British Bugatti Register

Encouraged by Hugh Conway, David Sewell has completed a Register of Bugattis in this country, badly needed since earlier editions, based on the original Register incorporated in “The Bugatti Book”, had lapsed. The new list is full of interest and no doubt many non-Bugatti owners will want it, if only the better to identify Bugattis they see in action. Brief specifications and performance figures are given for each of the 30 or so Bugatti types covered in this spirally-bound, loose-leaf publication, which then gives owner, previous owners, reference numbers and interesting information about each known car, including bodywork type and colour.

It would be unfair to quote from statistics so painstakingly acquired and neatly assembled, but we cannot resist saying that Sewell estimates that 7,869 Bugattis were produced, of which 1,563 remain extant throughout the World, of which 287 are in Britain. It is rather disturbing to find that at least 15 Bugattis use replica chassis frames, from five different sources. However, only two genuine cars seem to have the wrong engine.

For the rest of this fascinating data, including which model Ettore made in the greatest numbers, the most popular type among surviving cars, you must consult this intriguing Register. It has an index of owners, notes which Bugattis have gone abroad since 1962, and Sewell concludes it with an amusing summary of questions, such as how long do owners keep their Bugattis, what is the longest known period of ownership, how many GPs are there in Britain, how many are registered for road use, which have original engines, what colour is mostly favoured, and so on. Few true enthusiasts will be able to resist this! The Register is, fortunately, available to all, while supplies last, from the Bugatti Owners Club, Prescott Hill, Gotherington, Cheltenham, Glos. for £3, plus 25p postage, on mentioning Motor Sport. – W.B.