Type 57 'Aerolithe'

The 'Aerolithe' was a concept car, in effect the prototype for the Type 57 Atlantic. It used a magnesium alloy for the body, which was very light, but also rather flammable. So welding wasn't a viable option, and, alternatively, riveting was used. This required a seam across the roof, where the two halves of the car came together. Although the production Atlantic used aluminium body panels, that seam was retained and became a trademark of, first, the Atlantic, and, subsequently, most of the modern Bugatti models.

The 'Aerolithe' prototype hasn't survived, and there are only a few photographs and sketches showing what the car looked like. The colour was said to be a silvery-blue.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no commercial model of the 'Aerolithe' in 1:24 scale. Or any other scale for that matter. 

But ... I did come across one listed on eBay! Turned out that this was a private customisation of the very common Bburago 1:24 model (which was the first in my collection), making it look like the 'Aerolithe' as much as possible.

Here it is!

Compare it to the photo of the 'Aerolithe' above .... I think that whoever customised this model did an excellent job, and, although it's not officially a model of the 'Aerolithe', I'm perfectly happy to add this customised model as such to the collection

Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Late last year, I added a model of a Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse WRC to the collection. That car is a special version of the 'standard' Veyron Grant Sport roadster.

So, clearly, a Veyron Grant Sport roadster had to become part of the collection! No luck in coming across one on eBay or other internet sources, despite having an eBay search on "Bugatti 1/24", until finally one popped up, for £24.99 (including p&p) ... And it's flaming red!

The first modern roadster in the collection! And another one ticked off the wish list ...

Type 57 Atlantic 'La Voiture Noire'

The model that started this collection was a Type 57 Atlantic. In all, only four of these cars were ever produced, and three of them survive to this day. One of these is the car on which my model was based, the final of the four produced, which is still in fine condition. The same goes for the first-produced car. The third-produced car sort of survives: it was largely destroyed when hit by a train on a level crossing, but restored. Quite a bit of that car, including the engine, is not original Bugatti, so whether you consider that car a restored original or 'merely' a replica is up for debate. 

Which leaves the second-produced car, which was never sold, but used by Jean Bugatti for some years. It was then, allegedly, put on a train to avoid it being looted by the approaching German army. And that's where the trail goes completely cold: there is no record of the car since, and it's a complete mystery as to what happened to it ....

This near-mythical Bugatti is known as La Voiture Noire. 

Should it ever be found, it could fetch north of $100 million at auction ...

All 1:24 models of a Type 57 Atlantic I saw listed on eBay are of the same car, the final one, with wire wheels and licence plate EXK-6. 

Until I saw a listing of a black model (for £16.99), which did not carry the EXK-6 plate and had discs covering the wheels, just like La Voiture Noire .... To be clear, this model was not specifically listed as La Voiture Noire, but the resemblance to the real car in the picture above was more than good enough for me.

I already have a model of the modern La Voiture Noire, created by Bugatti as a one-off homage to its mythical predecessor. So, obviously, I had to take a picture of both models side-by-side. 

Chances of a similar picture of the real cars ever becoming reality are basically zero!

Type 41 Royale 'Berline de Voyage'

High on my wish list was a model of the 'Berline de Voyage' Royale.

Building the resin kit of the 'Weinberger' Royale made me remember I used to enjoy building such kits, so I kept my eyes open (and on eBay) ...

Sure enough, before long a 1:24 kit of a 'Berline de Voyage' Royale was listed on eBay, for €27.61 (plus p&p).

And here is the model after building:

As with the earlier kit, nothing opens on its own, but I made sure the hood was removable.

Two more Royales to go!

As with the kit of the 'Weinberger' Royale, here are some pictures of the build process:

Type 41 Royale 'Weinberger'

I did say in a recent post that I might pick up a 1:24 resin kit if I came across one of a model I'd like to add to the collection .... and I wrote in that same post that I was very keen to add a 'Weinberger' Royale to the collection, didn't I?

And what popped up on eBay, for €31.50 (plus p&p)?? 

I used to build resin kits of cars many many years ago, so it was a lot of fun to do that again. Here is my 'Weinberger' Royale!

No opening doors in a kit like this, but the hood is removable, so you can see the engine.

Type 41 Royale 'Weinberger' takes its place in the collection on #23

And just in case you're interested in seeing the build process ...