The amazing Bugattis of the Schlumpf Collection

A whole line up of amazing Bugattis with a T37A in the foreground.

My main reason for visiting the Cité de l'Automobile museum in Mulhouse, France last April was to see the amazing collection of over 100 Bugattis that the Schlumpf brothers amassed between the nineteen forties and the nineteen seventies.  They had made their money from the textile business and used much of to acquire their huge automobile collection.  At the time Bugattis were not that expensive and in one deal the brother acquired a collection of 30 Bugattis for about $100,000.   Nowadays this collection is to all intents and purposes priceless.  As these few pictures show, there is something for every Bugatti fan from racing cars to road going sports cars to touring cars.  As with most museums the photos don't really do the collection justice.

Two pictures in the museum.  On the left Ettore Bugatti.  On the right Fritz Schlumpf.

The Bugatti T35B that Fritz Schlumpf raced in hill climbs.

One of the first racing Bugattis, a T13.  They are often called Brescia Bugattis because T13s took the first four places in the Voiturette race in that city accompanying the 1921 Italian GP.  The car above was mainly raced in Germany.

A 1938 Bugatti T57SC Cabriolet.   An 8 cylinder 3.2 litre road going sports car with a body coach-built by Van Vooren near Pris.   

One of the tank shaped streamlined Bugatti T32s that competed in the 1923 French GP.  One came third driven by Friderich but was beaten by the two Sunbeams.

Unusual Bugatti T35B 

1914 Bugatti T17 Torpedo.  The T17 was a more spacious version of the T13 and this one has mahogany boat shaped coachwork.

The unsuccessful Bugatti T251 that appeared only once in the 1956 French GP at Rems driven by Maurice Trintignant.  It was the last of the Grand Prix Bugattis and was produced by Roland Bugatti after Ettore's death.

1929 Bugatti T41 Royale.  A large luxury car only seven were made, one three were sold at the time and only six exist today.

Bugatti T51.  The T51 was the successor to the T35 and although not as successful it did achieve a number of important Grand Prix victories including that of Varzi versus Nuvolari's Alfa Romeo Monza in 1933.

A Bugatti being demonstrated on  the little track at the side of the museum.

1936 Bugatti T57SC Atalante.

1925 Bugatti T30 Torpedo.

1932 Bugatti T51A.  This was the last Grand Prix Bugatti sold to privateers.

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1928 Bugatti T40 touring car.  A successful model as nearly 800 T40s were built.

Bugatti T57S.