Bugatti has undoubtedly brought a highlight of its history to Monterey in the shape of the Type 57SC Corsica Roadster (chassis 57531). The two-seater roadster, whose body was engineered by renowned French company Corsica, belonged to Sir Malcolm Campbell, who played a key role in co-designing the body and took ownership of the car on 22 April 1937. The model is the sporty version of the standard Type 57 touring car and was launched at the Paris Motor Show in 1935. The chassis was 32 cm shorter and sat lower, the “S” in the model name stands for “Surbaissé”, which is French for “lowered”. The “C” stands for “Compressor”.
As a successor to the Type 55, the last of which was delivered in July 1935, only 43 Type 57S vehicles were manufactured until production ceased in 1938. The most interesting detail of this car was undoubtedly the rear axle, which passed through the chassis rather than riding under the longitudinal frame members, as in the standard Type 57. The front axle was also new. It was split down the middle and can be considered a precursor of front single-wheel suspension.
In terms of powertrain technology, the S-versions differ from the standard versions as the 57S engines have dry sump lubrication. Instead of a standard coil ignition with a vertical distributor, a Scintilla magneto driven by the left camshaft was housed in the bulkhead. The Type 57S engine also had a higher compression ratio of 8:5:1 rather than 6:7:1, resulting in greater power. With a displacement of 3,257 cm3 at 5,500 rpm, the engine delivered an impressive 170 PS. The top speed was 200 km/h, which was extremely impressive for a roadster at the time. The car nicknamed “Bluebird” has been in the possession of a Californian car collector since October 2002.
Another finalist is a 1937 Bugatti 57S Cabriolet, the first of just four known Bugatti Type 57S automobiles bodied by Vanvooren as convertibles, which won Best of Show at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. A 1938 Delage Type D8-120S Cabriolet, the winner of the Concours of Elegance Hampton Court Palace Best of Show award, is also a finalist for the prestigious Best of the Best award. Considered to be one of the finest examples to emerge from the storied Delage brand and bodied by De Villars, the Type D8-120S is a special one-off two-seater. The extravagantly styled model, with its tapering sport body coachwork and riveted fenders, was first shown at the Concours de l’Auto de Printemps in 1938.