Rare 1936 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic sale record
An incredibly rare 1936 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic has obliterated the record price ever paid for an automobile.
Reports have yet to clarify the exact figure but it falls somewhere between $30-40 million.
The most valuable car ever sold at a public auction was a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa which sold in Maranello, Italy, in May 2009 for $12.2 million. However there have also been undisclosed reports that a British businessman bought a Ferrari 250 GTO in 2008 for $28 million. Either way the Bugatti triumphs hands down.
Owned by Dr. Peter D. Williamson until his death in 2008, it is considered the epitomy of French Deco styling and has long been admired as the most valuable car in the world. After all, only one other complete model exists (owned by Ralph Lauren) and consequently upon his death it was widely acknowledged that is was just a matter of time before the icon was sold.
“In addition to technical sophistication, it was the most avant-garde and futuristic car built up to that time.
I think...
....pplater posted something on this a week or so ago (can't find it)
Lovely bit of engineering. Pity the styling is...awkward.
I wonder how much is original and unrestored on that car. It looks very Pebble Beach...
Heyyy.
Please, Damien! There's absolutely need to apologise, I don't think anyone responded to pplater's post (I started, then pressed the wrong key and lost my post). So all power to you for bringing a really interesting car to our attention for discussion.
I've not really had much exposure to Bugattis. There was a 57C Atalante at the NGV last year, which was lovely. Plus I've sniffed around Bob King's 1925 car (with an blown Anzani motor in it), one of the more famous Antipodean Bugs.
The Bugatti philosophy was sound and the aesthetics amazing. But when you see an engine with the exhaust ports running through the water jacket, you have to shake your head...still won races, though.
Here's the post by PoyFR and pplater.....
