What was this built for?

[Manik]

I just found this pic of a Bugatti. It looks like a tank, lol. What would bugatti the prestige luxury and sportscar company be doing building this?

[Pando]

It IS a french tank, for fast retreating.




Just kidding, no offence intended

[AndyM]

Manik - you answered your own question. Ettore and, especially, Jean Bugatti were very much into racing. This car, called "The Tank" (based on the Type 57) was an attempt at a more aerodymanic shape for the race track. The cars were quite fast but, overall, hideously poor performers for a number of reasons; the least of which not being that the drivers legs sat on either side of the engine and there was no firewall. The result was a driver's cockpit that was incredibly hot.

It's interesting that the aerodynamics of the car, the very highlight of its existance, were its greatest undoing. The shape of the car combined wih the very short wheelbase created lift and great instability.

It was while testing a Tank that on August 11, 1939, that Jean Bugatti lost his life.

Below is a picture I took of one of the Tanks running at the Historic Races at Laguna Seca in 2003.

[illusionest]

lol looks like a small zamboni

[Wouter Melissen]

Manik - you answered your own question. Ettore and, especially, Jean Bugatti were very much into racing. This car, called "The Tank" (based on the Type 57) was an attempt at a more aerodymanic shape for the race track. The cars were quite fast but, overall, hideously poor performers for a number of reasons; the least of which not being that the drivers legs sat on either side of the engine and there was no firewall. The result was a driver's cockpit that was incredibly hot.

It's interesting that the aerodynamics of the car, the very highlight of its existance, were its greatest undoing. The shape of the car combined wih the very short wheelbase created lift and great instability.

It was while testing a Tank that on August 11, 1939, that Jean Bugatti lost his life.

Below is a picture I took of one of the Tanks running at the Historic Races at Laguna Seca in 2003.

Andy you got things slightly confused. You are correct about the Type 57 Tank, and it's history. The car picturered is the earlier Type 32 Tank, which raced unsuccessfully in 1923.

[forza_autodelta]

It IS a french tank, for fast retreating.




Just kidding, no offence intended

I don't think we have any french retreated until you're thinking about Ragnotti and Andruet

[Dan Flynn]

lol looks like a small zamboni

Bugatti Zamboni?

[saxo670122]

it so specially