The 2023 Festival was a special one, as it was the 40th time it was organized.. It was longer then usual, and already started on the Thursday, September 14.
The whole programme was different (see below), with the public presentation on the Saturday evening instead of the Sunday. Though the presentation of the automobiles was more or less the same as other years, the whole atmosphere (and the photographs!) were different because it was held in the dark.
Another public event (and well visited I might say!) was the dynamic presentation on the Sunday morning. As the movies of the Bugatti's in action were just too good to not show them, I opened a special Youtube channel, and inclosed a few short, and some longer, movies in this page.
My son Tomás and I arrived on the Friday afternoon in Molsheim, and were just in time at the ceremony at the family Tomb. From the Saturday morning we participated in most activities, and rode all Saturday with Robert Braunschweig in his Type 57 Coach Gangloff.
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. Note that for two events during the Festival I made a special page; these are the Carlo - Rembrandt exhibition organized by the Perridon Experience Team, and the AutoRail exhibition at the Chartreuse.
The sun just coming up in the east, enabled many to make some artistic overview photographs of the grounds, many new Bugatti's there, and some classic ones.
A series of Veyron's, Chirons and an EB 110. The softtop cover of the open Veyron does not look smooth in the morning...
Ton Deutekom's pretty little Type 40.
Below: many photographs of all the Bugatti's present.
On the stairs of the Chateau: After a welcome word by Christophe Piochon, director of Bugatti, the official opening of the Carlo / Rembrandt exhibition inside the Chateau, by Michel Perridon. Words of thanks to all the organisation, and several parties (Bugatti SAS, EBA) were presented with paintings by Bernd Luz.
Special car exhibition
In one of the side buildings there were three very special Bugatti's, as these are seldom to be seen. The 1923 type 32, 1933 Type 45 16-cilinder and the 1936 Type 57G. They are all reconstructions, using original parts, and are recent additions to the Perridon collection.
Accompanying them was a Type 45 engine (engine no. 2) from the Bugatti SAS collection, unfortunately without the compressors, and another 16 cilinder, the modern Bolide.
The Type 32 from 1923, star of the Festival, as it was made and raced exactly 100 years ago. A very intriguing Bugatti, and in many aspects revolutionary, due to for example it's aerodynamic shape and underslung chassis, with reversed quarter elliptics back and front, and hydraulic brakes on the front wheels.
More info on the T32 in this book which recently appeared.
The 16 cilinder 3.8 liter type 45, impressive piece of engineering!
The engine of the 16 cilinder 3.8 liter type 45. Engine No. 2.
The T57G of 1936. Le Mans winner in 1937. Not an original one, but beautiful nonetheless. And equipped with the most beautiful wheels Bugatti ever made.
The Bugatti Bolide (and it's engine), a track only car by Bugatti SAS, should have had a 1850 HP version of the 8 litre 16 cilinder VVR engine (on race fuel), now with "only" 1600 HP....
Saturday morning at Bugatti SAS - continued
After the special Exhibit of the T32, T45 and T57G we continue showing all the cars, on the grounds of Bugatti SAS.
One of the most impressive cars was the Type 41 Royale rolling chassis. A replica using an original AutoRail engine owned by Eric van Lammeren and built by Frank Slopsma and his team in the Netherlands.
The Type 57 Galibier in it's last version, one of my favourites!
Below, the type 41 Rolling chassis. Something you do not see every day. Equipped with the AutoRail engine marked "PLM 157"
The Type 50 Weinberger cabriolet (replica body), the Type 41 will be equipped with a very similar body, faithful to the original. As we know, the Royale Weinberger Cabriolet which was sold to dr. Fuchs, ended up in the USA, and is now in the Ford museum. It has been heavily modified, and the colour scheme completely changed.
One of the pecularities of the Bugatti Royale's Transaxle gearbox (Gearbox in the rear axle). The cardan shaft is turning with the car standing still!
After the dynamic presentation there was the closing lunch, where there was (again) good food, prizes were presented, and a nice dessert was had.
Andy Wallace, who rode a Type 35 at the Dynamic presentation, was presented with the special "Cul pointu" (pointed tail) trophy, which was a collage of drawings made by 6 great grand children of Ettore Bugatti.
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Two short movies of the dynamic presentation from inside the Bugatti.
Short movies of A T41 Rolling Chassis and a EB110 passing.
Left: Full circle of the track in a Type 57; Right: Grand Prix Bugatti's racing , September 17, 2023. The blue T35 (unblown) is driven by Le Mans Winner and Bugatti test driver (and world record holder for the highest speed in a "production" automobile) Andy Wallace.
Sunday evening we went from our apartment to the center of town, to have dinner. As we arrived there, we could see how the Autorail was being transported out of Molsheim, through the narrow streets. The most difficult curve was just being completed as we arrived. And no, the movies below are not taken backwards, the large truck really did drive backwards!
Two short movies of the AutoRail on a long trailer being manouvred through the tiny streets of Molsheim
Sunday evening, one Bugatti parked on the main square. Until next year!
