Chassis Number: 57432
The 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 agent in Marseille, whose showroom was located at 42 Cours du Prado. His client, a local jeweler named Charles Joseph Olivero (1906–90), had inherited a successful jewelry business from his father, Charles Olivero, in 1930. In May 1934, he acquired a second-hand Type 49 cabriolet, which he traded to Descollas at the end of July 1936 to buy the new Atalante. Olivero had every intention of enjoying his new Bugatti to the fullest, specifying it with hydraulic brakes and telescopic dampers. It is believed to be the first chassis so equipped, and these features later became standard on Series III cars.
In 1995, the Atalante was exhibited at Rétromobile, and in 2001 was sold by Bernard Mérian. Dutch entrepreneur Victor Müller was the next owner, and he showed it at the 2002 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, then at Goodwood and Villa d’Este in 2003. Chassis 57432 sold on August 31, 2003, to another Dutch collector, who, for nearly 20 years, crisscrossed Europe and the United States at the wheel of his stunning Atalante, which has matured beautifully through years of proper care and use. The current owner has enjoyed it to the fullest and reports recent maintenance by specialists Garage van Egmond in Zwanenburg, Netherlands.
As one of just a handful of surviving factory-built open-air Atalantes, the availability of 57432 presents an incredible opportunity to acquire a very special Bugatti indeed. The new owner will not only get a Bugatti that is exceptional in form and function, but one with a rich history spent in the hands of a series of fascinating characters, presented in superb condition, faithfully restored to its original configuration.
