A virtual magazine for a true passion!

Editor: Jaap Horst

Volume 24, Issue 2

Bugatti Festival Molsheim 2021

By Jaap Horst, photographs Jaap Horst / Tomás Horst

The 2021 Festival was a nice intermezzo between all the Covid-troubles, and one of few events that actually could take place in their full organized state. Only difference being the Covid-checks, and some places where the mouth protection was required.
Some specialties were of course the Brescia's (some of which would go on to Italy afterwards, for some of the 100 years' at Brescia festivities) and of course the presentation of the reconstructed Weymann Royale.

My son Tomás and I arrived on the Friday evening in Molsheim, and didn't take part in any activities. From the Saturday morning we participated in most activities, and rode all Saturday with Robert Braunschweig in his Type 57 Coach by Gangloff (on the right).

All the photographs are a bit much, thus I organised all info on this page in the different events within the Festival. You can use the following navigation list to go to a specific event, or just browse through this page. Have fun!

On the right: the Festival programme.

Friday evening at the hotel

When we arrive at the "Hotel du Centre" in Molsheim, there were already some Bugattis in the parking lot! Cars in the photographs are the T57's of Andrea Capra and Robert Braunschweig, the T44 of Alexis Couturier and the T49 of Daniel Schuler, who are all from Switzerland.

Saturday morning

Above the photographs of the gathering at the Pur Sang on the monday morning.

Not a lot of photographs as usual, as there was something wrong with our subscription. Sorry Michel!

Below; the parking lot near the Arzviller ship lift, which was visited, and where we went up and down the ship lift in a boat, with a short tour over the canal / river.

Below three short movies from inside Robert's T57!

Saturday afternoon

Next stop was at Abreschviller, where we had lunch in the garden of the restaurant. Under cover fortunately as it had started to rain.

The two Bugatti Royale's arrived there, and were quite the center of interest.

Quite a few views of both Royale reconstructions; the prototype with Packard body, and the later Weymann body which was constructed on the same chassis.

After lunch, a steam train came to take us for a short trip. In fact it is a very interesting mallet locomotive, with double drive (0-4-4-0), which was capable of negotiating relatively short turns, and still have a lot of pulling power. It was constructed in 1906.

Sunday morning - at the Dorlisheim cemetery

The Saturday morning the Bugattis first gather in the streets of Dorlisheim, where a breakfast is offered in the gardens of a small town chateau. We had breakfast there together with the Hofman family. Below the ceremony, with on the first photograph initiator of the series of Festivals, Paul Kestler, sitting just behind the Royale's radiator.

Below the Bugatti's in the streets of Dorlisheim.

Below: Short movie of the Bugatti's leaving from Dorlisheim, back to Molsheim for the presentation.

Sunday afternoon - public presentation

On the Sunday afternoon (well, starting a bit earlier), all Bugatti's are publicly presented on the parking lot of the "Parc de Jesuites". After a while all cars pass before the jury, and are presented, some history, owner etcetera. Later, the prizes will be awarded (we were not present for that).

Presentation of the two Royale's.

Also, there are several stands, with books (my friend Eric Favre was there presenting mainly his book on the AutoRail), Artwork and miniatures.

Below, new style of paintings by Jean-Marie Baerts from Belgium.

Miniatures by Peter Rommell and Cedric Frey

Art by Francois Vanaret

So in the end; was it worth my (or your) while?

I must say yes to this, I did not count, but I must have seen over the weekend many dozens classic Bugattis, enjoyed riding in one, and the sound and smell of others. And I've seen a number of rather special Bugattis also!

See you again next year!

Not fitting anywhere else are these of a Galibier (from the Netherlands), which was not an official participant, and the Chiron which was on display in a glass box in the town square. Impossible to photograph with all the glass...

List of all Bugattis

For those of you who want to know the chassis numbers of the Bugattis, Christian Anicet put them all together. This is for the entire weekend. They are the following:

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Vive La Marque !!