He Bugatti Type 52 It was made between 1927 and 1936 with a curious audience: children, hence its nickname of Baby Bugatti, half-scale replica of the Bugatti Type 35, one of the most successful racing cars of its time. With an electric transmission, they were intended for infants to entertain themselves, but the children of the European elites also used them in more or less serious races.
It was company founder Ettore Bugatti, the founder of the car company, who created the Type 52 as a toy for Roland, his four-year-old son, in 1926. But the contraption caught the attention of Bugatti customers. , who also wanted to own a miniature version of the famous Type 35. Ettore then decided to produce the Type 52 for sale to the public.
Powered by an electric motor, the Bugatti Type 52 was more than a toy. It had a steel frame, chain-driven rear axle, and an electric motor that ran on a 12-volt battery. The Baby Bugatti reached speeds of between 15-25 km/h, depending on the specific variant and had a autonomy of about 25 km with a full charge.
They were only produced around 500 units of the Type 52, making it a highly sought-after collector’s item today. In addition, it was such an exclusive toy that its owners included members of royal houses, celebrities and influential people.
Today there is a modern Bugatti Type 52, which makes The Little Car Company officially licensed. But the one this article illustrates is a replica of the original, never taken out of its factory box or driven. It was built on a steel chassis with an aluminum body, finished in bright red paint, with the interior trimmed in black leather. It measures 196 cm long, 66 wide and 56 cm high. It was purchased by the current owner in 2017 and preserved in its current state.
It’s equipped with a rear diff, mechanical brakes, a polished (non-functional) radiator, a hood with gills and leather straps, external parking brake lever, polished 8-inch wheels with removable brass hubcaps… cute, come on. The manufacturer is unknown and it is missing the rear mounted electric motor… but one can be mounted without problem, having the support for it.
Source: Bring a trailer
Photo gallery (courtesy of Bring a trailer):
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