The Bugatti Type 46 was announced in the autumn of 1929. The new Bugatti
chassis, at almost twelve feet in length and powered by an 8-cylinder
engine of 5300cc, was intended to be the basis of a superlative large
luxury car - and so it proved to be. Bodied by the greatest European
coachbuilders to the highest standards of quality and style for rich and
discerning clientele, the T46 was in many ways a smaller Royale and is
said to have been the favourite of Ettore Bugatti. Later, an optional
supercharger became available to create the 46S model.In 1930 the
Bugatti Type 50 superseded the T46. The new model still used the T46s
chassis and most of its running gear, but featured a new,
high-performance, twin-overhead-camshaft engine of just under 5-litre
capacity. This supercharged unit gave the T50 very spirited performance
for such a large and luxurious car, placing the model firmly in the
Grand Sport category.1931 saw a team of T50s take part in the Le Mans
24-Hour race, but the cars were withdrawn before the race finished after
Rosts car crashed, tragically killing a spectator in the process.In
total, fewer than five hundred T46 and T50 Bugattis were built in but,
with the obvious exception of the Royale, these cars represented the
pinnacle of luxury car manufacture for the famous Molsheim marque. See
fabulous coachbuilt bodies by Gaston Grummer, Chapron, Ghia, James
Young, Van Vooren, Weymann, Billeter & Cartier, Gangloff, Joss Neuce,
Mllion-Guiet, Freestone & Webb, Van den Plas, Arthur Mulliner, Kellner,
Lancefield, Corsica, Visse et Haf, Ottin, Brainsby-Woollard, Sodomka,
Graber, Weinburger, Abbots of Farnham as well as Bugattis standard
bodies.Barrie Prices work is a concise history of the Bugatti Types 46
and 50, an engineering analysis and the most thorough survey yet of the
many coachbuilt bodies fitted to these famous chassis. Appendices
include a complete chassis listing and reproductions of promotional
material produced by Bugatti, Bugatti agents and others."... a galaxy of
superb coachbuilt and standard bodies on both chassis ..." - The
Automobile"Barry price writes with great authority ... a fine collection
of rare photographs and period advertising material ..." - Classic Car
Weekly
