• A 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet is estimated to auction off between $1.3 to $1.6 million at Gooding and Company’s Geared Online 2020 auction between August 3 and 7.
  • The Type 57 has seen two owners since 1945.
  • Its current owner put the car under a three-year restoration process that included the rebuilding of its original engine and the refinishing of its coachwork, the latter of which resulted in its unique green color.
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A 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet is estimated to auction off for up to $1.6 million at Gooding and Company’s Geared Online 2020 auction between August 3 and 7.

The Type 57, which was first unveiled to the auto market in 1934, is considered a “Jean Bugatti masterpiece,” according to Gooding and Company, and this specific car has only seen two owners since 1945.

In its previous life, the car was owned by a Dutch textile manufacturer who purchased the vehicle from a Paris concessionaire after World War II, according to the auction house.

In 1949, the vehicle was again sold, this time to “Bugatti enthusiast and expert” Major Rudi van Daalen Wetters. The Wetters family proceeded to keep the Bugatti for 66 years until 2015 when they finally sold the Type 57 to a friend and collector of pre-war French cars.

Its current owner then restored the car with the help of a Bugatti-specialized restorer in Vermont, which gave the car its green finish, and a vintage race car restoration company, which rebuilt the engine to "full 57C specification."

The full restoration process took three years to complete.

This Type 57 is powered by a twin-cam straight-eight engine ...

... and has an Art Deco-esque appearance with a green and cream three-position cabriolet body, according to Gooding and Company.

Its green color also extends to the interior upholstery.

The green machine up for auction won a class award at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

It's also been spotted at several American Bugatti Club events.

Gooding and Company estimates the Type 57 will auction for between $1.3 to $1.6 million.

The 1938 car will also go under the hammer with other classics like the 1992 Ferrari F40 and the 1984 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2.

Source: Gooding and Company

Gooding and Company's Geared Online auction will be held through its website and bidding smartphone app the first week of August.

Source: Gooding and Company