1936 - 1938 Bugattie Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe
Provided by Hemmings

Though the cars that bear the name Bugatti are typically remembered as Bright-blue prewar racecars, it is the company’s Grand Touring line of cars from which this unusual road-going creation sprang. In 1934, Bugatti introduced its Type 57. At the time, this chassis represented a significant change in the company’s approach to automobile manufacturing. For the first time, it offered a single “model” upon which multiple factory and custom body styles were offered, a practice that was common throughout the industry then, and one which continues today. Compared to the number of cars that had been offered by Bugatti in the past, the production of 680 cars on the Type 57 chassis represented a massive increase in what was available from the company. Thus the Type 57 has become the most recognizable and well-known Grand Touring Bugatti.

One of the most striking body styles created on the Type 57 was the Atlantic. This two-door coupe is also known as the Electron Coupe, a moniker derived from the lightweight alloy from which its body panels were fashioned. Perhaps its most noteworthy feature is the manner in which the two body-shell halves were attached. Highly reminiscent of aircraft construction, a vertical “spine” flange at the center edge of each half was riveted together in the manner used in the aircraft industry. This feature also reappears on the center of the hood and front and rear fenders, and the marriage of this type of construction with the overall design of the car is considered to be one of the boldest and most successful attempts of its kind. Though much of its front profile was an adaptation of the Atlantic body also offered on the Type 57 chassis, the rear section of the body curves back in a sensuous fastback style. With very high sills, the door openings were flowed well into the roofline to make ingress and egress a more civilized affair.

The Type 57 chassis used for the three Atlantics built was that of the 57 S variety, a shorter version than that of the standard Type 57. The Atlantic also featured a unique suspension arrangement that effectively lowered the car far more than any other Bugatti models, by having the rear axle positioned through the frame instead of above it. The powerplant of choice for this fantastic creation was Bugatti’s 3.2-liter inline 8-cylinder of 170 horsepower, a one-piece block design that featured dual camshafts and two spark plugs per cylinder.

It is reported that all three still survive, one of which is owned by Ralph Lauren. The influence of its stunning design has outlasted the marque itself, having inspired everything from furniture based on its sweeping lines to Chrysler’s 1995 concept car, the Atlantic.