Retromobile 2024

This year, 2024, Retromobile was as busy as ever, even busier. It had the largest line-up of Bugatti's of all times, I might say. I counted 44 of them. The Bugatti's ranged in engine capacity from 10.6 cc up to 12.8 litres....
Interesting was the appearance of long-time Bugatti enthousiast Julien Dubrulle, with his own stand with many Bugatti parts.

I took the train into Paris on the Thursday to stay in a hotel in walking distance to the Porte de Versailles Expo. Then visited Retromobile on the Friday and went back on the Saturday. Not just in the same train, but in the same car there were 3 friends from the Bugatti club. One of which had been sitting behind me (back-to-back, so we did not see eachother) for a couple of hours. With him, I continued travelling by train to the north of the Netherlands, where we both live.

Quick links to a specific section:

• The Bugattis
• Special Bugatti items and parts
• Bugatti artwork and miniatures
• Non-Bugatti cars and other interesting items
• A list of Chassis Numbers of the Bugattis
• Results of the Artcurial Retromobile auctions

Bugatti automobiles

Nice original Bugatti T35C on the stand of watchmakers Chopard.

At Thiesen this Type 37A, chassis 37284.

A couple of interesting Bugatti's (a T37 and a T44) at the stand of Ivan Dutton. Unluckily I missed Angela Hucke of the Bugatti Trust, who had just left to return home to the UK, when I came there.

At Volante collection a nice Type 57 Cabriolet by Graber, plus a Baby.

At the stand of Jaap Braam Ruben's Fine Automobiles, two original GP's. A T37 and a T35A Tecla.

On the stand of Lukas Huni three Bugatti's, with the Type 59 (the old LPG211, which has unfortunately lost it's fenders, which were so characteristic for this car), and the Berson Atlantic, which was "restored" after being hit by a train. Not really benificial to a car's original condition, I might say. Thus, the car has mainly new parts.

So, how about this Bugatti artcar? Colourful and good looking! The car is a 1926 T35A Course Imitation "Tecla".

Type 51 at Baptiste Nicolosi.
Inside his stand, Baptiste (Marc's son) had some more interesting items, which you can find here. Marc Nicolosi was one of the founders of Retromobile.

Type 40 Grand Sport on the stand of an organization that organizes rallies.

Type 35 on the stand of Ariztegui, among loads of parts.

Type 36/35A and type 32 "Tank" on the stand of Montlhéry.

Two original Type 35's at the French Bugatti Club's stand.

Brescia at the Historic Racing club Fascia d'Oro from Italy.

The by now well-known type 30 with two engines. Rebuilt of the original project, said to be built on the original chassis. The wheelbase is no longer than in the normal T30, the driver is sitting over the front axle. To mount the second engine, the straight part of the front part of the chassis was extended to the rear, inside the regular chassis members. Also the Spanish register was announced again, it will now be finished soon, I was told.

Five Bugatti's at the Artcurial auction. See here for the auction results and car details.

Type 35B at Pur Sang from Argentina. I wonder where they sell these nowadays, as in most European countries it is impossible to get them registered.

Replica Bugatti Baby (Short Wheelbase).

Two EB110GT's plus a Veyron and a Centodieci. That last one I missed somehow, thus the photograph comes from some other website. No stand of Bugatti SAS this year.

Special Bugatti items and parts

The Type 72, engine no. 4. With blower no. 2, to keep things confusing. The engine is complete in good condition, and runs.
Marco Bertazzoni, quite an expert in the field of Bugatti bicycles and bicycle engines explained that the design is wrong. All gearing (for compressor and camshafts) is in front of the single cylinder, which therefore (air cooled!) does not get sufficient cooling. The Type 72B remedied that, where the geartrain was moved to the side of the engine. I have never seen an example of the T72B, though.

Small paperweight, section of a Type 68 cylinder head. Note that it was stamped Bugatti, with the years 1939 and 1941 added.

Two more special Bugatti items in Baptiste's Bugatti museum: Jean Bugatti's pocket watch, an interesting one without the regular dial, almost like a digital one indicating the time in numbers. Also a press card for Ettore Bugatti, claiming to be an editor for the magazine "l'Auto". He never was a journalist of course, but this press card gave him certain privileges.

Chassis plate 57453. The chassis plate of the missing Atlantic "La Voiture Noire". However, according to the register, that Atlantic was re-numbered to 57454 probably in 1938 or 1939, before it disappeared.

Pair of radiators with Ariztegui.

Lot's of different parts with Ariztegui, who now had a bigger stand than ever, double the regular size, I would say.
The type 57 engine below is something that one does not see often at Retromobile!

Many more parts. Interesting the Bugatti front axle display! All upside-down, though.

Julien Dubrulle had a stand for the first time. Lots of parts and a Type 30 project.

Novel small starter for your GP Bugatti! Small motor which drives through an additional gearing.

Something completely different! Parts of the Campogalliano factory where the EB110 was built!

Bugatti art and miniatures

The new "Bugatti Baby II" by the Little Car company. Not as beautiful as the original Bugatti Baby.

Antoine Dufilho continues to make the car-artwork, where the car is constructed out of many individual straight plates, defining exactly the original car's outlines. With the Bugatti T35 GP he succeeded in doing so in an absolutely novel manner.

IXO's kit of the Bugatti Atlantic in 1:8 scale. For one euro under 1300, it's yours. You will then still have to build it, of course......

Well, that's an idea! You convert a Bugatti miniature shell, Atlantic in this case, to a reading light, to read your Bugatti books!

Non-Bugatti cars and other interesting items

The whole day these cyclists, on their antique bicycles, were driving around Retromobile. Not easy with all the crowds!

1960 Ecurie Ecosse Commer Transporter with a 1956 Jaguar D-Type on top, and a 1952 C-Type in front.

Interesting and impressive 1935 Avions Voisin C28 Aérosport.

Aeroplanes are seldom shown at Retromobile, and this is a very special one! The 1934 Avions Caudron Rafale C.460 race plane, which uses a Renault aero engine. The airplane shown is a flying replica. It was surrounded by Renault record cars. The airplane has many things in common with the Bugatti airplane, like the Ratier two-position variable-pitch propeller. The airframe was primarily built from spruce and birch plywood, with steel and alloy engine bearers and magnesium cowling and fuel tanks. The wings were fitted with split flaps and the angle of incidence of the tailplane could be varied while in flight.

Chassis numbers

Auction results

• "1925" Bugatti T35 Grand Prix by Gilles Fournier, Chassis n° 4467
  Estimate € 300,000 - 500,000, Sold at €405,280 (incl. premium)
• 1929 Bugatti T40 Roadster Gangloff, Chassis n° 40488, Engine n° 387
  Estimate € 350,000 - 450,000, Sold at €405,280 (incl. premium)
• 1930 Bugatti T40 Grand Sport, Chassis n° 681 / 40655
  Estimate € 160,000 - 240,000, Sold at €238,400 (incl. premium)
• 1934 Bugatti T57 Galibier, Chassis n° 57140, Engine n° 35, Carrosserie Galibier n°18
  Estimate €250,000 - 350,000, Sold at €262,240 (incl. premium)
• 1936 Bugatti T57 Stelvio Gangloff, Chassis n° 57395, Engine n° 275
  Estimate € 600,000 - 800,000: Not sold