1930 Bugatti Type 46 Convertible Coupe

By the late 1920s, Bugatti had cemented itself among the most sophisticated and successful manufacturers of racing and road cars, competing for market share with Alfa Romeo, among others. The ambitious, if ill-fated, Type 41 Royale was intended to showcase the company’s abilities and produce the world’s most luxurious road car; however, when the extraordinary cost of the Royale collided with the economic times of the era, Bugatti needed to shift to a more profitable and affordable option.

The Type 46 debuted for the 1929 model year as Bugatti’s largest production model to date. The Type 41, notwithstanding, the Type 46 was soon being referred to as “La Petite Royale.” The model’s 5.4-liter, SOHC straight-eight engine used three valves per cylinder and is often referred to as the last new Bugatti engine from the period – as later models used evolutions of earlier designs. Its three-speed manual gearbox was built in unit with the rear axle, and its impeccable road manners were due to the innate flexibility of the drivetrain.

Even in a recessionary economy, demand for the Type 46 was robust and roughly 450 examples were built through 1933. Most of the Type 46s left Bugatti’s Molsheim factory as bare frames, and no fewer than 45 coachbuilders are thought to have bodied the model in period.

The large-capacity engine and corresponding performance of the Type 46 led many buyers and coachbuilders to equip them with equally largescale, closed or formal bodywork, reflecting the fashion of the early 1930s. Against this backdrop, this spectacular Convertible Coupe is all the more important.

Chassis 46360 was built at the Molsheim Works in June 1930 to fulfill an order placed by the lesserknown Parisian agent Larrousé on June 16. It was dispatched to the French capital the following day. Although infrequently referred to, Larrousé was an upper echelon dealer of the finest automobiles, and the Type 46 must have suited their clientele as the agency ordered some 32 chassis in all, representing 7% of total production. From Paris, the chassis would have been supplied to the boutique coachbuilder de Villars of the suburb Courbevoie. De Villars was the brainchild of Frank Jay Gould, son of railroad magnate Jay Gould, who – recognizing his own appetite for special design and that of his friends – decided to create the house to supply them. Founded in 1925, Gould named the company after his son-in-law, Roland de Graffenried de Villars. His belief turned out to be correct, with numerous clientele clothing luxury automobiles with their designs, including arguably one of the most beautiful cars of all time: the long-finned Delage D8-120 Roadster.

This de Villars Convertible Coupe is another typically well-proportioned and sporting design, with a low and raked windshield, a step rather than running boards, louvred panels covering the chassis sides, lightweight fenders, and the spares placed at the tail to leave the side panels uninterrupted. Although the Bugatti ledgers do not record the car’s original owner, as the factory did not supply it directly to the buyer, Barrie Price’s reference work The Big Bugattis, notes that it was delivered to Bugatti’s Athens agent, Mr. Conzous, suggesting that Larrousé transferred the car to the Greek distributor.

The de Villars Bugatti is known to have been owned by Panos Harokopos from 1937 to 1940, a wealthy Greek socialite and later one-time husband of Melina Mercouri, the actress and politician. It is believed that Harokopos sold the car to Kriton Kangas circa 1940, after which it appears to have seen little road use from this period onwards.

Its next chapter is almost unfathomable in today’s era of instant communication. According to the story, Kangas advertised the Bugatti for sale in the Antique Automobile Club of America publication in 1962, but apparently without success. Nearly four decades later, in 1999, noted collector and one-time Co-Chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® Glenn Mounger came across the advertisement and chanced an approach, only to discover that Kangas still owned the car. Mounger quickly acquired the T46 and shipped it to the US. Acquired in ostensibly complete, but well-worn condition, the car subsequently passed through the hands of Ken McBride and Charles Morse, remaining unrestored before joining the Mullin Collection.

The Mullins entrusted Alan Taylor to return the de Villars Convertible to its former glory.

When Peter Mullin was unable to settle on an appropriate color scheme, his wife, Merle, selected the livery we see the car in today – a rich orange body complemented by lighter moldings and contrasting fenders and top. The striking de Villars Type 46 emerged from its refurbishment with a debut showing at Pebble Beach in 2003.

This striking Bugatti was always one of the most prominent features at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California. With its fascinating history and rakish sporting coachwork, this de Villars Type 46 is certain to remain a standout wherever it is shown.