“Antonia” delves into the manufacture of a classic Bugatti, and the history of that particular car from the 1930s in France, up to the mid -1980s in this country. It is a bizarre, and sometimes sad, rags-to-riches story of sorts, with some interesting quirks along the way. It isn’t a story about cars, but instead, how this car touches the lives of those who own it.
Jean Bugatti, Ettore’s son started designing chassis and bodies in the early 1930s and his bold new colors blew the folks like Daimler Benz, Maserati, and Lamborghini away. This was one of the colors, and no two cars were painted alike. The Atalante sold for $30,000 plus or minus even back then when you could buy a new car for less than $1,800. Ettore refused to build a car for a king, because the king had such poor table manners. True story. Ettore was a true curmudgeon.
937 Bugatti Atalante drives all day long, effortlessly, at 125 m.p.h. 1. 17 known to exist. Note suicide doors.
