Bugatti automobiles were founded in 1909 in the French city of Molsheim, Alsace by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti.

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Famous Bugattis include the Type 35 Grand Prix cars, the Type 41 "Royale", the Type 57 "Atlantic" and the Type 55 sports car.

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These vehicles were known for their design beauty and for their many race victories. In 1929, a privately entered Bugatti won the first ever Monaco Grand Prix. The little Bugatti Type 10 swept the top four positions in its first race.

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Engine blocks were hand scraped making surfaces so flat that gaskets were not required for sealing.  Safety wires had been threaded through almost every fastener in intricately laced patterns and rather than bolting the springs to the axles.  The Bugatti spring passed though a carefully sized opening in the axle, a much lighter and more elegant solution.

 

The death of Ettore Bugatti in 1947 and the death of his son Jean Bugatti in 1939 ensured there was no successor to lead the factory. No more than about 8,000 cars were made.