The Bugatti Type 57, designed by Jean Bugatti, brought the Molsheim-based firm into a new age of styling and engineering in the mid-1930s. The son of Ettore, Jean’s new direction for the company was to simplify the entire range of roadgoing Bugattis and base it upon a singular model or type, rather than producing multiple different chassis, as was done under Ettore’s direction throughout the 1920s and early 1930s. This allowed for mechanical interchangeability. Jean also introduced beautiful flowing lines in his designs, for which the automaker is synonymous today. Thanks to its racing-derived dual overhead cam inline eight-cylinder engine, using the Type 57 was an exhilarating proposition, as its mechanical capabilities far outpaced other contemporaries in the French luxury and sporting market at the time.

The Type 57 Stelvio offered here, chassis 57406, was built in April 1936, according to research conducted by world-renowned Bugatti expert Kees Jansen. Its four-seat open-place coachwork was penned by Jean Bugatti and built in-house. Later in the model year, body production switched to the Colmar-based coachbuilder Gangloff. The Stelvio’s design evolved throughout the production Type 57, with Stelvios hailing from 1935 and 1936 sporting a folding windshield and a top that would retract into a relief in the body, just behind the rear seat, allowing for a totally sleek look when folded away. With its resulting sporty appearance, 57406 was a perfect candidate for Bugatti to exhibit at the Foire de Nantes, an international trade fair that took place on April 4, 1936, in Nantes, France, and which showcased everything from sports cars to farm equipment.

Following its display at the fair, this Stelvio was sold to its original owner, R. Petit of France, on August 8, 1936. Originally finished in green with gray sweep panels and a green leather interior, the Stelvio also featured stylish front bumpers with integrated horn vents. In 1946, the Bugatti passed on to its next caretaker, M. Ferrand, also in France. By this time, the car was fitted with hydraulic brakes and sporty rear-wheel covers. M. Ferrand sold the Stelvio in 1951 to French actor and Bugatti collector Jacques Dufilho. At the time, M. Dufilho was living in the Latin Quarter on the Boulevard Saint-Michel in Paris. The Stelvio was his fifth Bugatti, which he kept alongside his Type 37, chassis 37211, which he was actively restoring throughout the 1960s. Photos of M. Dufilho and his family posing with the Stelvio, then finished in a single-tone dark color, are present with the car’s file.

In 1968, M. Dufilho sold his Type 57 to Alec Ulmann – a key figure in sports car racing history – who was then living in New York. Known for founding the 12 Hours of Sebring, Ulmann was also an astute collector of important automobiles, which included multiple prewar Mercer, Simplex, Mercedes-Benz, and Hispano-Suiza examples. He had the Bugatti painted black with light blue sweep panels, and the rear wheel covers removed. Ulmann drove the Stelvio on a number of occasions, including at the 1985 International Bugatti Rally in Camden, Maine. Upon his passing in 1986, his wife Mary retained their beloved Bugatti before selling it in 1988.

The Stelvio’s next custodian, a notable West Coast collector, performed an extensive restoration of the car, finishing the body in black with dark blue sweep panels, complemented by gray leather upholstery. The car’s rear-wheel covers were reinstalled during the restoration returning a touch of Art Deco styling to the Bugatti. The Stelvio retains its original engine and rear axle, per accompanying factory records. The gearbox was changed at some point for the current unit, numbered C 68. The car features Lockheed hydraulic brakes; these and the rear-wheel covers are believed to have been installed in period in France, as both features would only have been factory equipment on a Type 57 in 1937 and later.

Given its rich ownership history and wonderful combination of a body style capable of touring and an engine derived from championship-winning Grand Prix cars, the presence of this Type 57 at auction provides a Bugattiste with an opportunity to acquire a noteworthy prewar Bugatti which can be shown at multiple concours or driven on any number of touring events worldwide.