Bugatti Make Overview

For modern-day collectors of classic cars, as well as admirers of the world's greatest supercars, Bugatti reigns supreme. More than classic Ferraris, Duesenbergs, Mercedes-Benzes, Bentleys, or other highly collectible cars, pre-war Bugattis are highly coveted by the world's most discerning collectors, not only because early Bugattis are relatively rare these days, but also because they are considered works of art, especially cars from the mid-1920s to the late 1930s. In particular, the 1938 Type 57SC Atlantic has been called one of the world's top cars by collectors and experts, as has the Bugatti Royale.

Today, the Bugatti name has become synonymous with the most exclusive and desirable supercars. In 1991, after a long absence, the automaker, under new ownership, returned to the world automotive stage with the debut of the EB 110, a four-wheel-drive exotic car powered by a turbocharged V12 that produced 560 horsepower. Only 139 units were produced through 1994, ensuring the car's exclusivity.

Currently, Bugatti produces a single car, the Veyron 16.4. The "super sports car," as Bugatti refers to it, pays tribute to the classic Bugattis of the 1920s and '30s with its two-tone color scheme, horseshoe-shaped radiator grille, and distinctive Bugatti profile. More impressive, however, is the Veyron's engine, which clocks in at a whopping 1,001 horsepower. That's powerful enough to "literally lift the car off the ground" were it not for the Veyron's carefully designed aerodynamics, according to Bugatti. That's what we call a supercar, and it demonstrates that rarefied air in which Bugatti has always operated.

The history of Bugatti splits into two segments, and stretches back to the early years of the 20th century. Born into a family of artists in 1881, company founder Ettore Bugatti decided to pursue automotive engineering as a career instead of art after working for a bicycle manufacturer during his teenage years. Like his contemporary, Enzo Ferrari, Bugatti made a name for himself early on in motor sports, designing a number of competitive racing vehicles. His designs quickly gained him attention, and he worked for several years as a journeyman automotive designer. Despite being born in Italy, he set up his own shop in 1909 at Molsheim in the Alsace region, on the border of France and Germany. Although at the time a part of Germany, the Alsace reverted to French control during the 1920s and '30s and again after World War II.

Bugatti continued to design cars, engines, and airplane engines through the first World War. In 1926, he built one of his most memorable road cars, the Royale, which was the most expensive automobile of the era. But the car proved a financial drain for Bugatti during the years of the Depression, and the automaker struggled through the 1930s while continuing to produce other cars. The death of Ettore Bugatti's 30-year-old son, Jean, in 1939 while test-driving a car proved to be another setback for the company, which produced its last significant cars in the 1940s. When Bugatti died in 1947, his company slowly died with him.

Following World War II, several efforts were made to revive the Bugatti name under a succession of owners. In 1987, an Italian businessman acquired the Bugatti name and established Bugatti Automobili S.p.A., which built the EB 110. The company declared bankrupty in 1995, however. In 1998, Volkswagen AG acquired the rights to the Bugatti name, and in 1999 introduced three experimental concept cars. In 2001, Bugatti greenlit the production of the Veyron, which made its U.S. debut in 2003. The most recent iteration of that car, the Veyron 16.4, continues to fly the legendary Bugatti flag today, and again holds the distinction of being the world's most expensive car.