Bugatti Type 57S Atalante number 57502
Encyclopedia
The Bugatti Type 57S Atalante number 57502 is one of a batch of rare French sports coupe
automobile
s built in 1937 by the Bugatti
company, a version of the Bugatti Type 57
. Of the 710 Type 57 cars built, only 43 were Type 57S and only 17 of those were produced with the in-house
Bugatti Atalante coupe body style (termed coachwork
), (not to be confused with the Type 57 Atlantic body).
The car with chassis
number 57502 (registration EWS 73, ex-DYK 5, ex-works-1127-W5) was rediscovered in 2008 having been stored in a private owner's garage
in Gosforth
, Newcastle upon Tyne
, England
, for 48 years, with few people aware of its location. Described as "one of the last great barn discoveries" by classic car experts, it was sold at auction by Bonhams
on 7 February 2009. Set at a reserve price
of £3 million, due to its low mileage
and original condition, it was speculated that it could become the most expensive car ever sold at auction, at around £6 million. These hopes were dashed, however, as it reached £2,989,495 (US$4,408,575).
The car was bought originally by the 5th Earl Howe
in 1937 who owned it for eight years. It passed to three intermediate owners, when in 1955 it was bought by Harold Carr, from Newcastle upon Tyne
. He drove it for a few years, before storing it in his lock up garage in 1960, where it was discovered by his family after his death in 2007.
reading of 26284 miles (42,299.9 km), described as "remarkably low".
While mostly original, the car as found in 2008 did contain some modifications from the originals. Dating from bespoke
modifications made by Earl Howe, the car possessed unique bumpers, rear-view mirrors on the A-pillars
, and a luggage rack. In addition, due to the fitting of a Marshall K200 supercharger
while it was owned by Mr J P Tingay, the car was with respect to engine power closer to the retrofitted super-charged types, (although the K200 is not the same supercharger used on the original C or SC models however).
According to James Knight of the Bugatti's future auctioneer Bonhams
, the rediscovered Bugatti "is incredibly original and, although she requires restoration, it is "restoration" in the true sense of the word...save for some of the interior, all original parts can be restored or conserved in order to maintain originality".
(1884–1964), the 5th Earl Howe
, a former Naval officer
and British politician. He took delivery of it on 9 June 1937 from Sorel of London, the UK agents for Bugatti. Curzon was a keen motor racing enthusiast, racing several times in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans
endurance race, winning the 1931 race
, and the first president of the British Racing Drivers' Club
(BRDC).
The Bugatti was then sold via Continental Cars to a Mr J P Tingay in 1947. A Mr M H Ferguson acquired the Bugatti from Tingay in 1950 and by 1954 it formed part of the collection of Lord Ridley of Northumberland
.
In 1955 Harold Carr paid Jack Barclays £895 for the car, but drove it for only a few years. Dr Carr then stored the car in a lock up garage after its last tax disc expired in December 1960, where it remained unused and untouched.
, due to a passion for machinery, aviation and adventuring, and also due to suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which in later life turned him into a recluse. The reasons for Carr storing the car unused for so long was attributed to a hoarding instinct which he had developed and had progressively worsened since the 1950s, due to his OCD. In addition to the Bugatti, the hoarding had led to Carr collecting everything from receipts for pencil
s to 1,500 German beer stein
s. His hoarding instinct also meant that the documentary history of the car had been preserved.
. In his later life, Carr's OCD had caused him to become a recluse. After his death, while clearing the garage of his uncle's possessions in 2008, the nephew discovered the Bugatti in the lock up garage, along with a "treasure trove" of cars including a classic Aston Martin
and a Jaguar E-type
. The Aston was sold while the Jaguar was scrapped
due to its condition. According to the nephew, notes found in the garage showed that some people had previously inquired about the car, and had even visited Mr Carr in attempts to buy it from him. According to James Knight of the car's future auctioneer Bonhams
, had stated on its discovery, "I have known of this Bugatti for a number of years and, like a select group of others, hadn't dared divulge its whereabouts to anyone." Friends who knew Dr Carr were reported to have stated that Carr would have known the true value of the car, and that he would never answer the door to collectors who called on him in person, and they would resort to writing offers on notes for neighbours to post through his letter box
.
to sell the car, with the proceeds to be shared between eight relatives who inherited his estate. It was to form the centrepiece of their Retromobile car show and sale in Paris
, and be sold on 7 February 2009. The car would have a reserve price
of £3 million. Analysts speculated that the car could be sold for up to £6 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold at auction
. (As of 2005 six of the most expensive cars sold for over £3 million, with the most expensive, a 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe
sold for £4.87 million in 1987, holding the record for the most expensive car sold at auction, adjusted for inflation). While the car would attract global buyers, in November 2008 opinions were varied as to whether the classic car auction market had been affected by the 2008 recession affecting the United Kingdom economy
.
On the discovery of 57502, other less desirable Type 57S Atalantes were said to have sold for millions in recent years. An Atalante which did not have its original chassis, but was built by combining an Atalante body on a Type 57C chassis, was sold at auction in 2007 for $852,500, from a top estimate of $400,000.
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s built in 1937 by the Bugatti
Bugatti
Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti....
company, a version of the Bugatti Type 57
Bugatti Type 57
The Bugatti Type 57 and later variants was an entirely new design by Jean Bugatti, son of founder Ettore. Type 57s were built from 1934 through 1940, with a total of 710 examples produced....
. Of the 710 Type 57 cars built, only 43 were Type 57S and only 17 of those were produced with the in-house
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
Bugatti Atalante coupe body style (termed coachwork
Coachwork
Coachwork is the body of a horse-drawn coach or carriage, a motor vehicle , a railroad car or railway carriage. Usually reserved for bodies built on a separate chassis, rather than being of unitary or monocoque construction...
), (not to be confused with the Type 57 Atlantic body).
The car with chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
number 57502 (registration EWS 73, ex-DYK 5, ex-works-1127-W5) was rediscovered in 2008 having been stored in a private owner's garage
Garage (house)
A residential garage is part of a home, or an associated building, designed or used for storing a vehicle or vehicles. In some places the term is used synonymously with "carport", though that term normally describes a structure that is not completely enclosed.- British residential garages:Those...
in Gosforth
Gosforth
Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom, to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it became part of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. It has a population of 23,620...
, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, for 48 years, with few people aware of its location. Described as "one of the last great barn discoveries" by classic car experts, it was sold at auction by Bonhams
Bonhams
Bonhams is a privately owned British auction house founded in 1793. It is the third largest auctioneer after Sotheby's and Christie's, and conducts around 700 auctions per year. It has 700 employees....
on 7 February 2009. Set at a reserve price
Reservation price
In microeconomics, the reservation price is the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for goods or a service; or; the smallest price at which a seller is willing to sell a good or service...
of £3 million, due to its low mileage
Odometer
An odometer or odograph is an instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or automobile. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two. The word derives from the Greek words hodós and métron...
and original condition, it was speculated that it could become the most expensive car ever sold at auction, at around £6 million. These hopes were dashed, however, as it reached £2,989,495 (US$4,408,575).
The car was bought originally by the 5th Earl Howe
Francis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe
Francis Richard Henry Penn Curzon, 5th Earl Howe, CBE, PC, VD was a British naval officer, Member of Parliament, motor racing driver and promotor. In the 1918 UK General Election he won the Battersea South seat as the candidate of the Conservative Party, which he held until 1929...
in 1937 who owned it for eight years. It passed to three intermediate owners, when in 1955 it was bought by Harold Carr, from Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. He drove it for a few years, before storing it in his lock up garage in 1960, where it was discovered by his family after his death in 2007.
Specification
Chassis number 57502 was completed at the Bugatti works on 5 May 1937, wearing the works number plate 1127-W5, and then wore the British number plate DYK 5, later being re-registered as EWS 73, the number which it wore on rediscovery. When discovered, 57502 still possessed its original chassis, engine, drive train and body. It had an odometerOdometer
An odometer or odograph is an instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or automobile. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two. The word derives from the Greek words hodós and métron...
reading of 26284 miles (42,299.9 km), described as "remarkably low".
While mostly original, the car as found in 2008 did contain some modifications from the originals. Dating from bespoke
Bespoke
Bespoke is a term employed in a variety of applications to mean an item custom-made to the buyer's specification...
modifications made by Earl Howe, the car possessed unique bumpers, rear-view mirrors on the A-pillars
Pillar (car)
Pillars are the vertical supports of the greenhouse of an automobile — known respectively as the A, B, C or D-pillar moving in profile view from the front to rear....
, and a luggage rack. In addition, due to the fitting of a Marshall K200 supercharger
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
while it was owned by Mr J P Tingay, the car was with respect to engine power closer to the retrofitted super-charged types, (although the K200 is not the same supercharger used on the original C or SC models however).
According to James Knight of the Bugatti's future auctioneer Bonhams
Bonhams
Bonhams is a privately owned British auction house founded in 1793. It is the third largest auctioneer after Sotheby's and Christie's, and conducts around 700 auctions per year. It has 700 employees....
, the rediscovered Bugatti "is incredibly original and, although she requires restoration, it is "restoration" in the true sense of the word...save for some of the interior, all original parts can be restored or conserved in order to maintain originality".
Ownership history
The car was ordered new from Bugatti by Francis CurzonFrancis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe
Francis Richard Henry Penn Curzon, 5th Earl Howe, CBE, PC, VD was a British naval officer, Member of Parliament, motor racing driver and promotor. In the 1918 UK General Election he won the Battersea South seat as the candidate of the Conservative Party, which he held until 1929...
(1884–1964), the 5th Earl Howe
Earl Howe
Earl Howe is a title that has been created twice in British history, for members of the Howe and Curzon-Howe family respectively.The first creation, in the Peerage of Great Britain, was in 1788 for Richard Howe, but became extinct on his death in 1799....
, a former Naval officer
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and British politician. He took delivery of it on 9 June 1937 from Sorel of London, the UK agents for Bugatti. Curzon was a keen motor racing enthusiast, racing several times in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
endurance race, winning the 1931 race
1931 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1931 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 9th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 13 and 14 1931.-Official results:-Disqualified:* #31 failed to complete the final lap of the race in under 30 minutes and was disqualified....
, and the first president of the British Racing Drivers' Club
British Racing Drivers' Club
The British Racing Drivers' Club is a membership body which represents the interests of professional racing drivers from the United Kingdom.-Early days:...
(BRDC).
The Bugatti was then sold via Continental Cars to a Mr J P Tingay in 1947. A Mr M H Ferguson acquired the Bugatti from Tingay in 1950 and by 1954 it formed part of the collection of Lord Ridley of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
.
In 1955 Harold Carr paid Jack Barclays £895 for the car, but drove it for only a few years. Dr Carr then stored the car in a lock up garage after its last tax disc expired in December 1960, where it remained unused and untouched.
Harold Carr
Harold "Harry" Carr was born in Newcastle in 1917, and died on 14 June 2007, aged 89. Carr gained both medical and engineering degrees, and had worked both as an orthopaedic surgeon and an osteopath, and ran a family wholesalers business in Newcastle, JJ Macy's. He was described as "generous", "eccentric" and a sort of "mad doctor" by his family. The life of Dr Carr was compared with that of eccentric American millionaire Howard HughesHoward Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
, due to a passion for machinery, aviation and adventuring, and also due to suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which in later life turned him into a recluse. The reasons for Carr storing the car unused for so long was attributed to a hoarding instinct which he had developed and had progressively worsened since the 1950s, due to his OCD. In addition to the Bugatti, the hoarding had led to Carr collecting everything from receipts for pencil
Pencil
A pencil is a writing implement or art medium usually constructed of a narrow, solid pigment core inside a protective casing. The case prevents the core from breaking, and also from marking the user’s hand during use....
s to 1,500 German beer stein
Beer stein
Beer stein , or simply stein, is an English neologism for either traditional beer mugs made out of stoneware, or specifically ornamental beer mugs that are usually sold as souvenirs or collectibles...
s. His hoarding instinct also meant that the documentary history of the car had been preserved.
Rediscovery
The car had been stored in a garage in GosforthGosforth
Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom, to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it became part of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. It has a population of 23,620...
. In his later life, Carr's OCD had caused him to become a recluse. After his death, while clearing the garage of his uncle's possessions in 2008, the nephew discovered the Bugatti in the lock up garage, along with a "treasure trove" of cars including a classic Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
and a Jaguar E-type
Jaguar E-type
The Jaguar E-Type or XK-E is a British automobile, manufactured by Jaguar between 1961 and 1975. Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing established the marque as an icon of 1960s motoring...
. The Aston was sold while the Jaguar was scrapped
Wrecking yard
A scrapyard or junkyard is the location of a dismantling business where wrecked or decommissioned vehicles are brought, their usable parts are sold for use in operating vehicles, while the unusable metal parts, known as scrap metal parts, are sold to metal-recycling companies...
due to its condition. According to the nephew, notes found in the garage showed that some people had previously inquired about the car, and had even visited Mr Carr in attempts to buy it from him. According to James Knight of the car's future auctioneer Bonhams
Bonhams
Bonhams is a privately owned British auction house founded in 1793. It is the third largest auctioneer after Sotheby's and Christie's, and conducts around 700 auctions per year. It has 700 employees....
, had stated on its discovery, "I have known of this Bugatti for a number of years and, like a select group of others, hadn't dared divulge its whereabouts to anyone." Friends who knew Dr Carr were reported to have stated that Carr would have known the true value of the car, and that he would never answer the door to collectors who called on him in person, and they would resort to writing offers on notes for neighbours to post through his letter box
Letter box
A letter box, letterbox, letter plate, letter hole, mail slot, or mailbox is a receptacle for receiving incoming mail at a private residence or business...
.
Auction
Being unmarried and having no children, Carr left his possessions to his nieces and nephews. Other family members had been aware that Dr Carr had possessed the Bugatti and other cars, but the true value of the car had remained unknown to them, coming as a surprise. The Carr family instructed the auction house BonhamsBonhams
Bonhams is a privately owned British auction house founded in 1793. It is the third largest auctioneer after Sotheby's and Christie's, and conducts around 700 auctions per year. It has 700 employees....
to sell the car, with the proceeds to be shared between eight relatives who inherited his estate. It was to form the centrepiece of their Retromobile car show and sale in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and be sold on 7 February 2009. The car would have a reserve price
Reservation price
In microeconomics, the reservation price is the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for goods or a service; or; the smallest price at which a seller is willing to sell a good or service...
of £3 million. Analysts speculated that the car could be sold for up to £6 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold at auction
Most expensive cars sold in auction
This is a list of the most expensive cars sold in auto auctions through the traditional bidding process, consisting of those that attracted headline grabbing publicity, mainly for the high price their new owners have paid...
. (As of 2005 six of the most expensive cars sold for over £3 million, with the most expensive, a 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe
Bugatti Royale
The Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, was a large luxury car with a 4.3 m wheelbase and 6.4 m overall length. It weighed approximately 3175 kg and used a 12.7 L straight-8 engine...
sold for £4.87 million in 1987, holding the record for the most expensive car sold at auction, adjusted for inflation). While the car would attract global buyers, in November 2008 opinions were varied as to whether the classic car auction market had been affected by the 2008 recession affecting the United Kingdom economy
Economy of the United Kingdom
The economy of the United Kingdom is the sixth-largest national economy in the world measured by nominal GDP and seventh-largest measured by purchasing power parity , and the third-largest in Europe measured by nominal GDP and second-largest measured by PPP...
.
On the discovery of 57502, other less desirable Type 57S Atalantes were said to have sold for millions in recent years. An Atalante which did not have its original chassis, but was built by combining an Atalante body on a Type 57C chassis, was sold at auction in 2007 for $852,500, from a top estimate of $400,000.
Auction results
In an auction held at Retromobile in Paris on 7 February 2009, the Bugatti sold for 3,417,500 euros (£2,989,495)(US$4,408,575).External links
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7876741.stm