A 1933 Bugatti at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island Sale
A 1933 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix will be offered at RM Sotheby’s upcoming Amelia Island sale on March 8 and 9, in Florida. The pre-auction estimate of this unique car is $1,250,000 - $1,600,000 and it will be featured in lot 254 at the auction. “Introduced in 1931, the Bugatti Type 51 was the latest iteration of the company’s time-honored two-seat race car design that originated with the Type 35. Utilizing the engine architecture Ettore Bugatti licensed from Harry Miller’s successful Indianapolis race cars, the Type 51 featured a dual-overhead cam version of the supercharged straight-eight, now enlarged to 2.3 liters. Though the Type 51 struggled in competition against newer and more technologically advanced state-sponsored machines from Italy and Germany, the model was a long-term success with marque enthusiasts and vintage racers. Approximately 40 examples were ultimately built through 1934, and they are considered the apogee of Bugatti’s most celebrated race car design,” states the auction house. Highlights of the car include its former 17-year ownership by Bugatti collector extraordinaire Peter Mullin and also that it is documented with FIVA passport and full report by Bugatti historian David Sewell. As RM Sotheby's mentions in their press release, the car is well-prepared for racing and event use. The auction house further states: “At the Belgian Grand Prix on 9 July 1933, Bugatti entered three Type 51 examples, driven by Achille Varzi, Dreyfus, and William Grover-Williams, who finished 2nd, 3rd, and 6th, respectively. At the Dieppe Grand Prix six days later, Dreyfus placed 2nd while Williams’ car retired early. As drivers often retained the same car throughout the season, it is reasonable to assume that Dreyfus drove 51153 to his 2nd-place finish at the Nice Grand Prix on 6 August and at the Coppa Acerbo in Pescara the following week. The car may also have been driven by Dreyfus at the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix on 17 September, where the Frenchman finished 4th.” After the 1933 event, this Type 51 Grand Prix underwent several changes and “in early April 1934, the Type 51 was mechanically renewed again by the factory in preparation for sale. On 13 April it was invoiced to Giovanni Alloatti, a resident of Turin. Alloatti entered his new Type 51 at the Targa Florio on 20 May, but unfortunately was out of the race by the second lap following an accident. The Bugatti returned to the factory for further repairs, and this may be the point at which the car’s current frame, no. 256, originally for a Type 35, was installed as presently configured,” writes RM Sotheby's. https://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin