An extraordinarily rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante will be auctioned on September 5 and, according to estimates, it could sell for more than £7,000,000 ($9,236,500). Compared to that, the modern Chiron that starts from just under $3 Million sounds like a bargain.
Then again, there were only 17 examples of the 57S Atalante ever built, and while it shares some similarities to the Type 57S Atlantic, of which just four units were built, the Atalante is a special car on its own.
This example being sold by Gooding & Company is powered by a 3.25-liter inline eight-cylinder engine that sports a single Stromberg carburetor as well as a Marshall K200 supercharger. It is estimated to pump out 220 hp at 5,500 rpm and is coupled to a four-speed manual transmission.
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This Type 57S was delivered new to Earl Howe, a racing driver and president of the Bugatti Owners’ Club (BOC). It was equipped with Howe’s preferred livery and outfitted with a handful of bespoke features that made it a real head-turner at various British circuits and BOC events.
After Howe sold the car, it passed through the hands of several English enthusiasts, including John Tingay who was responsible for fitting the supercharger in the late 1940s. It was later acquired in “garage find” condition by the current owner and went through a comprehensive restoration courtesy of Bugatti expert Ivan Dutton.
The Bugatti’s exterior design truly is a sight to behold with a massive horseshoe grille up front, two main headlights and two additional foglights. The presence of five exhaust pipes poking out from the rear makes it all the more unique.