If we were given the chance to go back in time to experience a moment in history, the options are plentiful. Seeing a young Elvis Presley shake his hips for the very first time, hear the roar as Concorde set off on its maiden voyage, or perhaps, back to the spring of 1934 when Bugatti revealed his latest marvel, the Type 57 to the buying public for the very first time, igniting what would become one of the brand’s most loved models, and one that created many variations over it successful life span. 

As with many other companies during the early 1930s, the Type 57 could be bought as a rolling chassis, allowing coachbuilders to clothe the car however they desired, or you had the option to one of three factory-built coachwork options, each given the name of famous European mountain passes. There was the Galibier, a pillarless four-door saloon, the Ventoux, a stylish two-door sedan or Coach, and finally the elegant Stelvio, a four-seater drophead coupe or Cabriolet.

Following a successful first year of production, another variant would come to fruition, a factory-built Faux Cabriolet, or Atalante. This two-door, two-seater, fixed head coupe was to become the pinnacle of the marque, with a mere total of 33 were built, but thankfully, a remarkably high percentage of which have survived intact or relocated onto other Type 57 chassis. 

This very early example features a beautifully tapered tail section, which gives the entire car a more agile exterior. Small details, from the convex wheel covers featuring special hand-formed tear drop shapes to clear the centre-locking wheels, as well as rear arches that sweep behind the wheel openings, resulting in a delicate and tapered appearance. As this car spent much of its early life dotting around various European Bugatti dealers and collectors, as well as briefly finding owners in America and eventually back to Europe, the Atalante landed at the hands of UK-based collector Peter Rae. Mr. Rae would retain the Atalante for 20 years, during which time he had the car extensively restored, including returning the front headlight and fender treatment to the original design. In 2019, after passed a few more collector’s hands, the car arrived in The Netherlands and was re-restored by Classic Skills of Lomm, who returned the exterior to its original two-tone “smoke and sage” green colour scheme and adding a distinctive elephant-hide-style leather interior. For high-speed touring a removable overdrive unit was added to the Bugatti.

All Bugattis are special, all pre-war Bugattis are true jewels of the motoring realm, but Type 57 Atalantes are in a league of their own thanks to its elegant coachwork, lavish interior and impressive performance and roadholding. This Atalante may be celebrating its 90th birthday next year, but for the right collector, its journey is only just beginning! Watch as this example heads to Gooding & Company's upcoming London sale on the 30th August.

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