Bugatti

D:F, 1909 – 1956, 1956 to date

Automobiles E. Bugatti, Molsheim, Bas-Rhin

Ettore Bugatti was perhaps the greatest maker of racing cars until his fellow Italian Ferrari began to dominate the scene in recent years. Born into an artistic family in Milan, Bugatti soon found that the graphic arts were not to his liking and turned to the mechanical. Drawn by speed and racing, at the age of 18 Ettore Bugatti attracted attention in early motorcycle and tricycle races in Northern Italy, enevitably applying his mechanical talent to the improvement and alteration of the machines.
In 1900, at the age of 19 he embarked on the design and production of his own Bugatti 4-cylinder, 90 x 120mm car with the help of Count Gulinelli, and won a medal for it at the Milan Exhibition in 1901. Baron de Dietrich who was attracted by the Bugatti machine and who was searching Europe for designs to produce at his Niederbronn works, signed an agreement with Bugatti to design for him. Bugatti moved to Niederbronn in 1902 to produce in the next two or three years a basic design of 4-cylinder, 114 x 130mm chain-driven chassis with variations, sold commercially as the De Dietrich-Bugatti, or in England as the Burlington, and occasionally raced by Bugatti himself. Engine dimensions varied, as was customary in those days, and larger engines were also listed.
De Dietrich was offering other designs at the same time, particulary the Turcat-Méry, and Bugatti’s car was not a commercial success; the arrangement came to an end around 1904, and Bugatti teamed up with Mathis, moving to Strasbourg, the district where Ettore was to remain for the rest of his active career.
The Mathis collaboration produced the Hermes car, which bore a strong resemblance to the earlier De Dietrich design, certainly in conception – 4 large cylinders, 4-speed gearbox, chain drive, semi-elliptic springs – but by now it had a modern type of radiator with a surrounding shell to replace the earlier exposed film type.

In 1906 Bugatti and Mathis fell out and separated, Bugatti going to the Deutz factory at Cologne to design and produce cars for them. Two chassis were produced, the first another typical 4-cylinder layout with an engine of 145 or 150 x 150mm and chain drive, and later a smaller 92x120mm car with, for the first time Bugatti’s design, a shaft drive.
During this period (about 1908) Bugatti produced at his own expense (and, it is said, in the cellar of his home at Cologne) the miniature Bugatti chassis, with a 4-cylinder, 60x100mm engine, and shaft drive which founded the thoroughbred line of his designs and enabled him later to produce his own car. This prototype (Type 10 in the Bugatti series) is still in existence.
There is at least some evidence that the creation of this Bugatti car owes something to the 1908 Coupe des Voiturettes Isotta Fraschini; it is more than likely that Bugatti saw and was inspired by these beautiful little cars. There is certainly no evidence that the Isotta Fraschini cars owe anything to Bugatti, and their designer Cattaneo has denied the suggestion. The overall conceptual similarity is, however, striking.
Whatever the origins of his thoroughbred, Ettore Bugatti found a backer who would help him to start up production of his own car at the end of 1909, in a disused dye work at Molsheim a few miles west of Strasbourg. Here production was started of the real Bugatti car, with 4-cylinder, 65x100mm, 1327cc and 2 valves per cylinder operated from an overhead camshaft with curved, sliding tappets and three chassis lengths; Bugatti Type 13 with a 6ft 6¾in wheelbase,the Bugatti Type 15, 7ft 10½in, and the Bugatti Type 17, 8ft 4½in and reinforced back springs for heavy bodywork.
Output was a few cars in 1910, but the Bugatti car caused a great deal of favourable comment at the 1910 Paris Salon, and in the early speed events it was entered in; commercial success, in spite of a high price, came immediately and several hundred Bugatti cars had been produced by 1914. During this period Bugatti also sold a licence to Peugeot for an 850cc Baby car(Peugeot Bebe), and kept his interest in large cars by producing a few chassis with a 4-cylinder 5-litre (100x160mm) ohc engine and reverting again to chain drive, for racing. The first chassis went to the aviator Roland Garros and survives as the famous Bugatti Black Bess. Other Bugatti cars competed unsuccessfully at Indianapolis in the 500 mile race in 1914 and 1915.

The early Bugatti 8-valve chassis had conventional semi-elliptic springs and radiators of squarish, 5-sided shape. At the end of 1913, Bugatti introduced his reversed quarter elliptic springs on the two long-length chassis, probably to simplify the fitting of the body: many of Bugatti’s design features show more originality than essential logic. This springs feature was to remain on all Bugatti’s chassis designs produced afterwards. At this time Ettore also introduced his design of oval Bugatti radiator, pearshaped, but later more like an inverted horse shoe.
Just before World War 1 Ettore produced a modified engine for voiturette racing, with 4 valves per cylinder (2 inlet, 2 exhaust), and an enlarged bore (66mm initially, later 68-69mm) giving more power, but the war prevented its use. Molsheim was soon occupied by the Germans and Bugatti found himself spending the next years in Paris working on aero engines.
In 1919 Ettore Bugatti reoccupied the factory himself, finding it happily undamaged, and resumed production of the 8-valve chassis and then the new 16-valve version. Wins at Le Mans in 1920 and at Brescia (1921) in voiturette races once more established his reputation and regular production of the car, now known as the Bugatti Brescia, followed steadily. The long-wheelbase chassis were now known as Bugatti Type 22 (7ft 10½in) and the Bugatti Type 23 (8ft 4½in) but the designation Bugatti Type 13 was retained for the short racing model. Improvements followed such as a crankshaft carried on ball bearings, better crank lubrication, a prettier radiator, and eventually 4-wheel brakes: in spite of these changes the similarity between the last chassis in 1926 and the first in 1910 is striking.

In 1922 Bugatti produced his first 8-cylinder production model, the Bugatti Type 30, with a 2-litre 60x88mm engine, an overhead camshaft and 2 inlet and 1 exhaust valve per cylinder. This 3-valve layout had been seen on the pre-war Bugatti Garros car(Black Bees) and the aero engines. Racing versions were entered in the 1922 French Grand Prix at Strasbourg, Friderich, Bugatti’s faithful mechanic, finishing 2nd. Production continued for the next few years of the 4-cylinder and 8-cylinder cars; an abortive attempt to produce a successful streamlined ‘Bugatti Tank’ with the 2-litre engine was made for the French GP at Tours in 1923 and then for 1924 Bugatti made the successful effort to produce a racing car which combined performance with aesthetic quality – the Bugatti Type 35 was the result.
The new 1924 car had the Bugatti Type 30 engine with its plain bearing crank replaced with a full ball and roller bearing, built-up unit, and a completely new chassis of fine lines carrying a handsome body, and first class brakes inside cast aluminium wheels. Tyre trouble prevented success in its first outing but soon success followed success, culminating in the world championship in 1926.
Although reluctant at first to fit a supercharger as his competitors had, Bugatti eventually in 1926 added one to the car to produce the Bugatti Type 35C (2-litre, 60x88mm), Bugatti Type 35B(2.3-litre, 60x100mm) and Bugatti Type 39 (1.5-litre, 60x66mm). A sports car version (Bugatti Type 35A) used the touring engine, and in 1926 a 4-cilinder (69x100mm, 1.5-litre) engine appeared, similar in layout to the 8-cylinder engine, but with a 5-(plain bearing crankshaft, which when fitted to the GP chassis became the main sports car version (Bugatti Type 37). Later this too had a blower fitted and became very potent (Bugatti Type 37A).

In the period 1926 -1929 a profusion of Bugatti models was listed for sale: racing types T35, T35B, T35C, T39; sports version Types 35A, T37, T37A; the touring model Type 30 replaced with a similar Type 38, later itself replaced by the 3-litre 8-cylinder Type 44 (69x100mm); Type 40 using the 4-cylinder engine from the Type 37; a splendid Bugatti Type 43GP sport four-seater using the Type 35B engine in a long-wheelbase chassis and catalogued as the fastest sports car in the world (110mph) which it was; and to crown all the Bugatti Royale.
The Bugatti Royale (Type 41) was to be Bugatti’s car of kings. It had a 12.7-litre (125x130mm) 8-cylinder engine of typical Bugatti layout producing over 250hp, fitted in an enormous chassis, intended to carry the works of the world’s finest coachbuilders. Although a batch of 25 was projected only six were built and indeed only three were sold (in 1932 – 1933), the financial crisis of 1929 intervening to spoil Bugatti’s plans.
Around 1930 Bugatti continued to produce fine cars mixed with oddities. The Bugatti Type 44 3-litre touring car became the Type 49 with the bore increased from 69 to 72mm, one of the best models. The Bugatti Type 46 5.3-litre with a 3-speed gearbox in the back axle was introduced as a small size Royale and several hundred were produced. A racing Bugatti 16-cylinder (Type 45, 47) was made, having some success in hillclimbs, and later an unsuccessful 4-wheel drive Type 53. The de luxe 5.3-litre had a new twin ohc engine fitted to become the Bugatti Type 50 of 4.9-litres, very exciting and exotic but rather too powerful to be safe, even in the racing version, the Type 54. 
The GP Type 35 had a new engine with twin overhead camshafts fitted in 1931 to become the Type 51, a very successful and fine-looking car which was perhaps the most effective racing model Bugatti ever produced, but the search for power and the competition demanded a larger car. Thus in 1933 Bugatti produced the Type 59 3.3-litre racing car which was his last racing production except for specialized single-seaters. Meanwhile a sports version of the Type 51, the Bugatti Type 55, had appeared usually with a roadster body among the handsomest ever fitted to a car.
The touring equivalent of the Type 59, the Bugatti Type 57, was the last Molsheim model to go into production; about 800 T57’s were produced between 1934 and 1939. This had a twin-ohc 72x100mm, 3.3-litre engine, integral 4-speed gearbox, and a conventional Bugatti chassis with semi-elliptic springs at the front and reversed quarter-elliptic at the rear. Later supercharged versions (Type 57C) and sports versions (Type 57S, 57SC) were produced.
Production of Bugatti cars was interrupted by the war, and only sporadic and half-hearted attempts were made ( a few Bugatti Type 101 models were produced) to resume car manufacture after Ettore Bugatti’s death in 1947. In 1956 two Formula 1 GP cars were built. Known as the Bugatti Type 251, they had 2½-litre straight-8 engines mounted transversely behind the driver in a space frame. One was driven by Trintignant in the 1956 French GP at Reims, but retired, and the cars were never heard of again.
Bugatti is now part of the Volkswagen group and is still producing sport cars.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; HGC
The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

Lanchester

GB, 1895 – 1956

(1) Lanchester Engine Co Ltd, Birmingham, 1895 – 1904

(2) Lanchester Motor Co, Birmingham, 1904 – 1931; Coventry, 1931 – 1956

The first Lanchester car was remarkable in that, like the first Benz, the Lanchester car was designed from the ground up as a motor car, not as an adaptation of the horse carriage, and in that the Lanchester car was a homogenous mechanical entity, owing nothing to the practice of the stationary engine and its power transmission. In the latter respect, the Lanchester car was unique: the power unit and belt transmission of the Benz were derived from stationary practice. Frederick Lanchester’s prototype was built in 1895 and improved upon two years later. Production Lanchester car models followed in 1900. The engine of these Lanchester cars, centrally mounted, was horizontally-opposed, air-cooled, 10hp twin; each piston and cylinder had its own crankshaft and flywheel assembly, which rotated in opposite directions. Smoothness unparalleled in other contemporary Lanchester cars resulted. By the standards of the day the engine was quiet. Epicyclic gears provided three forward speeds, with preselector control of the first and second. Engine and gearbox of the Lanchester cars had automatic lubrication. There was worm final drive. In accordance with the best modern practice, the suspension, by cantilever springs at front and rear, was soft while the unit construction of the chassis and body provided great stiffness. The steering of the Lanchester car was by a side lever which, like the wick carburetor, was apparently old-fashioned but was in practice extremely efficient. Water-cooled engines were offered as an option on Lanchester cars from 1902, and bigger, faster Lanchester cars were made in 1904. However, in that year the first model with a vertical 4-cylinder engine was introduced, the Lanchester 20hp, and the twins tailed off. The engine on this Lanchester car was moved forward to a position between the front-seat passengers, and it was given horizontal ohv’s and pressure lubrication. A 28hp six Lanchester car arrived in 1906. This and the 20hp four were replaced respectively by the Lanchester 38hp for 1911 and the Lanchester 25hp for 1912. On the original Lanchester cars, gearchanging and braking were effected by two levers, the only pedal being for the accelerator. By now, however, convention had demanded the substitution not only of a steering wheel, but also of the usual three pedals and gear lever, except that, of course, the epicyclic gears Lanchester cars, still enabled changed to be made without trouble or fuss. By 1912, Frederick’s brother George was in charge. Although Frederick’s design of the Lanchester car had gained a large and devoted following for the Lanchester car make, the public trend was increasingly towards convention, and George Lanchester’s cars were to follow it.

George Lanchester was responsible for the Lanchester Sporting Forty of 1914. Although only a handful were made, this Lanchester car was a landmark because it was the first Lanchester car to have its engine in the conventional position, covered by a bonnet (it was also the only Lanchester car to be called sports car, and to have an sv engine.) From it was developed the Lanchester Forty, which was at first the sole Lanchester car offered. Its six-cylinder, 6.2-litre engine was made in unit with its 3-speed epicyclis gearbox, and had an ohc. The springs, half-elliptic at the front and cantilever at the rear, were underslung on the Lanchester car. Worm final drive was retained. This Lanchester car was a very fast, very expensive car in the Rolls-Royce class, and its makers feld bound to wide their net of Lanchester cars. Late in 1923 there appeared the Lanchester Twenty-One, which was a scaled-down, simplified, modernized Lanchester Forty. The 6-cylinder engine of the Lanchester car was of 3.1-litres, it had a 4-speed sliding-pinion gearbox, and front wheel brakes were standard. In 1926 the bore was enlarged, to provide 3.3-litres. In this form the Lanchester car was sometimes known as the Lanchester Twenty-three. Alongside this Lanchester car, the Forty (with front wheel brakes from 1925) continued until 1929. It was replaced in that year by the Lanchester Thirty, which was an up-to-date Lanchester car design with a straight-8 engine of 4½-litres, still with ohc, and a normal 4-speed gearbox. Like the Forty, this Lanchester car was a massive and magnificent car ideal for high-speed cruising. The Twenty-Three was dropped in 1931, when the BSA group of companies, in which Daimler already provided a line of luxury cars, took over Lanchester cars, although the Thirty was still catalogued in 1932 as a Lanchester car. From now on, the name of Lanchester was applied to a line of much cheaper, smaller cars, beginning with the Lanchester 15/18hp. This Lanchester car had a 2½-litre, push-rod ohv, 6-cylinder engine designed by George Lanchester, hydraulic brakes, and the Daimler fluid flywheel. It was a good car in its class, but like most Lanchester cars to come, lost its character as the Lanchester Eighteen, with fixed cylinder head and mechanical brakes, and became a cut-price Daimler. The group complicated matters further by introducing a 4-cylinder 10hp Lanchester ar as a more expensive version of the contemporary sv BSA’s. This Lanchester car had a 1.2-litre and then a 1.4-litre ohv engine. Probably the best of the Lanchester cars at this period was the Lanchester Roadrider de Luxe 14hp of 1938, a small six with a detachable cylinder head and independent front suspension. A few straight-8 Lanchester cars were made from 1936 to 1939, but these were in fact 4½-litre Daimlers with Lanchester radiators. Four Lanchester cars were supplied to King George VI.

The first post-war Lanchester car was a 4-cylinder ten of 1.3-litres on pre-1939 lines, but with independent front suspension, like all Lanchester cars to come. It was replaced for 1952 by a new Lanchester Fourteen, with 2-litre, 4-cylinder engine and fluid flywheel. This Lanchester car was basically a Daimler Conquest with two fewer cylinders and was the last Lanchester car to qualify as a serious production car. In 1953 – 1954, a handful of Lanchester Dauphines were made. This was a true luxury car, consisting of a 6-cylinder Daimler engine in a Fourteen Lanchester car chassis, surmounted by a luxurious coachbuilt body by Hooper; price was an unrealistic £4.010. Finally, late in 1954, Lanchester produced a completely new and original design, which was also their last – the Lanchester Sprite. The engine was an ohv, 4-cylinder unit of 1.6-litres; there was independent front suspension on the Lanchester car, the brakes were hydraulic, but the Sprite incorporated unitary construction of body and chassis, and fully automatic Hobbs transmission instead of the fluid flywheel. The Sprite Lanchester car was never put into production, and the once-great and always respected name of Lanchester car died.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com