1927 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix
Offered by RM Auctions | Lake Como, Italy | May 25, 2013
One of the best Bugatti’s ever. The Type 37 was an evolution of the Type 35 – it used the same chassis and body but used a different, smaller engine. That engine is a 1.5-liter straight-four making 80 horsepower.
This car uses the same formula that Colin Chapman would champion (tongue-twister alert) many years later: you don’t need a big engine if your car is lightweight and nimble. Compare a Bugatti like this to a Blower Bentley. The Bentley was huge and heavy and had to use a huge engine with huge power. This didn’t need big power because it’s small and light.
This car was sold new to Malaysia where the first owner kept it for two years before trading up (or down, depending on your perspective) for a Bentley. It was sold to someone in Singapore, who had to disassemble it and hide it during WWII. Years later it was discovered and taken back to England. In 1965, it was sold to German ownership – the current owner acquiring it in 1983.
The car is mostly original (which is mind-blowing) and has been mechanically sorted and its ready to go. Sure, it doesn’t have an awesome race history, but it’s still an awesome car. Only 290 Type 37s were built. It should sell for between $975,000-$1,250,000. Click here for more info and for some glorious photos. And here for more from this sale.