The Superbugs

Not for the first time, one of motor sport’s most successful cars was a huge flop when it made its debut. In this case, it was the Bugatti Tipo 35, six of which were driven on the public roads from Molsheim to Lyons in late July 1924, to compete in the Grand Prix of France.

Ettore Bugatti, who personally drove one of the cars to the race, didn’t do things by halves. Three railway wagons and two draw-bar trailer trucks humped the team’s spares, equipment, personnel, and creature comforts to the Rhône region’s capital city for the race. When they got there, the Bugatti family “made do” with a super-luxury caravan; and the 45 drivers, mechanics, and other staff lived in a well-appointed tent with beds for all, bathing facilities, toilets, a kitchen, and even an ice-box.