Civil war survivor Artcurial, Paris, France 3 February
WHILE MANY OF the most expensive and significant historic vehicles live a pampered existence today, the most interesting are the ones with stories to tell. This 1936 Bugatti 57 Atalante – an early highlight of Artcurial’s Rétromobile sale – has a very exciting past.
One of only four built at the factory with a sunroof, this Atalante was purchased by a jeweller from Marseille. He was a keen driver and wanted to make the most of the 3.3-litre DOHC straight-eight engine by entering the Atalante in a whole host of races, including the Rallye Monte-Carlo, Liège-Rome-Liège and Rallye des Alpes.
After World War 2, the Type 57 was bought by Belgian architect and Bugatti collector Albert de Lay.
