1939 Bugatti 57 Galibier

Named after the Col du Galibier pass in the Dauphiné Alps, the Type 57 Galibier was Bugatti’s factory designed and produced four-door sports saloon.

Originally the Type 57 was a pillarless coupe design with suicide rear doors and later cars switched this arrangement with a central pillar for a suicide front door. Later cars also featured a cover over the fender-mounted spare tire.

Originally all the Galibiers were produced by Carrosserie Bugatti and some were bodied to the Bugatti design by Gangloff, Van Vooren and Graber.

The Galibier befitted from all the Type 57 engineering, development and upgrades throughout production. It used the twin-overhead camshaft 3.3-litre inline-8 which was good for 135 bhp in standard form.

Chassis arrangements included Rudge Witworth wire wheels, fifteen inch drum brakes and an uncluttered chassis having good strength. As with most Bugatti designs the Type 57 was relatively simple in design, but the result of complicated craftsmanship.

Many Galibiers have been rebodied over time into more sporting roadsters and the occasional cabriolet. Some of these were done in period by factory coachbuilders, but many were done well into the post-war period with replica bodies.

Our estimate is that Bugatti produced 65 Galibiers throughout the three series of Type 57 production and 25% are now wearing different coachwork.