Equipment
RHD. 3257/135hp eight, 4-speed, centerlock wheels, dual horns, fender skirts, woodrim steering wheel, Jaeger gauges.
Condition
One of the first Atalante Coupes built. Represented as one of three cars left of 10 Series I chassis bodied as an Atalante. Represented as retaining its original chassis, engine, and coachwork per factory records. Provenance includes known American and European collectors. A simply superb presentation on every surface. Immaculate paint leads to perfect chrome, glass, and mechanical presentation. The two-tone paint works well and looks classy. A historic Bugatti with a fitting restoration standard.
Market commentary
The Type 57 was one of Bugatti's masterpieces, and despite a high price tag it sold quite well with over 700 built. Just 33 got the Jean Bugatti-penned Atalante coachwork, with another 17 built on the lower 57S chassis. Other Atalante-bodied cars on the 57S or supercharged 57SC chassis have sold for significantly more, but this is a fair result. The same car sold, before a recent repaint, for £1,499,000 ($1,868,054) at the Bonhams Goodwood Revival sale in 2019. The higher result here reflects the work done since as well as the general growth in the market over the past five years, but also shows that top-quality prewar collector cars with desirable features and known histories are still in demand and probably always will be.