2013 Tesla Model S on 2040-cars

Auto blog

1937 Bugatti 57SC sells for record $9.7 million at Amelia

See this car right here? It may very well be the most valuable Bugatti ever sold at auction. Any 57 would stand among the most sought-after Bugattis among collectors. But this particular 1937 Bugatti 57SC Sports Tourer features unique bodywork from British coachbuilder Vanden Plas. That may make it look more like a Jaguar or Morgan than a Bugatti, but that signature grille tells you otherwise. Chassis number 57541 was showcased at the London Motor Show and featured in some of the company's own literature, then went on to race before and after the War on our side of the Atlantic. In superlative condition, the Vanden Plas Bugatti was valued at $11-13 million heading into the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance where it was auctioned off by Bonhams this weekend. It didn't quite get there, but at $9,735,000, the auctioneer lauds this as "the most valuable Bugatti ever sold at auction and the most valuable car ever sold at Amelia Island." That may not actually be accurate, though. Sports Car Market logs a '31 Royale that Christie's apparently sold for slightly more at $9.8 million way back in 1987, and Gooding & Company sold a '61 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider for $17 million over the same weekend. One way or another, it's a lot of money, and a beautiful car that one very fortunate owner will be taking home with him (or her) from Florida this week. Check it out in the extensive image gallery above and the video clip below. Show full PR text BONHAMS' SECOND ANNUAL AMELIA ISLAND AUCTION A SMASHING SUCCESS – WORLD RECORDS MADE, SALES NEARLY DOUBLED OVER LAST YEAR, AND THE BUGATTI 57SC BECOMES THE MOST VALUABLE BUGATTI EVER SOLD AT AUCTION For immediate release – 11 March 2016 – Amelia Island, Florida – Held Thursday, March 10th at the spacious and conveniently accessible Fernandina Beach Golf Club, Bonhams' second annual Amelia Island auction was a resounding success with nearly $27.5-million achieved. With an impressively diverse and curated selection of 95 automobiles ranging from 19th century motor carriages to 21st century supercars, the handpicked assembly offered something for every taste and interest. Leading the sale was the singular 1937 Bugatti 57SC Sports Tourer by Vanden Plas. Armed with a generous amount of international buzz from the preceding weeks, this very special pre-war car had the auction tent packed to capacity with bidders and spectators. With a starting bid of $6-million, the bidding quickly rose to $8-million.

Bugatti Chiron to cost $2.5 million

Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said the mission of the coming Chiron is to outdo the Veyron "in all dimensions." Durheimer also said that "the price/prestige axis is one of the fundamental axes at Bugatti," which explains why Car magazine's sources say the Chiron will cost 2.2 million euros. At the present exchange rate that's $2.471 million, but more importantly, in Car's home currency it's a 650,000-pound premium over the Veyron – an extra million dollars. The price premium is misleading, though, since Bugatti hasn't sold a Veyron with an MSRP of 'just' $1.5 million in a few years. The standard Grand Sport Vitesse listed at $2.5 million, and that was before the end-of-run Grand Sport Vitesse special editions began rolling out, any of which could have been called the Bugatti Blank Check Edition. So when prospective buyers were told they could get the Chiron's 1,480 horsepower, 0-to-62 mph time of 2.3 seconds, upgraded technology, better gas mileage, 288-mph top speed, and more comfortable ride and handling for about the same price as the old car, their first question might have been, "So what's the catch?" Car says Bugatti intends to build 500 Chirons, 50 more examples than the Veyron got. We could see it as soon as next year's Geneva Motor Show.

Bugatti introduces the Baby II electric roadster priced at under $35,000

Bugatti returned to the electric-car segment after a decades-long hiatus by releasing a single-seater roadster that costs less than a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The catch is that it's a limited-edition model known as the Baby II that's a smaller replica of the race-winning Type 35 that blurs the line between a car and a toy. Developed with The Little Car Company, the Baby II is a modern re-creation of the original Baby that company founder Ettore Bugatti built for his son Roland in 1926. It was 50% smaller than the Type 35, fully electric, fitted with wooden brakes, and envisioned as a one-off model. Bugatti's customers quickly caught wind of the Baby (which was also known as the Type 52) and requested one for their kids. Ultimately, about 500 units were made. Fast forward to 2020, and the Baby II picks up where its predecessor left off with a body that's only 25% smaller than the Type 35. Adults can drive it, the images released by the company show test driver Andy Wallace having a blast behind the wheel, but it's likely too small to fit the average NBA player. Its interior features an instrument cluster like the Type 35's, a quick-release steering wheel, and adjustable seats, among other equipment. Buyers have three variants named Base, Vitesse, and Pur Sang to choose from. The base model has a composite body, a 1.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack, and hydraulic brakes. Its electric motor sends 1.3 horsepower to the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential when the driver selects Novice mode, but that figure increases to 5.8 horses when Expert mode is dialed in. Its top speed checks in at 30 mph. The Vitesse and the Pur Sang each have a 2.8-kilowatt-hour battery, and they receive an upgraded powertrain that generates 13.4 horsepower when the driver uses the Bugatti Speed Key. They're both capable of reaching 42 mph. Vitesse models have a carbon fiber body, while the Pur Sang wears an aluminum body that takes about 200 hours to pound into shape by hand. Range varies between 15 and 31 miles depending on the model selected, and owners can swap out the battery pack in a matter of seconds instead of waiting for a charge. And, while the Baby II is kind of like a big toy, it should deliver surprisingly sharp handling. Bugatti explained it 3D-scanned the Type 35 that won the Lyon Grand Prix and used that data to create a scaled-down suspension. It added adjustable dampers, however. Bugatti will make 500 examples of the Baby II.