Bugatti Type 44 & 49

The Flying Lady, May 2008
US magazine
Circulation: unknown

Aside from Bugatti's foray into the ultra-luxury segment, with the Royale of which only six copies were built, it was the mid-size touring cars described in this book that put the company on solid footing.

This is the fourth Bugatti book for Veloce by marque expert Price (who was also a founder of the RR & B Specialist's Association). It is different from the other ones in that it explores its subject from many more angles which makes it more relevant to relate to for enthusiasts of other marques. For instance, a discussion of Bugatti design policy, new-car pricing, and how one ordered a car in the 1930s are of immediate interest to RR/B readers. A good number of the period photos are new to the record; the photo captions are in English and French. Examples of the work of most of the European coachbuilders are shown. There are many illustrations of chassis details, and, again something of interest to the RR crowd, a discussion of the vibration damper-crankshaft torsional vibration being the Achilles heel of the straight-eight. Bugatti's solution, although not used on these models, was almost identical to Rolls-Royce's. Sparse index.

Auto Aficionado, March 2008
US magazine
 
For most enthusiasts, it's the racecars that Bugatti built (the Types 35, 50, 51, etc), the efforts that had cubic air bolted on to the motor or the special-bodied models, such as the beautiful and timeless Atlantique coupé, that capture the imagination. Often overlooked is that Ettore and Co. built a number of successful and desirable touring cars. This tidy volume offers up a good overview of the SOHC production models. Chapters that are especially noteworthy deal with the ordering procedures, a capsule review of parts books and owner's manuals, and a fascinating comparison of new car prices against the competition of the time.

Such was Bugatti's reputation that it didn't stop a great many from pressing their touring model in numerous competition events, and there is a chapter addressing this fact. As far as the author's reputation, it is hard to argue with Barrie Price who is the past president of a half dozen specialist clubs and has owned or driven every model of Bugatti ever built.

New Zealand Classic Car, February 2008
NZ magazine

This is the latest in a series from Veloce, each covering various Bugatti models in some detail. For many enthusiasts more familiar with the lithe and successful competition versions, many of the cars in this volume will be less well known. However, Bugatti Types 28, 30, 38 and 38A, 44 and 49 – all covered within this book – were commercial successes in Bugatti terms and carried a wide range of coachwork, as well as appearing in some competitive events.

The book starts with some rather randomly ordered short chapter subjects such as development and technical appraisal of the Type 44. It is, though, essentially a photographic book, focussing on showing various types of bodywork fitted from Fiacres (which tried to capture the elegance of horse-drawn carriages) to saloons and tourers.

The photographs are all in black and white and are of mixed quality. Although the book's text is in English, photograph captions are in English and French, and the translations don't always quite match. This is really one for the Bugattisti, I think, as it's quite pricey for what is a fairly slim, volume.