The Bugatti Type 43 Grand Sport created a sensation upon its introduction in 1927. The first Bugatti sports car with a genuine 100 mph capability, it combined a slightly detuned Type 35B 2.3-liter supercharged grand prix engine with a shortened “waisted” Type 38 touring chassis shaped to fit lightweight Grand Sport coachwork. It quickly became an extremely competitive sports car and was used for a variety of motor sports events.

Ettore Bugatti had created one of his masterpieces. Indeed, the noted author H.G. Conway observed over 60 years ago that the Type 43 “was the model to be aspired to in the 1927–1932 period as a Ferrari may be today, as a road car with the qualities of its racing sister.”

This Grand Sport, chassis 43172, is believed to be the fourth example built and was delivered to the Paris Bugatti agency at 136 Champs Élysées on May 17, 1927. It was sold within days to Maurice Lesieur, the son of Georges Lesieur, the founder of the Lesieur Oil Company. M. Lesieur retained the car for a little over two years before trading it back to the factory for a new Type 44.

The car was sold in 1930 via Leon Lachambre, owner of the Grand Garage Central in Saint-Dizier, to Andre Jacquemin of Doulaincourt-Saucourt, a small village in the eastern part of France. M. Jacquemin retained the Bugatti for three years, before it was acquired by Aime Février in Lille, who retained the sporting Bugatti from WWII through the mid-1950s. The Bugatti’s next known owner, Maurice Teisserenc of Linxe, purchased the Type 43 in a disassembled but complete state. Importantly, it retained its matching-numbers frame, lower crankcase, supercharger, rear axle, and body. M. Teisserenc enlisted Bugatti mechanic Henri Novo to reassemble and restore the car. It is possible that the Type 44 gearbox (no. 581) – which is currently fitted – was installed at this time. Fortunately, the gearbox of a Type 44 is virtually identical to that of a Type 43 and thus the driving experience remains the same.

The Bugatti then joined the collection of G.L. Saccardo of Schio, Italy, who enjoyed the Type 43 for 11 years, before it was acquired by pioneering Ferrari and Bugatti collector Giulio Dubbini of Padua. The car remained a cherished part of Dubbini’s renowned collection, which included a 250 SWB Berlinetta, 250 MM, and 500 TRC for 12 years, before it was sold to well-known English Bugatti collector David Heimann.

In 1985, Mr. Heimann sold the Type 43 to celebrated American venture capitalist and collector Tom Perkins of San Francisco, California. Perkins is considered by many to be one of the most important automobile collectors of the 20th century and his collection consisted entirely of supercharged cars. He elected to keep the supercharged Bugatti in England as it was an ideal choice for use abroad in rallies.

In January 1989, Mr. Perkins sold the Type 43 to noted French collector and Schlumberger heir, Michel Seydoux, whose collection included a Maserati 300 S, Bugatti Atalante, and Ferrari 250 TdF. M. Seydoux owned the Bugatti until 1997, when it was acquired by German collector Peter Groh, who enlisted German restoration shop Feierabend to extensively restore the car over a two-year period. Following restoration, the Type 43 was sold to Jan Smits of the Netherlands, who owned the Grand Sport for 20 years and entered it in numerous International Bugatti Rallies.

The Bugatti’s current owner, an American collector of significant early sports and racing automobiles, acquired the Type 43 in July 2019, and subjected it to an engine rebuild by Dutch Bugatti specialist Simon Klopper. This included the installation of a brand-new, roller-bearing crankshaft. Additionally, the car was repainted from blue to an attractive and period-correct shade of gray, though the interior upholstery and other finishes were left alone, so as not to disturb the gentle patina the car had earned through years of use on rallies. The Type 43’s coachwork – save for the boot lid, lower tail panels, and fenders – was noted to be original in a Pierre-Yves Laugier report on file. However, it possesses a wonderful character due to the original tail and scuttle being sanded and painted rather than over-restoring the shape to a final finish that does not resemble what rolled out of Molsheim in 1927.

Following this restorative work, the Type 43 was used extensively on tours in Spain, Portugal, Sicily, and the Netherlands. Presenting beautifully today and featuring its original engine (no. 12), supercharger (no. 27), rear axle (no. 11), and frame (no. 7), this superb example is ready to continue its extensive, 55-year history of road rallying with its next fortunate custodian. With the majority of these exhilarating Type 43 Grand Sports residing in the top private collections in the world, this example presents a rare opportunity to acquire one of the most desirable sports-touring Bugatti models ever produced.