Gooding & Company, the official auction house for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, will be auctioning a rare 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe without reserve at its Pebble Beach, Calif., event Aug. 12-16.

The Type 57 is the quintessential Bugatti road car and this specific car is considered to be one of the most historically significant examples of its kind.

Bugatti factory employees originally assembled the Bugatti 57C as a birthday present for Le Patron, Ettore Bugatti. Deemed as one of its most cherished automobiles, the Bugatti works went to great lengths to protect it during World War II. After Ettore Bugatti’s death in 1947, the car continued to be maintained and stored at the Bugatti workshop in Molsheim, France, where it received factory upgrades as developments progressed. Those upgrades included tailored interior accessories, a unique engine and transmission combination and other subtle technical improvements that distinguished it from any other Type 57. The one-off coachwork is believed to be one of the last designs penned by Ettore’s son, Jean Bugatti before his death.

Since leaving the Bugatti factory in the late 1950s, Chassis 57335 has had only a few protective caretakers, and remains one of the most correct and original Bugattis in existence. The more recent owners of the car have preserved Ettore Bugatti’s intrinsic connection with it.

A Gooding & Company press release notes: “Used only sparingly, the car has never been restored and the breathtaking interior evokes the presence of the legendary Ettore Bugatti himself. Every detail on the spectacular automobile reflects the artistry of the Bugatti marque and it possesses a tangible connection to some of the most important innovators in automotive history.”

The Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction preview days will be from Wednesday, Aug. 12 through Sunday, Aug. 16. The auctions will commence at 6:00PM at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction catalogs are available for $100 and admit two to the viewing and the auction. General admission to the viewing and the auction can be purchased at the tent for $40 per person. Bidder registration forms, press credentials and additional auction information are available on www.goodingco.com.

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