Road-going sports version of the Type 51 Grand Prix car — a blue-chip pre-war Bugatti.
Road-going sports version of the Type 51 Grand Prix car, designed by Jean Bugatti and built at Molsheim; among the most coveted pre-war Bugattis, especially in Jean Bugatti roadster form.
A blue-chip pre-war Bugatti whose Grand Prix lineage and Jean Bugatti coachwork place it among the most desirable sports cars of its era.
| Variant | Years | Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 55 | 1932–1935 | 38 built | 2.3 L supercharged DOHC straight-eight (detuned Type 51 GP unit), 130 hp at 5,000 rpm; 4-speed manual; ~820 kg; right-hand drive; 14 of the 38 wore Jean Bugatti's roadster coachwork. |
Authenticate stamped chassis and engine numbers against factory or club records. For the Type 55 specifically, authenticate chassis, engine and body numbers against Molsheim records; establish coachwork identity (Jean Bugatti roadster vs other) and provenance from continuous ownership records.
Confirm body originality, panel identity and restoration standard against a marque specialist.
Confirm continuous service history and any rebuild history for the engine, transmission and driveline against a marque specialist.
Restoration standard, originality of body and driveline, and any documented ownership record are the main value drivers.
Regional ranges authored independently — each reflects its local market, not an FX conversion
Each region quoted in its local currency — independent market readings, not FX conversions
Original Type 55s trade rarely; several recent examples went unsold against $2M–$9M estimates, and the only clean recent sale was a replica ($385,000, 2022).
Authored against aggregate public-market data and named price guides as set out in What to Pay; regional readings are independent, not FX conversions.
| Date | Auction | Car | Mileage | Result |
|---|
No recent public auction results currently meet our verification standard. We publish sale figures only from verified examples, and will update this guide as qualifying results become available.
A blue-chip pre-war Bugatti whose Grand Prix lineage and Jean Bugatti coachwork place it among the most desirable sports cars of its era; values are set by originality and provenance, and the very best cars are essentially irreplaceable.
Our view, not advice. This section is Car Collector International's editorial judgement on where this model sits in the collector market, based on the production, specification and market data set out in this guide. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell and it is not investment advice. Values can fall as well as rise.
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The valuation figures in this guide are for research purposes only and do not constitute financial or investment advice. See our full disclaimer.
