The word Bugatti is associated with the image of refined, luxurious racing and classic cars, justifiably seeming fabulous. At auctions, these cars are sold for exorbitant sums. They have won races, winning the hearts of car enthusiasts from all over the world.
Being fast, beautiful, and insanely expensive, today cars from “Bugatti Automobiles” have become legendary.
The classic 1930 Royale was sold for $20 million in ’97. At that time, it was the highest amount ever paid for a car at auction; only 6 units were built. Such amazing “Cars of Kings” turned out to be the dream of one person – Ettore Bugatti.
The Genesis of Bugatti Automobiles
Whatever Ettore undertook, it was done stylishly. Bugatti was literally obsessed with creating special, unique things. He was never afraid to be different. The passion for creating beauty was instilled in him by his parents – European avant-garde artists. The curator of the Cleveland Museum of Art, Hawley Henry, said:
I believe there is a high probability that this quality, a characteristic trait, was embedded in the genes of the Bugatti family, from which several people with an unimaginable aesthetic sense emerged in one century. They represented 3 generations, there were four of them in total.
“Aesthetic genes” allowed Ettore to create some of the most stunning cars in automotive history, which became design art models for students, objects of research for historians, and objects of desire for wealthy collectors. Even modern manufacturers use elements of Bugatti’s magic.
The legend was born at the end of the 19th century in the 90s, when the streets of Europe began to be filled with the first cars. Only very wealthy people could afford a car; the same thing happened in Ettore’s hometown of Milan. Bugatti was struck by their capabilities; he wanted to become part of this new “automotive era.” Unfortunately, his father, Carlo Bugatti, a famous furniture designer, did not share his son’s views. He was convinced that Ettore should become an artist.
Rembrandt (the younger brother) showed talents as a sculptor. Creations depicting animals brought him universal recognition and the right to exhibit in a Paris gallery.
Bugatti wanted to please his father by also becoming a sculptor, but his heart said otherwise – this occupation was not for him.
“Ettore was very insecure; it seemed to him that Rembrandt was a much more gifted sculptor, so he decided to leave traditional arts, painting and sculpture, to his brother, starting to search for another way to express his creative talents and interests.”
In 1898, when he was only 17, Bugatti decided to pursue his dream. He took up motorsport, but he had to start from scratch.
“Ettore bought a tricycle – a vehicle like a big children’s 3-wheeled bicycle of the Pridnetti & Istucchi brand. There was an engine on the rear axle that drove the rear wheels. Ettore decided to disassemble everything, understand how it works, and reassemble it. He won a couple of races on it.
Dissatisfied with the speed and confident that he could improve it, Ettore made a modification, like many others deciding that he could improve the design. He installed 2 motors, one on each wheel. This added speed, and he won a few more races. Then he went further, saying: – “If 2 motors are good, I’ll put 4 wheels and 4 engines.” But nothing came of it.”
The nascent genius of Ettore Bugatti materialized in the ‘Type 2,’ a groundbreaking automobile that debuted at the 1901 Milan International Exhibition. This pioneering design garnered not only the prestigious City Cup but also a distinguished medal from the Automobile Club of France, solidifying Bugatti’s early reputation for innovation.
This recognition catalyzed a pivotal seven-year contract with Lorraine-Dietrich. However, Bugatti’s inherent drive for creative development, rather than mass production, led him to diverge from factory constraints.
Bugatti history
Pursuing his vision, he transitioned through diverse design and engineering roles, culminating in the creation of the ‘Type 10,’ a testament to his ambition to independently produce exceptional automobiles. Discover how Bugatti’s early innovations shaped the future of automotive design.
Finding an abandoned dye factory in the Alsatian city of Mülheim, Ettore turned to the local bank for support. The banker’s sons were avid car enthusiasts, and they quickly came to an agreement. He had a new car and a factory, only advertising was lacking. Since racing was the main way to promote cars, Ettore decided to create the best racing cars in the world, in 1911 declaring the “Type 13” for the French Grand Prix.
The 1911 race was outstanding. People had never seen such a small and fast car. Its design and concept implied a small-volume but high-revving engine in a small lightweight body. It had a good power-to-weight ratio, and that’s what speed depends on.
Other manufacturers had large engines (4-5 times larger). One of the cars took 2nd place among these monsters. 2nd place was a fantastic result, and Bugatti was showered with orders. Success in auto racing led to increased sales. The factory began to expand, and the number of workers increased. Bugatti continued to improve the design of cars, eventually creating the hundred-horsepower “Type 18”.
Type 18 is called the first super-sports car, probably the most famous example is “Black Bess,” one of which was owned by Ivy Cummings, known for her driving skills and courage.
In 1914, World War I began. The factory, which was located close to the border with Germany, found itself in the center of chaos. Staying in Molsheim was dangerous.
Ettore buried 3 of his 4 new cars, got into the remaining one with his two children and wife, and left for safer Milan. During the war, Bugatti developed a revolutionary engine for that time, allowing firing through an airplane propeller.
After the war ended, Ettore and his family returned to Molsheim and began restoring the factory.
The first order of business was to unearth the cars hidden from the Germans. After putting them in order, he began competing in races.
In 1920, one of these Bugatti Type 13s won the first Grand Prix held at Le Mans. In 1921, in Brescia, Ettore’s cars took the first 4 places. Thanks to such unprecedented success, the model was nicknamed “Bugatti Brescia.” Owners of Bugatti racing models often raced them, bringing the brand’s total number of victories to several hundred.
He was known primarily as a creator of racing cars, but usually manufacturers of racing cars did not sell them to third-party buyers, but Bugatti did. Therefore, many wanted to see the performances of the factory team when it performed, say, in a race in Monaco. Then you could buy exactly the same one.
In ’24, a fashion arose for engines turbocharged with mechanical superchargers. Ettore refused to use them, considering such a modification a deceptive shortcut that a good engineer should avoid. To equally counter supercharged cars, Bugatti used all his skill and designed the very fast “Type 35.” In addition to the new streamlined body and engine, the car acquired a design element that later became iconic – a horseshoe-shaped radiator grille.
For the 1924 Illion Grand Prix, Bugatti unveiled a racing machine of exceptional velocity, leaving an indelible mark on the competition. Achieving sub-six-second acceleration to 100 km/h and a top speed of approximately 200 km/h, these vehicles defined the era’s supercar performance.
However, the subsequent 1926 ‘Type 40’ model diverged from this trajectory, lacking both the prior model’s performance and aesthetic appeal.
In response, Ettore Bugatti entrusted the design of future models to his 18-year-old son, Jean. Inheriting the artistic lineage of his family, Jean joined the company, beginning his career with a hands-on approach to the manufacturing process.
Explore the technical advancements and design shifts that characterized Bugatti’s early racing heritage.
He had to know how cars were made, so Jean Bugatti went to work at the factory like all the other workers, where he learned the assembly process. Studying car production was a joy for Jean, but his real dream was always auto racing.
His father knew how dangerous they were and did not allow him to participate. Bugatti had already lost his brother, who committed suicide, and could not afford to lose his son.
Jean ignored his father’s wishes and secretly began participating in speed races, racing from Molsheim to Paris in his “Type 43.” There he partied with girls, then returned at the same speed.
Ettore’s cars began to lose on the track to supercharged cars, which forced Bugatti to reconsider his views on this technology. He took up supercharging.
In ’29, Ettore equipped the “Type 35” with a supercharger. The result was a lightweight car with 140 hp, destined for victories. In the new season, the supercharged “Type 35” took the first two places in Monaco, returning Bugatti to the leading group.
Racing victories increased revenues, but to sell the most expensive models, Ettore used a personal approach. Inviting potential customers to his estate, he put them up in the guest house, held dinner parties, and took guests hunting. In such a relaxing atmosphere, Ettore convinced everyone that his cars were the best in the world.
However, one of the visiting ladies once stated that he did not have a car that suited her taste. She did not need a racing car; she wanted a luxury car. Ettore took up the drawings and eventually developed the design of the greatest car of this class in the “Royale” model range.
The extravagant “Type 41 Royale” was destined to become a car for kings. At that time, it was the largest and most powerful car. Only 6 prototypes were assembled, the bodies for some of them were designed by Jean himself.
Everything was in the spirit of Bugatti history and his taste heritage. It could not just be a big car, but the biggest, most luxurious, and fastest car in its body class. A car worthy of kings. That’s why, in fact, it was called “Royale.”
In memory of Rembrandt, Bugatti placed a figure of an elephant (a sculpture created by his brother) on the radiator grille of each of the “Royale.” Unfortunately, only 2 Bugatti Royale cars were sold. These cars turned out to be too luxurious for a world plunged into an economic crisis. Today, each of these cars is estimated at $15-20 million. Their bodies, individually crafted by Jean, further strengthened his reputation as a designer, securing Bugatti’s status as not just a brand, but a legend.
Despite poor sales of Bugatti’s luxury cars, the factory racing team continued to win. In 1930, French racer Rene Dreyfus won another Monaco Grand Prix on the “Type 35B,” one of the most popular versions of the Bugatti racing model. The company still remained on top, but other manufacturers were getting closer. To stay ahead, Ettore needed a more powerful engine. In ’31, the eight-cylinder “Type 51” brought 1st, 3rd, and 4th places in Monaco.
Ettore Bugatti’s relentless pursuit of automotive excellence culminated in the ‘Type 51,’ a benchmark racing machine that reaffirmed his reputation for unparalleled engineering. This triumph ushered in a lineage of victorious vehicles, notably the pioneering all-wheel-drive, 300-horsepower ‘Type 53’ and its subsequent single-drive counterparts, the ‘Type 54’ and ‘Type 55.’
However, the escalating technological arms race, fueled by substantial government subsidies to German marques like Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union, presented insurmountable financial challenges. Consequently, Bugatti strategically pivoted towards the development of high-performance road cars, marking a significant shift in the company’s focus. Explore the era of Bugatti’s racing dominance and the strategic decisions that shaped its future.
The “Type 57” body, released in ’34, is the most popular car in Bugatti’s history. A year later, the “Type 57SC Atlantic” was assembled in Jean’s body. These cars demonstrated Ettore’s artistic talent, inspired by aircraft wings with rivets and smooth shapes. The shapes of these bodies are unique; these cars are a dream for collectors like Ralph Lauren, whose restored “Atlantic” has won many prizes at many prestigious auto shows.
Interestingly, many Bugatti owners are just as actively interested in various forms of fine art. Artists, architects, and other people who are passionate about design and style go crazy for his work.
Ettore became a worthy successor to his family and proved that cars can be as beautiful as they are fast. Creating his masterpieces, Ettore built a whole dynasty around his factory in the French province, but this “kingdom” was on the verge of collapse.
Bugatti always considered workers members of one big family, but historically, in the mid-30s of the XX century, trade unions began to spread in France, labor standards, vacations, and bonuses appeared. To his disappointment, some of the workers, though not all, decided to create their own union. Bugatti was against it. The workers achieved the creation of the Union, it was a crushing blow for Ettore. Bugatti felt as if the workers, dissatisfied with the methods of government, had betrayed him. He began to spend more and more time outside of Molsheim, leaving the management of the factory to his son Jean.
Bugatti moved to Paris and focused on developing new technology. Bicycles, boats, and airplanes, even high-speed trains. Each item had a special Bugatti charm; it was one of the most fruitful periods in his life.
While Ettore was busy with business in Paris, Jean tried to create cars that could compete with the German Mercedes and Auto Union cars. In 1939, 2 pilots of the Bugatti factory team showed that although the Germans dominated the Grand Prix, it was still possible to defeat them. They outpaced Auto Unions and Mercedes, winning at Le Mans on the “Type 57G,” and the team had hope.
In that season, there was one more race left; it was held on the coast of France. Jean was testing one of the cars that competed in Le Mans. On that day, the factory pilot could not come to test the car. That evening, Jean took the car for testing on a section of road from Dorlisheim to Molsheim. The length of the section was several kilometers. It was something like their private test track.
Jean enjoyed the moments when he accelerated the car to the limit, like in his youth when he went to Paris to date girls. But that day, he was not the only one on the road.
A drunk postman, despite the pleas, rode out on a bicycle. Before that, he was warned, “there is a car on the road now, it is very fast and dangerous.” The guy insisted on his own. Jean came out from around the corner, drove onto a hill, and when he looked down, he saw a man on a bicycle, he tried to avoid a collision.
Turning sharply, Jean crashed into a tree. It cut the entire car in half. The postman survived, the 30-year-old Jean died instantly. A month later, World War II began, and the Germans again seized the factory. After its completion in ’45, Ettore was immediately ready to return to his work. However, the French government refused to return the factory to him, citing Bugatti’s Italian citizenship (i.e., a former enemy). Bugatti filed an appeal, then, returning to the abandoned factory, to the same place where his son had previously died.
Ettore kept one of the unsold “Royales,” which became his everyday car. He had his own chauffeur; after they filed an appeal in court, he said to the chauffeur: – “Let’s go to Molsheim.” They were not allowed inside the factory, but he saw the place where his son Jean had an accident and died. He saw Molsheim, and the sight was unbearable for him.
Bugatti had a stroke. The chauffeur put him in the “Royale” and returned to Paris, where Ettore fell into a coma. In ’47, in August, he died without knowing that the court had granted the appeal, returning the factory.
The new owners tried to keep the legend alive, keeping the factory afloat. The last car built on the basis of the new Bugatti chassis was created in ’65, by the Ghia body shop, under the leadership of the former head of the Chrysler design department, Virgil Exner. In ’66, it was exhibited at the Turin Motor Show, after which the car sank into oblivion.
In the early 90s, attempts were made to revive the Bugatti car brand. A group of designers and engineers was assembled to create a new model. The “EB 110” turned out to be beautiful, but its cost was too high. The company declared bankruptcy.
bugatti history and heritage Today
The Bugatti brand was revived again in 1998. “Volkswagen AG” acquired the rights to it. After numerous delays, the impressive “Bugatti Veyron” car was created. The car cost more than a million, which turned out to be less than its production price. Volkswagen deliberately launched the sale as a demonstration of its engineering capabilities and did not miscalculate. The Bugatti history and name is still associated with the image of luxurious and racing cars that seem fabulous. The legend of this car company will live on, even if car production ever stops.
Thanks to their fans, these immortal cars still go out on the racetracks, reminding of the times when art and science came together to create beautiful cars.
Bugatti has a breed; it has won countless races and pleases the eye always, no matter if it is standing still or flying at a speed of 150 km/h.
For true connoisseurs, nothing compares to the masterpieces of automotive art by Ettore Bugatti.
