<< Prev Page 2 of 2 At first sight the 95 bhp produced by the 2 litre engine would not make for a great racing car, but this was more than compensated by the superb handling characteristics of the nimble Bugatti. The engine was also extremely reliable, even the most difficult of circumstances. The Bugatti Type 35 was not a winner straight out of the box as its debut in the 1924 Grand Prix de Lyon was dogged with problems. In the race several of the cars shed their tires and for many years this was attributed to the new wheels, but later it was believed that this was the result of a fault during the construction of the tires.
Leaving little to chance, Bugatti fitted wider tires to his cars with a second place finish in the next Grand Prix at San Sebastian as a result. In the following five seasons a wide variety of developments based on the Type 35 would score over 2000 'successes', including dozens of major victories highlighted by four consecutive wins in the Targa Florio. The Type 35's success on the track also made it high in demand with privateers and it was the first ever racing car to be built in large numbers. This is also an explanation on how the car achieved the incredible number of successes as claimed by Bugatti.
One of the first developments was a 1.5 version of the engine to comply with the latest Grand Prix regulations. Built in very small numbers, it was known as the Type 39. For the long road races like the Targa Florio a 2.3 litre engine was created, known as the Type 35T (for Targa Florio). A major step forward was the reluctant addition of a Supercharger, which until then was considered 'cheating' by Ettore Bugatti. It became available on all versions of the engine, with the 2.3 Type 35B as the the most powerful. Not intended for racing, Bugatti introduced the Type 35A or 'Course Imitation' with a three main bearing version of the 2 litre engine for around 2/3 of the Type 35 price.
By 1930, the Type 35 and its derivatives were gradually losing competitiveness although Grands Prix were won up to 1932. Its replacement, the Type 51, used a very similar chassis design, but now with a twin overhead camshaft engine. Although the figure of 2000+ successes includes more than just victories, the Bugatti Type 35 is without a doubt the most successful racing car ever constructed. The versatility of the chassis enabled it to compete successfully in Grands Prix, long distance road races or hill climbs. It was also quintessential in establishing Bugatti as a serious manufacturer and greatly helped the company to achieve the mythical status it holds today. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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At first sight the 95 bhp produced by the 2 litre engine would not make for a great racing car, but this was more than compensated by the superb handling characteristics of the nimble Bugatti. The engine was also extremely reliable, even the most difficult of circumstances. The Bugatti Type 35 was not a winner straight out of the box as its debut in the 1924 Grand Prix de Lyon was dogged with problems. In the race several of the cars shed their tires and for many years this was attributed to the new wheels, but later it was believed that this was the result of a fault during the construction of the tires.