
Condition: 1-
Sep 5, 2015
$1,425,402
Artcurial
Condition: 5-
Feb 6, 2015
$341,121
Bonhams
Condition: 1-
Jan 15, 2015
$671,000
RM Auctions
Condition: 1-
Jan 16, 2014
$962,500
Artcurial
Condition: 2-
Jun 10, 2013
$691,417
Artcurial
Condition: 3
Jun 10, 2013
$480,019
Artcurial
Condition: 2+
Jun 10, 2013
$739,102
RM Auctions
Condition: 3-
May 25, 2013
$422,240
Artcurial
Condition: 2
Feb 8, 2013
$783,866
Artcurial
Condition: 3
Feb 8, 2013
$563,641
Artcurial
Condition: 2-
Feb 8, 2013
$539,171
Bonhams
Condition: 3-
Feb 7, 2013
$934,674
See all 140 sales in SCM’s Platinum auction database: Bugatti Type 57 · Bugatti Type 57C · Bugatti Type 57S · Bugatti Type 57SC
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