This 83-year-old Bugatti 57C Atalante Coupe allegedly belongs to a series of only 37 vehicles, out of which only a handful ended up with a removable soft top, and is on its way to an auction where it could fetch a seven-digit amount in USD.
This example bears the chassis number 57641 and is considered one of the earliest prototype versions of the Type 57 Atalante. None other than Jean Bugatti, the son of the company founder, has reportedly done its exterior, styling it differently from most more recent Bugatti cars. Note the unique rear fenders, for example.
The rest of the body is no less exciting to look at. For one thing, the central part of the roof is a folding soft top that can disappear completely in a special compartment, leaving b-pillars standing where they were.
The car reportedly started its life as a racer, but later evolved into a collector’s piece. The owners exhibited it in museums throughout France and on thematic exhibitions. Nine years ago, it was brought to the United States and thoroughly restored.
The model usually came equipped with a 3.2-liter inline-8 engine rated up top 136 PS (134 hp / 100 kW). The sported-up 57C specification also had a supercharger that boosted it to 160 PS (158 hp / 118 kW), but none is listed in the item description for some reason.