Bugatti – 57 S (1937)

Every now and then, history brings partners together who complement each other in an ideal symbiosis. That was certainly the case for this 57 S Cabriolet produced by Bugatti and Vanvooren. Bugatti delivered dazzling engineering feats with intricate complexity manifested in impressive aesthetic clarity. The traditional coachbuilder Vanvooren located in the suburb of Courbevoie near Paris created the elegant convertible body. Its perfectly balanced proportions accentuate calm, knife-edge lines that reject any form of opulence or flamboyant ornamentation.

This example is the first of just four Bugatti Type 57 S automobiles reputed to have been bodied by Vanvooren as convertibles. The car has already delighted ten owners, including a Vice President of General Motors, who swapped the Bugatti inline eight-cylinder powerhouse with a Buick V8 for test purposes. The fact that after four decades of separation the long-sought original engine turned up in an Internet search and found its way back to the car is surely a modern-day miracle.