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!