2009 is turning into a good year if you’re the market for ultra-rare, ultra-historic, ultra-expensive metal. We’ve already seen the 1967 Ferrari 330 P4, Hitler’s Fiat 2800, 1939 Auto Union D-Type, 1964 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe and the record-breaking 1957 Ferrari 250 Testarossa.
But this might be the rarest, historicalest, expensivest of the bunch. This is Ettore Bugatti’s own car, the 1936 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe… and it’s up for auction in August. Top Gear
You see, this particular Bugatti was built for Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti as a birthday present. The car was protected at the Bugatti factory in France during World War II and was owned by Ettore until his death in 1947. The automaker continued to keep it, even upgrading the vehicle with a new engine and transmission as the passage of time rolled on. Motor Authority
The car has has no more than a few owners since it left the factory for the last time in 1950, and not one of them has changed the car in any significant way. It is entirely original and much the same as when Ettore last drove it. Like that amazing Type 57S Atalante Coupe that was found in a barn and auctioned for $4.53 million in February, this car may be one of the best original-condition Bugattis left on the planet.
We’d place a bid, but we’re running out of garage space. Wired News
Handling the auction at the Pebble Beach event will be the Gooding & Company auction house, which will also be selling the Denis “Denny” Hulme 1967 AAR Gurney Eagle Indy Car, the Mario Andretti 1964 Dean Van Lines Roadster Indy Car and the 1909 Stoddard-Dayton Model K Re-creation – three important vehicles from America’s racing past. Driving.ca
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