Berline de Voyage

Berline de Voyage

With the racing and sales success of the Type 35 in the mid-20s, Bugatti was riding high. The small Molsheim company's founder Ettore Bugatti determined it was time to create the ultimate luxury automobile. The Type 41, which became known as the Royale, was introduced in 1927. Bugatti ambition was to sale the car at the high-end of the market. The company planned to build 25 chassis, but with the world-wide economic crash starting in 1929 only 7 chassis were produced. Of the that, only 3 were sold and not one too royalty.

Chassis 41150 was the 6th car built and is known as the Berline de Voyage. The car was kept by Bugatti, and during WW II was hidden by a brick wall at the family's Ermenonville home. In 1950 American Briggs Cunningham purchase the Berline de Voyage and chassis 41141 from the Bugatti family.

Over the decades the six surviving Royales were scattered between various museum in the US and France. The organizers of the 1985 Pebble Beach Concours d' Elegance brought together all 6 cars for the first time. The cars were displayed on the lawn by the lodge and not part of the 18th green concours.

Berline de Voyage was shot at Pebble Beach with the lodge in the background.