Automotive

$40 million Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic wins Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award

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The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Peninsula Classics
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Peninsula Classics
The exquisite 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic owned by Walmart Chairman Rob Walton and the Mullin Automotive Museum took top honors in the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris. The Type 57's supercharged 3.257 liter engine is an  inline-8 producing in excess of 170 hp
Peninsula Classics
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Peninsula Classics
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Peninsula Classics
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Peninsula Classics
The founders of The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award are individually recognized as being among the world's foremost motoring aficianados. Sir Michael Kadoorie, together with award co-founders Christian Philippsen, William E. "Chip" Connor and Bruce Meyer, created the award that debuted in 2016.
Peninsula Classics
The winning 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Spider by Touring from the 2017 Amelia Island Concours de Sport
Peninsula Classics
The winning 1964 ATS 2500 GTS Coupe by Allemano from the 2017  Quail Motorsports Gathering
Rolex
This 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic Coupe won the 2017 Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Mille
Chantilly Arts Elegance Richard Mille / © Mathieu Bonnevie
This 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic Coupe won the 2017 Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Mille
Chantilly Arts Elegance Richard Mille / © Mathieu Bonnevie
This 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic Coupe won the 2017 Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Mille
Chantilly Arts Elegance Richard Mille / © Mathieu Bonnevie
The winning 1933-35 Lancia Astura Aerodinamica Coupe by Castagna from the 2017 Concours of Elegance, UK
The 1929 Mercedes-Benz S Barker Tourer which took out the Rolex Best of Show Award at Pebble Beach in 2017
Rolex
The 1929 Mercedes-Benz S Barker Tourer which took out the Rolex Best of Show Award at Pebble Beach in 2017
Rolex
The 1929 Mercedes-Benz S Barker Tourer which took out the Rolex Best of Show Award at Pebble Beach in 2017
Rolex
The 1929 Mercedes-Benz S Barker Tourer which took out the Rolex Best of Show Award at Pebble Beach in 2017
Rolex
The winning 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale Prototipo by Bertone from the 2017 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este
Petra Sagnak | Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
Corrado Lopresto of Italy and his winning 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale Prototipo by Bertone from the 2017 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este
Petra Sagnak | Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
Corrado Lopresto of Italy and his winning 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale Prototipo by Bertone from the 2017 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este
Petra Sagnak | Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
The winning 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Spider by Touring from the 2017 Amelia Island Concours de Sport
Somer Hooker|New Atlas
The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award finalists for 2017: The 1929 Mercedes-Benz S Roadster by Barker which won the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet which won the 2017 Goodwood Cartier Style et Luxe Concours d'Elegance, the 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Spider by Touring which won the 2017 Amelia Island Concours de Sport,  the 1951 Ferrari 212 Export Cabriolet by Vignale from the 2017 Gran Turismo Ferrari Cup at the Cavallino Classic, the 1964 ATS 2500 GTS Coupé from The Quail Motorsports Gathering in 2017, the 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale Prototipo from the 2017 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, the winning 1933-35 Lancia Astura Aerodinamica Coupe by Castagna from the 2017 Concours of Elegance, UK, and the overall winning 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlanticfrom the Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Mille (pictured twice).
From top left,  the 2016 finalists were the 1954 Maserati A6GCS Berlinetta (winner 2016 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este), the 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupé Superfast II (winner 2016 Cavallino Classic), the Maserati A6GCS Berlinetta again, 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider (winner 2016Quail Motorsports Gathering),  a 1938 Dubonnet Xenia Coupé by Saoutchik (winner 2016 Concours of Elegance UK),  a 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV Coupé (winner 2016 Goodwood Cartier Style et Luxe Concours d’Elegance), a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring (winner 2016 Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Mille), a 1952 Pegaso Z-102 Berlineta Cúpula (winner 2016 Amelia Island Concours de Sport), and the 1936 Lancia Astura Cabriolet Tipo Bocca that won the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The Maserati A6GCS took out overall honors in the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award for 2016 at the 2017 Monterey Car Week. Full story
The winner of the 2016 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, this 1954 Maserati A6GCS Berlinetta won the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award for 2016 at the 2017 Monterey Car Week. Pictured with the car is Timm Bergold, a representative of Monaco-based Destriero Collection.
Peninsula Classics
In 2016, the inaugural Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award was created and bestowed during Monterey Car Week. The original award entrants were the winners of the Quail Motorsport Gathering, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the Cartier Style et Luxe at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, England’s Concours of Elegance, and Italy’s Cavallino Classic. The 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS above was the winner of the 2016 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award.
Peninsula Classics
The winning 1951 Ferrari 212 Export Cabriolet by Vignale from the 2017 Gran Turismo Ferrari Cup at the Cavallino Classic
Peninsula Classics
The winning 1933-35 Lancia Astura Aerodinamica Coupe by Castagna from the 2017 Concours of Elegance, UK
The winning 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale Prototipo by Bertone from the 2017 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este
Peninsula Classics
The winning 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Spider by Touring from the 2017 Amelia Island Concours de Sport
Peninsula Classics
The winning 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet by Pininfarina from the 2017 Goodwood Cartier Style et Luxe Concours d'Elegance
Peninsula Classics
The Jean Bugatti-designed  Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic, takes the "Best of Show Concours d'Etat" at the 2017 Richard Mille Chantilly Arts & Elegance. Apart from being extraordinarily beautiful and exceptionally rare, the streamlined and supercharged eight cylinder  sportscar produced 170+ hp and is considered by many to be the first supercar ever made.
Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Type 57 SC at Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este
Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este.
Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Type 57 SC at Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este
Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este.
Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Type 57 SC at Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este
Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este.
Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Type 57 SC at Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este in 2013
Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este.
The winning car on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum's "The Art of Bugatti" exhibit in 2016. That's a Bugatti Royale in the foreground. Only six were made, and twice they have been the most expensive car ever sold. In 1986, a 1931 Bugatti Royale Berline de Voyager sold for $6.5 million to become the most expensive car ever, and in 1987, a 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe was sold by Christie's in London for $9.8 million to take the crown it held for nearly a quarter of a century.
Bugatti
Fashion magnate and global-renowned tastemeister, Ralph Lauren, with his pride and joy
Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este.
Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Type 57 SC at Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este
Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este.
The fabled Bugatti Aérolithe concept car designed by Jean Bugatti in 1935. The car was constructed of Elektron magnesium alloy and could not be welded, so a  riveted "dorsal fin" design was used. Though the three Atlantic Coupés used aluminum alloy, and could have been welded, the distinctive design endured. The Aérolithe Concept Car was lost to the register many decades ago and no-one has ever been able to trace what happened to it. If it were found, it would most likely become the most valuable car in the world.
Bugatti
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Angus MacKenzie|New Atlas
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Angus MacKenzie|New Atlas
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Angus MacKenzie|New Atlas
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Angus MacKenzie|New Atlas
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Angus MacKenzie|New Atlas
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Angus MacKenzie|New Atlas
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Angus MacKenzie|New Atlas
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Angus MacKenzie|New Atlas
The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Angus MacKenzie|New Atlas
A rare in-period image of one of the four Bugatti Atlantics in a Parisienne Bugatti dealership, circa 1937
Bugatti
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A 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic was last night awarded the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award in Paris. Fast becoming regarded as the defacto world championship for concours cars, the Best of the Best Award pits the winning cars from each of the eight most important concours events around the world each year, and has them judged by a panel of experts, creating an annual champion of champions. This year it was predictably the Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic, one of the world's most valuable cars.

Now in its third year, the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award brought together eight best of show winners to compete for the title of the most exceptional motor car in the world, though in many minds, the appearance of the Bugatti Type 57 SC made the third running of the event somewhat of a non-contest.

The Jean Bugatti-designed  Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic, takes the "Best of Show Concours d'Etat" at the 2017 Richard Mille Chantilly Arts & Elegance. Apart from being extraordinarily beautiful and exceptionally rare, the streamlined and supercharged eight cylinder  sportscar produced 170+ hp and is considered by many to be the first supercar ever made.

The winning Bugatti has always been regarded as one of the most valuable cars in the world, being sold at auction in 1971 for a then world record price of US$59,000. It was purchased by well-known car collector Dr. Peter Williamson and remained in the Williamson family until 2010 when it was privately sold to Walmart Chairman Rob Walton for a reported $40 million.

The winning car on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum's "The Art of Bugatti" exhibit in 2016. That's a Bugatti Royale in the foreground. Only six were made, and twice they have been the most expensive car ever sold. In 1986, a 1931 Bugatti Royale Berline de Voyager sold for $6.5 million to become the most expensive car ever, and in 1987, a 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe was sold by Christie's in London for $9.8 million to take the crown it held for nearly a quarter of a century.
Bugatti

The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award-winner is apparently now co-owned by Rob and Melani Walton and the Mullin Automotive Museum, where it is often on display. Its most recent public showing other than at the Mullin Museum and Chantilly Château in France last September, was at the Los Angeles-based Petersen Automotive Museum where it was one of the stars of the "Art of Bugatti" exhibit (pictured above).

It earned its finalist spot in the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award when it was named "Best of Show Concours d'Etat" at the 2017 Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Millee.

The exquisite lines of the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic which took top honors in the 2017 Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award in Paris
Peninsula Classics

The Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic Coupé was styled on the famous Aérolithe concept car designed by Jean Bugatti in 1935, and hence had the same "dorsal fin" design used in the concept car due to the Elektron magnesium alloy used, which could not be welded.

Though the Atlantic Coupés used aluminum, and could have been welded, the distinctive design endured and the three Atlantics extant (four were built) are among the most valuable in the world. One of the other two extant cars is owned by fashion magnate Ralph Lauren and like this car, whenever it is entered in a concours event, it generally wins.

Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Type 57 SC at Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este
Concorso d'Elegenza Villa d'Este.

The last time the Ralph Lauren Bugatti Atlantic was seen publicly was at Concorso Elegenza Villa d'Este in 2013, where it predictably picked up the top gong. Indeed, as we suggested in our preview of this event, if we were "framing a bookmakers market, this would be the car with the shortest price."

This 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic Coupe won the 2017 Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Mille
Chantilly Arts Elegance Richard Mille / © Mathieu Bonnevie

"The Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic is the crown jewel of the automotive circuit," said Bugatti Head of Tradition Julius Kruta. "This car was Jean Bugatti's masterpiece with its beautiful and breath-taking lines, plus its unmatched performance for the time. Today, it remains the ultimate expression of the Bugatti legacy: unparalleled power and beautiful design."

"This model, chassis number 57374, was the first Type 57 Atlantic produced and is the only surviving "Aéro Coupé, a designation given to the first two cars that were mechanically very similar to the Aérolithe [pictured below]," said Kruta.

The fabled Bugatti Aérolithe concept car designed by Jean Bugatti in 1935. The car was constructed of Elektron magnesium alloy and could not be welded, so a  riveted "dorsal fin" design was used. Though the three Atlantic Coupés used aluminum alloy, and could have been welded, the distinctive design endured. The Aérolithe Concept Car was lost to the register many decades ago and no-one has ever been able to trace what happened to it. If it were found, it would most likely become the most valuable car in the world.
Bugatti

"The Atlantic represents the pinnacle of everything I adore about French automotive styling and is widely described as the Mona Lisa of the automobile collector world," said Peter Mullin, Founder and CEO of the Mullin Automotive Museum. "From its signature curves to its aviation-inspired rivets, to the Jean Bugatti designed sleek all-aluminum body, the car is truly a remarkable piece of art. I'm very honored to have shared it with the world among other worthy 'Best of the Best' contenders."

"I second Peter's thoughts – the other seven nominees were simply stunning, which makes winning the award feel even more special," said Rob Walton, co-owner of the winning car. "What this award does is allow us to take a step back and admire the quality and beauty of the greatest classic cars in existence today. For an automotive fan like myself, it's a joy."

Previously presented during Monterey Car Week, the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award moved to Paris this year to be presented during Rétromobile.

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