It is the 1st time a Swiss wins, first time a European wins, and first time a preservation wins.
The Type 59 Sports remains the only Grand Prix car to be converted into a sports car at the factory and exists today in virtually unrestored original condition as a perfect witness to the period in which it thrived.
The engineers removed the supercharger from the engine compartment and integrated a new oil tank with two-pump lubrication and a four-speed dry sump fully synchronized transmission with central shifting. They also re-tailored the bodywork: small motorcycle mudguards, a small windshield, small headlights positioned far down and side doors - with the new chassis number 57248.
A two-seater car not only for the streets, but also for the racetrack, that is where Jean-Pierre Wimille increasingly used the Type 59 Sports sports car from 1935 in the new 750-kilogram class. In the 1937 sports car season, this Type 59 Sports with Wimille at the wheel won the Grand Prix de Pau and de Tunis and de Marseille, among others. Affectionately called "La Grand Mère" (Grandmother) by the mechanics in Molsheim, the sports car took part in races in Africa and won the last edition of the Algerian Grand Prix. In July 1937, Jean-Pierre Wimille won a Grand Prix for the last time with the Type 59 Sports: the Grand Prix de la Marne on the race track in Reims - over three minutes ahead of the runner-up. The fast and superior Bugatti caused a sensation on the scene. At the end of the season, a long-time Bugatti customer bought this exceptional sports car with a successful racing history: King Leopold III of Belgium between 1934 and 1951.
It was also featured at the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed
For a whole great gallery from the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours:
