Bugatti facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Fate | Sold to Hispano-Suiza (1963) |
| Founded | 1909 |
| Founder | Ettore Bugatti |
| Defunct | 1963 |
| Headquarters |
Molsheim, Alsace
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France
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Key people
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| Products | Automobiles |
Automobiles Ettore Bugatti was a famous car company. It made very fast and beautiful cars. The company was started in 1909 in Molsheim, a city in Alsace. At that time, Alsace was part of Germany. The founder was Ettore Bugatti, who was from Italy.
Bugatti cars were known for their amazing design. They also won many car races. Some famous Bugatti cars include the Type 35 Grand Prix racing cars. Others were the huge Type 41 "Royale", the sleek Type 57 "Atlantic", and the sporty Type 55.
Sadly, Ettore Bugatti died in 1947. His son, Jean Bugatti, who was supposed to take over, had died earlier in 1939. This was a big problem for the company. Only about 8,000 Bugatti cars were ever made. The company faced money troubles. It released one last car model in the 1950s. Then, in 1963, it was sold because of its airplane parts business.
In 1987, an Italian businessman bought the Bugatti name. He started a new company called Bugatti Automobili SpA.
Contents
The Original Bugatti Company (1909-1963)
Ettore Bugatti was born in Milan, Italy. He started his car company in 1909 in Molsheim. This area was part of Germany back then. The company was famous for its detailed engineering. It was also known for the artistic look of its cars. Ettore's family was very artistic. His father, Carlo Bugatti, was a well-known designer of furniture and jewelry.
Bugatti During and After World War I
During World War I, Ettore Bugatti had to leave Molsheim. He went to Milan and then Paris. As soon as the war ended, he returned to his factory. In 1919, Alsace became part of France. Just a few months later, Bugatti showed his cars at the Paris Motor Show.
He displayed three small cars. They were similar to his pre-war models. Each car had a special 4-cylinder engine. It had four valves per cylinder. The smallest car was a "Type 13" racing car. There were also a "Type 22" and a "Type 23".
Bugatti's Amazing Racing Wins
Bugatti cars were incredibly successful in early car races. In 1929, a Bugatti car won the first-ever Monaco Grand Prix. This was a huge achievement. Bugatti's racing success peaked with driver Jean-Pierre Wimille. He won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race twice. He won in 1937 with Robert Benoist and in 1939 with Pierre Veyron.
The small Bugatti Type 10 won the top four spots in its very first race. The 1924 Bugatti Type 35 is one of the most successful racing cars ever. Ettore Bugatti and engineer Jean Chassagne developed it. Bugattis won the Targa Florio race for five years in a row. This was from 1925 to 1929. Driver Louis Chiron won many races in Bugatti cars. The modern Bugatti company even named a concept car after him.
Bugatti's Other Creations
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In the 1930s, Ettore Bugatti also worked on an airplane. He wanted to build a racing plane. He hoped it would beat German planes in a competition. This plane was called the Bugatti 100P. However, it never actually flew.
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Ettore Bugatti also designed a successful train car. It was a motorized railcar. It was known as the Autorail Bugatti.
A Sad Time for the Bugatti Family
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A very sad event happened on August 11, 1939. Ettore Bugatti's son, Jean Bugatti, died. He was testing a special Type 57 race car near the factory. Jean's death was a turning point for the company. It started to struggle after this.
Bugatti After World War II
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World War II left the Molsheim factory in ruins. The company lost control of its property. During the war, Bugatti planned a new factory near Paris. After the war, Ettore Bugatti designed new cars. These included the Type 73 road car and the Type 73C racing car. But only five Type 73 cars were ever built.
Ettore Bugatti died on August 21, 1947. He was working on a small, supercharged car. After his death, the company continued to decline. It made its last public appearance at a Paris Motor Show in October 1952. The original Bugatti company stopped making cars in 1952.
Bugatti's Special Design
Bugatti cars were famous for their amazing design. Ettore Bugatti paid close attention to every detail. For example, engine parts were scraped by hand. This made surfaces so flat that no gaskets were needed for sealing. Many engine parts had beautiful patterns. Safety wires were threaded through almost every fastener. This created intricate designs.
Instead of bolting springs to axles, Bugatti's axles had special openings. The springs passed right through them. This was a much more elegant solution. It also used fewer parts. Ettore Bugatti believed that "weight was the enemy." He wanted his cars to be light and fast.
Important Bugatti Models
| Prototypes | Racing Cars | Road Cars |
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Rare Bugatti Finds
Sometimes, rare Bugatti cars are found years later. In 2009, relatives of Harold Carr found a special 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante. It was among his belongings after he passed away. This car was once owned by a British race car driver, Earl Howe. It was in great condition and could be restored easily.
On July 10, 2009, a 1925 Bugatti Brescia Type 22 was found. It had been at the bottom of Lake Maggiore for 75 years! The Mullin Museum in California bought it at an auction. It sold for over $350,000.
Attempts to Bring Bugatti Back
In the mid-1950s, Ettore's son Roland Bugatti tried to revive the company. He designed the Type 251 race car. But the car did not perform well. So, the company stopped trying to make cars again.
In the 1960s, designer Virgil Exner also tried to bring Bugatti back. A show car was built using the last Bugatti Type 101 chassis. It was shown at a car show in 1965. But there wasn't enough money to continue.
Bugatti kept making airplane parts. In 1963, it was sold to Hispano-Suiza. This company also used to make cars. Later, in 1968, Snecma took over Hispano-Suiza.
Modern Bugatti Companies
Bugatti Automobili S.p.A. (1987–1995)
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In 1987, an Italian businessman named Romano Artioli bought the Bugatti brand. He started a new company called Bugatti Automobili S.p.A.. Artioli built a new factory in Italy. Construction began in 1988 and the factory opened in 1990.
The first car from this new company was the Bugatti EB110 GT. It had a powerful V12 engine with four turbochargers. It also had a six-speed gearbox and four-wheel drive. Famous racing car driver Michael Schumacher owned an EB110.
However, the economy was not doing well. This caused the company to face problems. Operations stopped in September 1995. The factory was later sold.
Some former Bugatti employees started a new company called B Engineering. They used parts from the EB110 to create a new car called the Edonis.
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. (1998–Present)
Before the Veyron
The Volkswagen Group bought the Bugatti brand in 1998. They started a new company called Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. This company asked a famous designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro, to create a concept car. This car was the EB118. It was a coupe that first appeared at the 1998 Paris Auto Show. It had a very powerful W-18 engine. Bugatti also showed other concept cars like the EB 218 and the 18/3 Chiron.
The Veyron Era (2005–2015)
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. began building its first regular car in September 2005. This car was the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. It was a "super car" with an 8-liter W-16 engine and four turbochargers. It had an incredible 1001 horsepower. On February 23, 2015, Bugatti sold its very last Veyron. It was called "La Finale."
The Chiron Era (2016–Present)
The Bugatti Chiron is a two-seat sports car. Its engine is in the middle of the car. It was designed by Achim Anscheidt. The Chiron was made to be the successor to the Bugatti Veyron. It was first shown to the public at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1, 2016.
See also
- Musée National de l'Automobile de Mulhouse, home of the Schlumpf Collection of Bugatti cars
