Amalgam Bugatti 57SC Atlantic (1938) „The Lord Rotschild“ - 1/8

Description

Amalgam Bugatti 57SC Atlantic (1938) „The Lord Rotschild“ in 1:8 scale.

Chassis number 57374

One of the most iconic Bugatti cars from the original Bugatti era, the Type 57SC Atlantic was characterised by flowing coupé lines and a pronounced back seam running from the front to the rear of the car. The Aérolithe concept of 1935, on which the 57SC was based, used electron composite material for its body panels. This meant that engineers had to rivet the panels together on the outside, as the alloy was a durable and lightweight material but extremely flammable at high temperatures. The production run of the 57SC Atlantics featured a plain aluminium body, but the back seams were retained for style reasons.

The name Atlantic was named in honour of Jean Bugatti's pilot friend Jean Mermoz, who never returned from a flight in the South Atlantic. The „S“ stood for „Surbaissé“ („lowered“), which was a major undertaking in itself, and the „C“ for „Compresseur“, a supercharger that Bugatti introduced in response to customer demand for more horsepower. Hidden under the iconic long bonnet was a 3.3-litre in-line eight-cylinder engine with 197 PS, which gave the coupé a top speed of over 125 miles per hour.

Only four Type 57SCs were produced, three of which were sold to customers. The first car was sold to the British banker Victor Rothschild, a second to the Parisian businessman Jacques Holzschuh and a third to R.B. Pope of Britain. The remaining car was used by Jean Bugatti himself, but there is no record of the car after 1938 and its whereabouts remain a mystery. Tragically, Holzschuh's Atlantic was involved in a fatal accident in which the car was completely destroyed. Decades later, the car underwent a painstaking restoration, but the engine could not be saved.

This perfect replica of the Bugatti 57SC Atlantic in 1:8 scale is modelled on chassis 57374 as it was originally delivered to Victor Rothschild, 3rd Baron Rothschild, in 1936. Painted in metallic grey-blue, No. 57374 was built without the „C“. specification and it is believed to have been fitted with various components from the Aérolithe prototype before the car was returned to Molsheim to have the „C“ specification fitted, which was Lord Rothschild's wish. He continued to use the car until 1941, when he abandoned it in the middle of a field after a faulty supercharger caused the engine to explode. A mechanic bought the 57374 and repaired it before selling it to a wealthy doctor in 1945. This doctor brought the 57SC to the USA and sold it to Bugatti enthusiast Mike Oliver, who, among other things, repainted it to bring the Atlantic into line with US regulations in dark red. The car returned to Molshiem in 1953 to have the supercharger retrofitted. The car changed hands in 1971 for a total of 59,000 US dollars to the collector Peter Williamson, who actively used the car for the next 32 years. He returned it to its original condition and exhibited it at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2003, where it won the „Best of Show“ award. No. 57374 remained in the Williamson family until 2010, when it was sold for no less than $30 million to collector Peter Mullin, who now displays it in his collection of French masterpieces at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California.

The R.B. Pope model is now in the possession of Ralph Lauren, who was kind enough to allow us to use our extremely accurate digital scan on his original car, allowing us to perfectly replicate every detail in scale with the additional assistance of Bugatti's automotive historian Julius Kruta. This scale model was handcrafted and finalised in our workshops with the collaboration and support of the manufacturer in terms of original finishes, materials, archive images and drawings. In addition, the prototype model was subjected to detailed scrutiny by the manufacturer's engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

The Bugatti 57SC Atlantic „The Lord Rothschild“ is limited to just 99 units.
Item number: M5260

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