Delahaye Landaulette

1912 Delahaye Type 43 Landaulette

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 2, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

This was a fancy car for some, presumably, Parisian back in the day. The Landaulette bodywork featured an exposed chauffeur’s compartment – well, it at least has a roof and a windscreen. Chances are they could’ve had side curtains for it too. But the passenger, and likely owner of the car, sat in back in an enclosed box.

The Type 43 was produced by Delahaye from 1911 through 1914. It’s powered by a 3.0-liter inline-four that was rated at 28 horsepower and paired with a four-speed manual transmission. As war approached, the Type 43 became the basis for some trucks as well.

This car was imported to the U.K. from France in 1991 and restored the following year. It’s been drained and sitting in storage since 2000. Recommissioning will be required. It has an estimate of $56,000-$69,000. Click here for more info.

Bugatti Type 43 Roadster

1928 Bugatti Type 43 Roadster by Lavocat et Marsaud

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Bugatti had a line of eight-cylinder road cars that started in 1922 with the Type 30. A few years and a few models later, they Type 43 debuted in 1927. The Type 43 gave way to the Type 43A in 1931, and that model remained available through the following year. Just 160 copies of the Type 43 were built.

Power is from a supercharged 2.3-liter inline-eight that was rated at 120 horsepower. This car was initially delivered as a Type 43 Grand Sport. The auction catalog lists this as a Type 43A (which were factory-bodied Roadsters). What I think it is is a re-bodied Type 43 wearing roadster bodywork by Paris-based coachbuilders Lavocat et Marsaud that was installed in 1929. Before the 43A even went on sale.

The engine was swapped later on, which means the car has its original… chassis. Which is about what many of these pre-war Bugattis can claim. But hey, at least its still out there and able to be driven. Click here for more info.

Supercharged Bugatti Type 43

1930 Bugatti Type 43 Sports 2/4-Seater

Offered by Bonhams | Greenwich, Connecticut | June 2, 2013

1930 Bugatti Type 43 Sports

The Bugatti Type 43 was part of the line of cars that spawned off the Type 30. Introduced in 1927, the Type 43 stood apart from earlier models in that it, while it used a similar chassis, it added a supercharger – making it quick and one of the world’s first 100 mph production cars with a top speed of 112 mph.

The engine is a 2.3-liter supercharged straight-eight making 120 horsepower. It was a transplant from Bugatti’s current grand prix car of the day. The history on this car goes back to 1928, when the engine was built. It’s titled as a 1930 because it wasn’t sold until then.

This car spent most of its early life on the French Riviera – which is only about the coolest place you could own and drive an old Bugatti. It came to the U.S. in 1950. The current coachwork on the car was already on the car by 1950 – although it is not original, nor is it certain where the body originated. The car has been restored within the last 10 years and finished 3rd in its class at Pebble Beach.

This is basically a road-going Bugatti grand prix car (running gear, short wheelbase, etc.) and it can be yours for between $1,000,000-$1,200,000. Click here to read more and here for more from Bonhams in Greenwich.

Update: Sold $875,000.