Driver Magazine - Issue 1 Dec 24 (3) - Flipbook - Page 56
His son, Jean would rise through the ranks as a
talented designer, engineer and driver in his own
right away from his father’s shadow. Culminating in
what many believe to be the most beautiful series
of Bugattis ever made. The 57SC Atlantics.
Using influences from both Art Deco and Art
Nouveau, the Atlantics were a new style for a new
type of owner. For this new car and new owners,
only 4 57SC Atlantics would be built.
Each of them was heavily personalised to their
owner’s tastes and styles, their story begins with a
special one-off.
The 1935 Aerolithe Concept. A magnesium bodied
show car which was set to usher in a new era of
Bugatti’s by using advanced materials and
techniques to blend the worlds of Grand Prix and
Grand Tour.
The 4 Atlantics would use this technique to begin
their construction, however, they were soon
swapped for aluminium bodies made in the same
style as the Aerolithe. With the identifiable riveted
dorsal fin of the concept car displayed prominently
on the Atlantics. Out of those 4 cars, three are
accounted for and have gone on to be concours
and show winners in their own rights around the
world.
The fourth was given the name ”La Voiture Noire”
or, The Black Car. It had originally been used by
Bugatti as the show car to demonstrate to
potential customers and the world the new age of
Bugatti under Jean’s leadership and also happened
to be Jean Bugatti’s personal car whilst doing so. La
Voiture Noire’s early history is well documented.
The cars official Bugatti name is chassis 57453 and was gifted to Bugatti factory driver Robert Benoist for
winning the 1937 24 hours of Le Mans and then was later given to fellow driver William Grover-Williams
before his return to England just before the outbreak of World War 2. From the outset of the war until 1941,
La Voiture Noire was kept as a test car for Bugatti after the death of its master Jean in 1939 whilst testing a
racing prototype. But after 1938, no official records have ever been kept of the car. This is where the ghost
story begins…
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