Born 142 years ago
One of the most influential car designers of all time was born on this day 142 years ago: Ettore Bugatti. The legendary founder of the Bugatti company was the designer of the most successful race cars and luxurious vehicles of his day.
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Bugatti was a natural-born engineer, and remains famous to this day as one of the major pioneers of both automotive engineering and the tradition of motorsports, in an era where the automobile was not seen as a long-term solution for personal transportation. With his visionary designs, some of the world’s most successful racing cars and approximately 1,000 patents to his name, Ettore Bugatti established the Bugatti brand’s relentless quest for perfection through innovation, defying the norm at every turn. It’s an ethos that endures to this day in an all-new Bugatti.
Nor was Bugatti's impact limited to his own brand: he was also responsible for the commercial success that was the Peugeot Bébé in 1913, the Bugatti Autorail, which would go on to shape the future of train travel, and is credited for creating the concept of hospitality at a Grand Prix. He developed aeroplane engines for the French and American governments during the First World War; created his own distillery, unhappy with the liquor he could buy; designed his own bicycles because he believed the best on the market weren’t good enough; and when he wanted to buy his son Roland a toy car, there was nothing suitable, so he built his own – the now famous Bugatti Type 52.
Bugatti Automotive Creations
Type 35
1926 Targa Florio Winner
Quite simply the most successful racing Bugatti of all time, the Bugatti Type 35 took the Grand Prix World Championship in 1926 after winning 351 races and setting 47 records in 1924 and 1925. The 35 won the Targa Florio five times, and was still winning Grand Prix in 1930. Our model at 1:8 scale replicates Bartolomeo ‘Meo’ Costantini’s victorious stead as raced at the seventieth running of the Targa Florio in 1926, where Bugatti dominated with a 1-2-3 victory. No other car was as fast, beautiful and safe as the eight-cylinder car developed by Bugatti. Models are available to purchase.
Type 59
1934 Monaco GP - Nuvolari
We are excited to be nearing the completion of our 1:18 scale model of the ultimate Bugatti Grand Prix car, the Type 59, as raced by Tazio Nuvolari at the Monaco Grand Prix on the 2nd of April 1934. (Pre-production image)
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Type 59
1935 Belgian GP - Wimille
The Type 59 was a testament to Ettore and Jean Bugatti’s extraordinarily creative engineering talents. Whilst our original editions at 1:8 scale sold out long ago, we can reveal that a new special edition is now in development. We look forward to revealing more soon.
Type 57G "Tank"
1937 Le Mans Winner
Designed by Ettore’s son, Jean, the Bugatti 57G was a racing car based on the 57S platform, with a streamlined body and fully concealed wheels. The 1936 French Grand Prix was opened up to sports cars, and Bugatti was perfectly positioned to capitalise: the Type 57G won not just this race, but also the Grand Prix de la Marne in Reims. A first victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans would follow the following year, at 137 km/h, the fastest average speed ever recorded, and exceeding 2000 miles in the race for the first time. Our model captures that winning car, driven by Jean-Pierre Wimille and Robert Benoist. We are accepting orders on the new batch of models, scheduled in for 2024.
The Evolution of Bugatti
Our deep affinity with Ettore and Jean Bugatti’s design ethos has moved us to model many of the most important Bugattis. Discover our range of 1:8 scale models available to order from across the time.
57SC Atlantic
1936
Bugatti EB110 LM
1994
Bugatti Chiron
2016