1934 Bugatti Type 57 Roadster

1934 Bugatti Type 57 Roadster Grand Raid Gangloff

Launched at the 1934 Paris Auto Salon, this competition oriented Type 57 was fitted with a cut-down roadster body created by Gangloff. The Grand Raid moniker is a reference to the car's racing pedigree. The slippery body features elongated front fenders, a V-shaped windscreen and aerodynamic headrests for both the driver and passenger. Among the mechanical changes were a raked steering column, re-located handbrake handle and a higher rear axle ratio.

Following its show duties, it was raced by Pierre Veyron and Lucien Wurmser in the Paris-Nice rally. In April of 1935, Robert Benoist drove the Type 57 to victory in the Chavigny hill-climb. In 1936, the former Paris show car was sold to its first private owner and between 1946 and 2001, it was in Belgian ownership. Chassis 57222 was then acquired by the Louwman Collection and completely restored to its original guise. It is today on permanent display in the Louwman Museum.

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