1939 Bugatti Type 57C “Shah”

Cabriolet by Vanvooren

Powered by an advanced 3.3-liter twin-cam straight-eight engine, the Type 57 Bugatti was a fast, comfortable touring car.  The 160-horsepower supercharged version, known as the Type 57C, was introduced in 1937 and built for two years.  Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Prince of Persia and future Shah of Iran, received this striking example as a gift from the French government on the occasion of his first wedding.  The dramatic body was constructed by Vanvooren of Paris in the style of Figoni et Falaschi, one of the most progressive coachbuilders of the day.  Advanced features include fully skirted fenders, a top that conceals beneath a metal panel when down, and a windshield that can be lowered into the cowl by means of a hand crank mounted under the dashboard.  In 1959 the Bugatti was sold out of the Shah’s Imperial Garage for a sum equivalent to approximately $275.  It was subsequently owned by a succession of Bugatti enthusiasts, but never publicly shown until after receiving a complete restoration in 1983.

The Margie and Robert E. Petersen Collection