Extremely rare, this Bugatti Type 57 Atalante is for sale at Retromobile 2023
Zapping the Autonews story Tour Auto 2020: guided tour of rare cars at the Grand Palais
Among the many rarities Artcurial is auctioning at the 2023 edition of the Rétromobile show is this incredible Bugatti Type 57 Atalante built in 1935. Registered in the Netherlands, the luxurious coupé is clearly one of the most emblematic — and the rarest — of the brand founded by Ettore Bugatti.
According to Artcurial, this Type 57 Atalante is one of the last three remaining examples fitted with the original sunroof. The car is based on the Type 57 chassis whose wheelbase is 3.3 meters long. It is equipped with streamlined wrap-around fenders, a large rear trunk or even two independent metal seats with removable padding.
Delivered new to Marseille in 1935
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Bugatti Type 57 Atalanta (1935)Credit Photo – Autonews
On board this incredible car, there is also fine tan leather. History mentions a first buyer from Marseille, named Charles Joseph Olivero. This jeweler from the first arrondissement of Marseille took part in the Rallye des Alpes with the Type 57 Atalante. He sold the car again after taking delivery of a 57C roadster built by Gangloff bodywork in Colmar.
He remained in Marseille until the war
Bugatti Type 57 Atalanta | Our photos of luxury coupés for sale at Rétromobile+27
Bugatti Type 57 Atalanta (1935)Credit Photo – Autonews
This Bugatti Type 57 Atalante passed into the hands of aviator Léon Givon in 1939. He also took part in races on its wheel. But the car was lost during World War II. It reappeared in 1948 in Luxembourg, engine and gearbox changed during restoration, then sold to architect Albert Jean de Lay who took it to the Belgian Congo.
He left Congo for Luxembourg
Bugatti Type 57 Atalanta | Our photos of luxury coupés for sale at Rétromobile+27
Bugatti Type 57 Atalanta (1935)Credit Photo – Autonews
The magnificent coupé changed hands again when Congo’s independence was declared. It was acquired by Rudi Cloos, its former Luxembourg owner, who then traded it to a certain Gaston Greven for a Jaguar. The car was repainted yellow and blue, then it was bought by collector Maurice Teisserenc. Then it sports a red and black livery, participates in rallies, and is finally bought by Cannes collector Bernard Mérian.
Restored to its original condition
Bugatti Type 57 Atalanta | Our photos of luxury coupés for sale at Rétromobile+27
Bugatti Type 57 Atalanta (1935)Credit Photo – Autonews
Completely restored in the early 1990s, the Bugatti Type 57 Atalante was already shown at Retromobile in 1995. Its current owner — a brand enthusiast — acquired it in 2003. without showing the slightest sign of fatigue”, assures Artcurial, stating that the car is even a “regular in beauty competitions”. Of course, it regains its original inline eight-cylinder engine and its true identification n°57432.
The price of this Bugatti Type 57 Atalante is estimated between two and three million euros by Artcurial. When it was released in 1935, it sold for 90,000 francs.
3 questions about pre-war Bugatti
Bugatti Type 57 Atalanta | Our photos of luxury coupés for sale at Rétromobile+27
Bugatti Type 57 Atalanta (1935)Credit Photo – Autonews
What is the story of this Bugatti Type 57 Atalante that Artcurial is selling?
Auctioned by Artcurial during the Retromobile 2023 show, this Bugatti Type 57 Atalante has had several lives. It was first delivered to Marseille in 1935, where it spent its early years before heading to Luxembourg after World War II. It was then exported to Congo, but ended up going back to Luxembourg, then to France. Meanwhile, he replaced the engine and gearbox. In the 1990s, it finally underwent a complete restoration in which its original engine was reinstalled. Since then, it has had beauty contests and was even showcased at Retromobile in 1995.
What is the engine of this Bugatti Type 57 Atalante?
Under its long hood, this Bugatti Type 57 Atalante features a 3.3 in-line eight-cylinder engine with a double overhead camshaft. The power is set at 210 horsepower, and the engine is paired with a four-speed gearbox.
What is the price of the Bugatti Type 57 Atalante de Rétromobile 2023?
Not yet for sale at the time of writing, this Bugatti Type 57 Atalante is estimated at a price of between two and three million euros by Artcurial, which is organizing an auction during the 2023 edition of Retromobile.
In short
Accustomed to beauty competitions since the 1990s, this Bugatti Type 57 Atalante could be the star of a novel on its own. The luxury coupé built in Molsheim has had several lives. Delivered new in Marseille in 1935, it landed in Luxembourg and then the Congo after World War II. It underwent an engine change during that time, returned to France in the hands of several owners and was restored in the 1990s, then regained its original engine. Put up for sale by Artcurial at the Retromobile 2023 show, it can be knocked down and sold for between two and three million euros.
