Bugatti Type 50 Traces Le Mans History, Due in February
Latest addition to U.K.’s ‘Great Cars’ book series details Bugatti’s rich racing history in comprehensive tome set for release Feb. 4.
U.K.-based publisher Porter Press International’s Bugatti Type 50: The Autobiography of Bugatti’s First Le Mans Car, by Mark Morris and Julius Kruta, is set to be released on February 4.
Bugatti Type 50: The Autobiography of Bugatti’s First Le Mans Car is the latest and 13th addition to Porter Press’ “Great Cars” series. The hardback coffee table book features over 400 images and will set you back around $70. Bugatti’s rich racing history is covered in detail in this comprehensive, 320-page tome by Morris, who is an Honorary Registrar of the Bugatti Owners Club, Kruta, an automotive historian and adviser who began his career at Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. in marketing before serving as the brand’s Head of Tradition from 2003 to 2018. He is the author of five books on the marque and has been a judge at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in America and the most important concours events in Europe.
Bugatti Type 50 is the car whose introduction in 1930 heralded a new era by introducing the marque’s first twin-cam engine. The Type 50’s supercharged 4.9-litre straight-eight was prodigiously powerful – and in the days when winning the Le Mans 24 Hours required brute force, the Type 50 led the race at Bugatti’s first attempt.
The car that led that race, chassis number 50177, is the focal point of Bugatti Type 50: The Autobiography of Bugatti’s First Le Mans Car. The authors also tell the story of the Type 50 in general, its predecessor the Type 46, the engineering genius of Ettore and Jean Bugatti, and the talented drivers who raced 50177. The fact that this car had to be withdrawn from its leading position at Le Mans in 1931 for safety reasons, after a sister car crashed heavily at high speed, is just one of the many fascinating tales within the pages of this exciting new tribute to one of the greatest cars and races in history.
Story Highlights
Sharing a wealth of fresh information, Bugatti Type 50 is researched and written by two leading marque experts. Highlights from their Bugatti history include an in-depth exploration of the Type 50’s design and development, the Miller-inspired twin-cam engine, and the car’s technical features and coachwork. Also addressed is the 1931 Le Mans 24 Hours race and the four tire failures experienced by Type 50s, along with profiles of eight drivers who raced the Type 50, including 1931 Monaco Grand Prix winner Louis Chiron; two-time Targa Florio winner Albert Divo; 1931 Belgian GP winner Caberto Conelli; two-time Targa Florio, multiple Grand Prix, and Mille Miglia winner Achille Varzi; and Bugatti test driver, development engineer and 1939 Le Mans winner Pierre Veyron.
The authors of Bugatti Type 50: The Autobiography of Bugatti’s First Le Mans Car will be making an appearance at Paris’ Retromobile for signings and a Q&A session at 2 p.m. on February 6.