The History Of This Bugatti Type 57 Aerolithe Is Amazing

Months after it first took to the stage, the car was taken to the London Motor Show before being completed into a factory production model that met the safety requirements at the time. Once completed in 1936, it was tested and found to be capable of almost 195 kph (121 mph). However, the Atlantic had already made the Aerolithe obsolete, so it disappeared. Much like thestill missing Type 57 nicknamed La Voiture Noire, the truth about the design study's whereabouts is clouded. Some say it was buried to hide it from the Nazis while others claim it was stripped for parts. But it was never forgotten.

In 2008, sometime after its disappearance, the president of the World Monuments Fund, Christopher Ohrstrom, and David Grainger, a restoration specialist, sourced an original 57 chassis and put together a replica body to commemorate the missing coupe. Using key documentation and photography, the pair was able to shape a design that is as true to the original as possible.

The Aerolithe body replica benefits from an engine, transmission, and part of the running gear that is to the specification of the original model. Attention to detail was shown in the positioning of the bodywork down to the application of rivets at the central edge. The team even made use of the problematic Elektron material while the interior was fitted with a wooden dashboard and tubular seats upholstered in leather.

This project was such a success that in 2013, it was awarded the International Historical Car of the Year accolade byOctanemagazine. While not an entirely original model, the Aerolithe is a symbol of how expert reconstruction can revive a historic car that has been missing for almost a century. As a result of its pristine condition and rich associated history, it is expected to sell for an estimated $1.7 million to $3.4 million. Not bad for a fake Bugatti.