Collection Classics: Blue Atlantic
June 1, 2008
Bugatti produced only four examples of the visually stunning Atlantic coupe. Two survive, and each has claimed the coveted Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance; the fate of the other two remains a mystery.
The Atlantic’s origins, however, are clearer. Though France’s high tariffs and restricted trade buffered it from the Great Depression’s immediate effects, the domestic market for luxury automobiles had dwindled by the early 1930s. Ettore Bugatti and his then-25-year-old son Jean knew their company’s survival depended upon a special model. The Type 57 was that car. While mechanically complex in typical Bugatti fashion, it also eschewed technology like an independent front suspension and adequate brakes. "I build my cars to go, not to stop," Bugatti reportedly boasted. Le Patron, as he was called, later acquiesced to far superior, Lockheed hydraulic units.
A portfolio of exciting, factory-built body styles named for Alpine mountain passes made the Type 57 an instant favorite; wealthier clients could specify even more elegant, one-off custom coachwork from the finest carrossiers.
The concept for the special Atlantic variant was first displayed in 1935, at both the Paris and London auto shows. Called the Competition Coupe Aérolithe (French for meteorite), it rode on a prototype Type 57S (for surbaissé or underslung) chassis, some 32 cm shorter than the standard Type 57, with gondola-shaped frame-rails that tapered to a point in the rear for a more aerodynamic appearance. It was powered by a normally aspirated, 3.3-liter, dual-overhead-cam, straight 8–cylinder engine. Historians believe Bugatti built two Aérolithe prototypes, but that the pair didn’t exist simultaneously. Neither car survives, and parts from each were used in subsequent production Atlantics.
Even in a time when other marques experimented with aerodynamics—including Mercedes-Benz’s Autobahn-Kurier, Jaguar’s custom fastback Airline models and Talbot-Lago’s voluptuous T150 Teardrop coupes—Bugatti’s curvaceous Aérolithe was a design sensation. Photos of the Aérolithe alongside square-rigged competitors emphasized Jean’s advanced thinking. Although orders didn’t pour in—it was dauntingly expensive—Bugatti made a convincing point.
Called the Type 57S Aero—the Atlantic name wouldn’t appear until later—the first production model was to be fabricated from Elektron, a special magnesium and aluminum alloy. When that material proved impossible to weld, Jean, with assistance from chief body designer Joseph Walter, used rivets to unite the fuselage sections. This explains the spine-like center rib dividing the svelte body, a theme repeated in the parting lines of its teardrop-shaped fenders. Close-coupled, cramped, poorly ventilated, deliciously impractical, this sexy lightweight was an enthusiast’s delight. Moreover, when equipped with a supercharger it was one of the era’s only sports cars to top 130 mph.
Subsequent Atlantic bodies were made of hand-formed aluminum. Although no longer necessary, the rivets looked exotic, so Bugatti retained the illusion of a finned, riveted spine and split fender forms. The first example sold, 57.374 (pictured), built in February 1936, was purchased by Lord Nathaniel Rothschild—a bon vivant and enthusiastic amateur racer who served in the British Intelligence Service.
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