Bugatti Atalante Type 57C – Biarritz Concours d’Elégance

Artist: Charles Avalon

Wheels of fortune: Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful automobiles ever created, the Type 57 Bugatti shown here was among the more spectacular designs fitted to a Type 57 chassis, and was designed by French coach builders Figoni et Falaschi. The car was ordered by the French government as a special wedding gift for Prince Reza Pahlavia, the Shah of Persia, in 1939. It represented the finest France had to offer, for one of the greatest car enthusiasts of the day. Although the car did not appear at the Biarritz Concours, it is creatively portrayed here by Charles Avalon.