Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic
1936–1938 · Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic — Grand Tourer, Inline-8 Supercharged, designed by Jean Bugatti.
The Story
The Type 57SC Atlantic is, by common consent, the most beautiful — and among the most valuable — cars ever made. Just four were built between 1936 and 1938, each a teardrop coupé developed from Jean Bugatti’s 1935 Aérolithe show car. Its defining feature, the riveted dorsal seam running the length of the body, began as a practical solution: the Aérolithe was bodied in unweldable magnesium alloy, so its panels were riveted along a fin — and Jean kept the look on the aluminium production cars because it was magnificent.
Under the skin sits the supercharged 3.3-litre twin-cam straight-eight (the ‘SC’), good for around 123 mph in 1936. But the Atlantic’s value was never about speed — it is automotive sculpture of the highest order, the car that art museums borrow.
For Studio Motors, the Atlantic is the ultimate Bugatti grail and one of a tiny handful of cars on earth in the $40M-plus — by some estimates $100M-plus — stratosphere.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Grand Tourer class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Jean Bugatti
Ettore’s eldest son and the artistic force behind Bugatti’s most beautiful 1930s coachwork, including the Atlantic. Killed in 1939, aged 30, testing a Type 57 tank near Molsheim. Sources: Wikipedia (Bugatti).
Studio Motors POV
The single most desirable Bugatti ever made and a contender for the most beautiful car of all time. It is the north star of any pre-war collection — and, realistically, a museum piece more than a purchase.
The Engine
Bugatti Straight-8 (Type 57, 3.3 DOHC)
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Type 57SC Atlantic
Worth Knowing About the Type 57SC Atlantic
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) The signature dorsal seam exists because the Aérolithe concept used unweldable magnesium alloy — its panels had to be riveted.
- 2) Only 4 were built; one (Jean Bugatti's own) vanished around WWII and inspired the modern La Voiture Noire.
- 3) Ralph Lauren's Atlantic won Best of Show at Villa d'Este in 2013; survivors are valued north of $40M.
5 Fast Facts
- • 4 built (1936–1938); 2–3 survive.
- • Supercharged 3.3L twin-cam straight-8; ~200 hp; ~123 mph.
- • Developed from the 1935 Aérolithe concept.
- • One sold for ~$30M in 2010 (the Williamson car).
- • Owners include Ralph Lauren and the Mullin / Rob Walton collection.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
Ralph Lauren has owned one since 1988 — the black, external-headlight car, the most published of the survivors — which won Best of Show at the 2013 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The ‘Williamson’ Atlantic sold for ~$30 million in 2010 and is associated with the Mullin Automotive Museum (co-owned by the late Peter Mullin and Walmart heir Rob Walton). A third — Jean Bugatti’s personal car, the original ‘La Voiture Noire’ — vanished around WWII and has never been found; a fourth (the Holzschuh car) was destroyed in a collision with a train.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
There is effectively no market — fewer than four cars, all known, almost never offered. Any transaction is a private, nine-figure-adjacent affair driven entirely by chassis identity and originality. The lost Jean Bugatti car, if ever found, would likely be the most valuable automobile on earth.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic
- Class
- Grand Tourer
- Production years
- 1936–1938
- Units built
- 4 built (2–3 survive)
- Variants
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- Inline-8 Supercharged
- Engine family
- Bugatti Straight-8 (Type 57, 3.3 DOHC)
- Displacement
- 3.3 L (3,257 cc) DOHC straight-8, supercharged
- Power
- 200 hp
- Torque
- lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- s
- Top speed
- 123 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 211 hp/tonne · 10.5 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 4-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- Rear-wheel drive · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 2094 lb
Questions
Type 57SC Atlantic FAQ
How many Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantics were built?
Only four, between 1936 and 1938. Two or three survive; one, Jean Bugatti’s personal car, vanished around World War II and has never been found.
Why does the Bugatti Atlantic have a dorsal seam?
The 1935 Aerolithe concept used magnesium alloy panels that could not be welded, so they were riveted along a raised spine. The production Atlantics kept the distinctive fin as a design signature.
How much is a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic worth?
The Williamson Atlantic reportedly sold for around $30M in 2010. Today, surviving examples are estimated at $40M or more; the lost Jean Bugatti car, if ever found, would likely set a world record.
Can you buy a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic?
Almost certainly not. All surviving examples are in museum or trophy collections and virtually never trade. Any transaction would be a private affair likely exceeding $40M.
What is the connection between the Atlantic and La Voiture Noire?
The modern La Voiture Noire is a one-off Chiron-based grand tourer named after Jean Bugatti’s lost Type 57SC Atlantic. Its dorsal trim line and floating windshield are design cues drawn directly from the original.
The Bugatti Lineup
Explore every Bugatti
Type 55 ’32Type 57 ’34Type 57SC Atlantic ’36
Chiron ’16La Voiture Noire ’19
Divo ’20Centodieci ’22Bolide ’24W16 Mistral ’24Tourbillon ’26
Buy, sell, source or lease this Type 57SC Atlantic.
Studio Motors operates outside the dealership model — nationwide and off-market sourcing, custom lease structures, trade-in coordination. Tell us what you’re chasing.
