A landmark example of pre-war automotive engineering, the 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante will cross the block at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction next month. The celebrated coupe boasts an extraordinary provenance that includes ownership by renowned French artist André Derain, Harrah’s Automobile Collection, and biotechnology pioneer Dr. Herbert Boyer.
Regarded as one of Bugatti’s finest creations, the Type 57SC evolved from the already elegant Type 57 but featured comprehensive engineering revisions that transformed it into a true high-performance grand tourer. Built on the exclusive Type 57S (Surbaissé) chassis, the model employed a shorter, significantly lower frame, a split front axle, and a rear axle routed through the chassis to reduce ride height and improve handling. Its specially developed 3.3-liter inline-eight engine incorporated a higher compression ratio, dry-sump lubrication, and magneto ignition, delivering performance that made the 57S one of the fastest and most advanced road cars of the 1930s.
Competition success quickly cemented the model’s reputation, with Type 57S-based cars claiming victories in major European events including the French Grand Prix, La Marne Grand Prix, Comminges Grand Prix, Pau, and Le Mans. Production, however, remained exceptionally limited. Only 42 Type 57S chassis were built, with just 17 receiving Jean Bugatti’s iconic Atalante coachwork, making the model among the rarest and most desirable Bugattis ever produced.
Chassis 57551 is especially significant as one of only four Atalantes fitted with the distinctive lowered headlights seen on the original Paris Auto Salon show car. Delivered new in 1937 to French industrialist Jean Lévy, the Bugatti survived World War II before passing through several notable custodians, including André Derain. It later arrived in the United States, where it joined Harrah’s Automobile Collection and was ultimately upgraded to full 57SC specification with the addition of a supercharger.
Following an award-winning restoration, the car earned Best of Show at the 1976 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Decades later, RM Auto Restoration meticulously returned the Atalante to its original appearance, preserving significant original components while restoring historical accuracy. The result captured Most Elegant Closed Car at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Maintained in concours condition throughout its more than 25 years in The Jim Patterson Collection, the Bugatti is accompanied by extensive documentation, including Harrah’s research archives and restoration records, making this one of the most comprehensively documented and historically significant Type 57SC Atalantes ever offered at auction.
Source: RM Sotheby’s
