Bugatti : The mysterious story of the Black

The term 'La Noire' isn't referring to Hamoud Boualem's Selecto, but to one of the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantics created by Jean Bugatti, son of Ettore Bugatti.

Before telling you that story, let's first talk about the model itself.

The Bugatti Atlantic 57SC Atlantic is one of the most beautiful, iconic, and valuable cars on the road today. Only four were produced, each painted in a unique color. This Atlantic version was inspired by the Bugatti Aérolithe concept car.

The Atlantic was named after Jean Bugatti's personal friend, the French pilot Jean Mermoz. A pioneer of French aviation, he was the first pilot in the world to cross the South Atlantic. Sadly, in 1936, Mermoz and his crew crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after an engine failure on board. Originally, it was called the Bugatti Aéro Coupé. However, after learning the tragic news, Jean Bugatti renamed the car the Bugatti Atlantic Coupé in tribute to his deceased friend.

“The Atlantic is one of the many icons that have punctuated Bugatti’s rich history. At the time, the elegance, quality, and power of this coupé made it unique in the world, as it remains today. For us, this luxury super sports car is as much a source of inspiration as it is a role model. With our current hyper sports cars, the Chiron, the Chiron Sport, and the Divo, we intend to continue this tradition, in the spirit of Bugatti style,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti.

- The first Bugatti Type 57S was produced in 1936, bearing chassis number 57374 and owned by British politician Baron Victor Rothschild. Without a supercharger, it sported a blue-grey livery. This first of four Bugatti Type 57Ss was sold for a world record price of over $30 million in 2010 to the Peter Mullin Collection (one of the most expensive cars in automotive history).

- The second Bugatti, number 57453, La Voiture Noire, from which the story originates, was owned by Jean Bugatti himself, who wanted to keep it for his personal use and, being the sole driver, we will return to its mysterious history.

- The third, number 57473, was purchased by a Parisian businessman, Jacques Holzschuh. It was delivered in October 1936.

- The last Atlantic produced, marked # 57591, was owned by British lawyer Richard Pope in May 1938. Now part of Ralph Lauren's collection, it almost disappeared when its second owner (Ralph Lauren is the fifth) got stuck at a level crossing. He died in the accident, and the car was completely destroyed. It was completely rebuilt, except for the engine, which was lost in the tragedy.

The original chassis plate of the Black

A special feature of the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic is that it has a body made up of two half-shells and wings with its aeronautical-inspired rivets (and the Eiffel Tower, another French symbol of the era), 1200 in total to join the sheets, some think it is purely aesthetic. Hand-crafted and profiled for maximum speed made from a lightweight, high-tech metal alloy called Magnesium Elektron (Elektron is 90% magnesium and 10% aluminum), configured specifically for the Atlantic. The car's body panels were not welded, they were riveted together, as Elektron was prone to combustion when exposed to high temperatures, giving the car its characteristic seam.

The history of La Voiture Noire is short and mysterious. This Bugatti Atlantic, chassis number 57453, belonged to Jean Bugatti, the father of the Bugatti Atlantic. It was called "La Voiture Noire." It was the first Atlantic to be equipped with the "C" specification off the production line. Chassis number 57453 became the marque's poster car and was exhibited at the Nice and Lyon motor shows in 1937.

Bugatti handed the car over to driver Robert Benoist after winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans. Shortly after, he entrusted the car to his friend and racing teammate, William Grover-Williams. Although chassis number 57453 was regularly used, it never had a registered owner. In 1939, Williams and his wife fled to England after the outbreak of World War II. The car was last seen after its return to the Bugatti factory in Molsheim, France. The last mention of chassis number 57453 was on a list of cars sent to Bordeaux, France, during the French exodus in 1941; its chassis number had been changed to chassis number 574534.

To revive History, Bugatti created a new Voiture Noire in 2018, a unique example that will be purchased by a mysterious buyer living in Switzerland. Its price of 11 million euros excluding taxes will remain anecdotal and it will have to wait until 2021 to be in his possession, as it is still under development.