About Tough to crack car puzzle #183: Bugatti Type 252 Roadster

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Last week’s car puzzle proved to be not too tough. As Klaus Salomon wrote: “Could this be the Bugatti Prototype 252 with the 4-cylinder 1½ -litre engine Type 73?” Yes. This was indeed that. Timo Laitinen described it as “The Bugatti 1500 Sport ‘Ettorette’”, adding “The tail lamps seem to come from Simca Aronde.” That name is correct also, and he seems to be right on the light units, too.

Our steady competitors Gerd klioba and Fried Stol came up with excellent remarks, both very similar. Gerd: “It is powered by a four-cylinder light alloy engine, in fact one half of the Bugatti 251 Formula-One engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo. The gearbox came from a BMW 507. The bodywork was made by an Italian carrozziera directly on the chassis. You can't even remove the petrol tank without cutting into the bodywork. The diagonal rails on the doors are supposed to keep water from the windscreen away from the driver.” Fried: “This is the last Bugatti that was made at the Molsheim factory in 1958. The sleek body was handmade by an unknown Italian sheet-metal artist. Roland Bugatti made the design, but no drawings are known to exist. Under the hood is a 1500cc 4-cylinder engine which is in fact a split 8-cylinder engine coming from the Formule One type 251 made by former Alfa- and Ferrari engineer Gioachino Colombo. The diagonal bars on the doors serve as a drain for water coming of the windscreen while driving in heavy rain.”

But first place goes to Luc Ryckaert. His full answer: “Bugatti type 252 Roadster, developed between 1957 and 1962, and being the last car proposed by Bugatti before the firm was sold to Hispano-Suiza in 1963. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti and powered by a 1.5 L inline 4 DOHC engine based on half a type 251 8 cylinder developed by Gioacchino Colombo. The uncertainties about the future of the company had a negative impact on the project. A second prototype was build and tested (laboratory car) but as the factory could not ensure the production, development was abandoned in 1962. Both cars resist in Le Musée de l'Automobile in Mulhouse.”

That was perfect, even alone for the mentioning of a sister-car. But there was a bit more to it. Luc added some extra info: “The picture was taken on May 1st 2010 in Cassel (France) on the grass of l'Ecurie des Damiers during ‘Un 1 Mai à Cassel’. I was there with my BSA three-wheeler on that particular day, a broken exhaust valve ruined my engine on the way back home...” Well, we must have missed you there Luc, since we were out in force with our Wolseley Hornet at the time!

(Pictures Jeroen Booij)

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