Bugatti Type 57 Roadster Grand Raid Gangloff

When this Bugatti Type 57 is unveiled at the 1934 Paris Motor Show, it is a complete sensation.

The word raid immediately evokes adventure, a French expression for a long rally through inhospitable terrain, such as a desert. Bugatti also deliberately chose the name for this very sporty version of the Type 57 with the two aerodynamic bulges at the rear, which are reminiscent of the shape of an aircraft. Coachbuilder Gangloff from Colmar, who builds many bodies for Bugatti, is responsible for this magnificent design. The aluminum body is built on a Type 57 chassis. When this car is presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1934, it is a sensation. The design serves as an example for various bodies based on the Type 57. After the show, Veyron and Wurmser drive the car in the Paris-Nice-Paris rally. Robert Benoist wins the Chavigny hill climb in 1935 with the Bugatti Type 57 Roadster Grand Raid Gangloff, after which the car also takes part in an endurance event through the Vosges. In the 1950s the Bugatti ends up with a Belgian collector, and in 2001 the car is acquired by the Louwman Museum. The Grand Raid is then fully restored to the condition in which it was shown in Paris in 1934. The Bugatti Type 57 is the family car of the brand. It is the marque's attempt to standardize its cars. Although very elegant, most of the bodies cannot be described as exciting. This Grand Raid is the exception.