“Bugatti the man was not merely a brilliant engineer, he was also an artist of rare talent. A third gift, a genius for marrying these two concepts of function and form, resulted in the Bugatti motor cars, each an intuitive creation combining purity of line, a lithe strength, stamina and speed, and , often, a show of temperament. In short, a Thoroughbred justifying the sobriquet, Le pur-sang des automobiles.”

Noted Bugatti historian, Pierre Lougier, has investigated the history of our subject car, and a great deal of information has been uncovered. This Bugatti Type 40 was produced in late 1929, and in January, 1930 was delivered to its first owner, a Frenchman named Pierre de Brou de Lauriere. At the request of its new owner, the factory did not initially complete the car with a catalogue body. Instead, this Type 40 was fitted at the factory with a rudimentary body more appropriate to a commercial vehicle, with an emphasis on carrying capacity.

In March of 1930, Pierre de Brou and his wife ran their new Bugatti in the Rallye d’Algers in North Africa, an event whose purpose was to commemorate the long friendship between Algeria and France. However, successfully finishing this event was only the start of a journey that took over a month to complete. After the rally, and in company with three other Type 40 Bugattis, de Brou and his wife proceeded to leave Algeria and drive their Type 40 across the Sahara Desert. Lieutenant Frederic Loiseau, who had made a similar crossing of the Sahara in a Type 40 Bugatti in 1929, drove the lead car in this Bugatti Expedition. Loiseau arranged for most of the infrastructure, such as food, fuel, and spare tires, needed to complete the journey. Not only did all four cars complete the crossing, but, after doing so, they all then returned to their original starting point by again crossing the Sahara in the opposite direction. This was an amazing testament to the capabilities of the cars and the participants and generated an enormous amount of publicity for the factory.

Sometime after returning to France, de Brou drove his Type 40 back to the factory and exchanged it for a new and larger Type 44. After this, the Type 40 Bugatti on offer here had its original Sahara body removed. That body was replaced with the splendid Roadster body it has to this day. However the exact origin of the new body is not known; it is in the style used on the Bugatti Types 40A and the 43A, and it may have been a prototype body by Jean Bugatti. Both Ettore and Jean Bugatti were fond of US automobiles, and this roadster style was initially a popular American design.

At present, very little is known about the history of this car during the later 1930’s and 1940’s, but starting in the 1950’s, it was owned by:

• Robert Beux, 1950
• Georges Meziat, 1954
• Rene Hugou, 1955?
• Matthieu Delory, 1956
• M. Du Montant, 1958
• Scott Ebert, 1958
• Bill Cracknell, 1958 to 1988
• Scott Ebert, 1988 to the present

Matthieu Delory owned the car in 1956, and in 1958 he offered it for sale through a Riviera-based dealer, by the name of Du Montant. Through Du Montant, 40810 was then acquired by an American named William Cracknell. The current owner acquired the car from Cracknell in 1988.

The present lot was extensively restored both mechanically and cosmetically soon after being acquired by its current owner. The impressive Chronology of events subsequent to restoration is presented elsewhere in this write-up. Highlights include participating in numerous rallies organized by the American Bugatti Club, from New England to California, including the 2003 International Bugatti Rally in California. The car was also vintage-raced in several US Bugatti Grand Prix Races of the American Bugatti Club, including those in Monterey, Lime Rock Park, and Elkhart Lake.

The year 2004 was an international one for 40810. In the UK, it ran the Prescott Hill Climb and in the International Bugatti Rallye. Subsequently, it returned to its native France, where it ran in the Rallye de Lyon and raced in the 2004 Le Mans Classic.

In recent years this 1929 Bugatti Type 40 Roadster has led a more quiet existence. However, over the past eighty-six years, it has had a very successful and interesting life. It is now prepared to serve its next owner for years to come.

• 1930Rallye d’Algers
• 1930Bugatti Sahara Expedition
• 20013rd US Bugatti GP, Virginia International Raceway, VA, 1st Place Group 4
• 2001President’s Rally of the ABC, Lyme, NH
• 20014th US Bugatti GP, Lime Rock, CT. 1st Place Group 4
• 2001Castle Hill Hill Climb, MA. 12th of 24 entrants
• 2002President’s Rally of the ABC, Lyme, NH
• 20025th US Bugatti GP, Lime Rock, CT. 1st Place Group 4
• 20036th US Bugatti GP, Laguna Seca, CA. 37th of 41 cars
• 2003International Bugatti Rally, CA, USA
• 2003ABC Rallye, Lenox, MA
• 2004Prescott Hill Climb, UK
• 2004International Bugatti Rally, UK
• 2004Rallye de Lyon, France
• 2004Le Mans Classic, France
• 20057th US Bugatti GP, Elkhart Lake, WI. Last Place
• 2005ABC Rallye, Elkhart Lake, WI
• 2009ABC Rallye, Louisville, KY
• 2009Churchill Downs Concours, Louisville, KY

The combined works of Ettore and Jean Bugatti are very highly-prized by collectors today. All Bugatti automobiles are known for superb craftsmanship, intrinsic character, and individuality. During a period of more than thirty years, only about 7,800 Bugattis were produced, and of that total, fewer than 2,000 exist today. The range of Bugatti automobiles produced was very broad indeed, and included the incomparable and all-conquering Type 35 Grand Prix car, the magnificent Type 41 Royale, and the stunning Type 57 SC Atlantic Coupe.

The Bugatti Type 40 Roadster was introduced in 1926 as a nimble and speedy model in the factory lineup. It was a bit smaller and more moderately priced than other Bugatti offerings at the time. A grand total of 830 were produced between 1926 and 1930, and about 200 have survived to this day.

The Type 40 was fitted with a Grand Prix-derived, 4-cylinder overhead cam engine of 1,500 cc displacement with three valves per cylinder. The classic Bugatti-designed solid front axle sat on semi-elliptical springs, the rear axle rested on reversed quarter-ellipticals, and the wheels were 19-inch wires. To this was added a 4-speed transmission and superb cable-operated 4-wheel brakes. The whole package was precisely controlled by a classic Bugatti-designed steering wheel and box. At 2,200 pounds, the Type 40 was light, well-balanced, a joy to drive and a beautiful sight to behold.

“The Type 40 Bugatti is one of those cars which one appreciates to the full only after having driven it some considerable distance. The car is, above all, thoroughly roadworthy, and this surely is the greatest recommendation of all.”

This Type 40 has an important history, in no small part due to having successfully completed the Bugatti Sahara Expedition in 1930. The car has matching numbers and is listed in multiple Bugatti Registers. The current owner has had it for twenty-seven years. In that period this Type 40 has successfully run in numerous, major vintage events, including two in its country of origin. It has been well maintained and is in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition. Although the precise origin of the body is presently unknown, it is a beautiful one none-theless. There are a few unknown years in the car’s history, but in time additional information could be uncovered.

From the Sahara Bugatti Expedition to the US Bugatti Grand Prix and the Le Mans Classic, this Bugatti Type 40 Roadster has a superb and well-documented history as a successful and versatile automobile. It is composed of all of the best elements of the classic Bugatti designs of the 1920’s and 1930’s. Therefore this Type 40 is sure to be forever valued highly by all those who understand the historic importance of Bugatti automobiles.

- John Kleen, Vintage Sports Car Specialist

“They say that you must live in your own time. But for me the past, especially the works of my family, leaves me in admiration - it still fascinates me to this very day. From my perspective, the future is rooted in the creations of the past.”