The Bugatti Type 35 was designed by Ettore Bugatti, the founder of Automobiles Ettore Bugatti. He was a French-Italian engineer and entrepreneur who created some of the most innovative and elegant cars of his time. He was also passionate about racing and wanted to build a car that could compete and win in the Grand Prix and other events. The Type 35 was his masterpiece, combining beauty, performance, and reliability. He personally drove the first prototype at the 1924 French Grand Prix. He also sold the car to many private customers who enjoyed its speed and style. Ettore Bugatti was a visionary who left a lasting legacy in the automotive world.

The Bugatti Type 35 is an iconic race car design produced by Bugatti at their Molsheim premises between 1924 and 1930. It was extremely successful when raced by the factory works team. It was also bought by a diverse roster of privateer clientele from around the world. The car pioneered the concept of a holistically conceived, race-ready car available for purchase. The Type 35 was phenomenally successful, winning over 1,000 races in its time. It took the Grand Prix World Championship in 1926 after winning 351 races and setting 47 records in the two prior years. At its height the Type 35 averaged 14 race wins per week. The car has become synonymous with being the first to use cast alloy wheels. The Bugatti Type 35 was continually being modified and improved upon, but broadly falls into the following nomenclature:

– Type 35 (naturally aspirated): This original, defining model was introduced at the 1924 French Grand Prix, held at Lyon. The inaugural outing for the Type 35 was not a success due to fitment of badly- vulcanised Dunlop tyres. Despite this, the model showed promise and became increasingly competitive with refinements being made. The car used an evolution of the three-valve 2.0 L (1991 cc/121 in) overhead cam straight-eight engine first seen on the Type 29. Bore was 60 mm and stroke was 88 mm as on many previous Bugatti models. This new powerplant featured a sophisticated roller bearing system, numbering five in total. This allowed the engine to rev to 6,000 rpm. Output was up to 90 hp (67 kW). The cable-operated drum brakes system was very popular and adaptable. Alloy wheels were a novelty, as was the hollow front axle for reduced unsprung weight. Another feature of the Type 35 that was to become a Bugatti trademark was passing the springs through the front axle rather than simply U-bolting them together as was done on their earlier cars. 96 of these un-supercharged T35 examples were produced.

Type 35A: The Type 35A was a ‘Touring’ model produced in small numbers.

Type 35B: The Type 35B was the most successful of the Type 35 series. Its engine featured a Roots-type supercharger, despite the regulations limiting engine capacity.

Type 35C: The Type 35C was a modified version of the Type 35B. It featured a larger supercharger than the Type 35B and produced over 130 hp.

Type 35T: The Type 35T was a dedicated racing car, designed for the voiturette class.