The First Bugatti Type 55 Roadster Is Going to Auction

Debuted at the 1931 Paris Auto Show, the Bugatti Type 55 Roadster is one of the most sought-after prewar sports cars ever produced. This particular version, chassis 55201, is the first of only 38 models of the world-class sports cars that were ever built, and it’s heading to the Gooding & Company Scottsdale auction in January. As you’ve probably already deduced, any pristine example of a prewar sports car, particularly one that bears the name Bugatti, is going to fetch a pretty penny at auction, but there are other aspects of chassis 55201 that make it even more special. Unlike future examples that were produced, this model has a Grand Prix-style hood with shortened louvers on the side and diagonal louvers in the hood. It also won the French Cup at Pebble Beach after being restored in 2012, and has an ownership history that includes French nobility and famed Bugatti collector Dr. Peter Williamson. The twin overhead cam supercharged eight-cylinder engine under the hood might only produce 130bhp, but it is a numbers matching car, which drives up the price even more. The Bugatti Type 55 Roadster chassis 55201 is expected to bring over $4 million when it rolls across the block at auction.