Bugatti Type 46 and 50 Superprofilés

General Motors' styling boss Harley Earl regularly went to Europe.  Partly for fun and relaxation, I suppose.  But the purpose was to keep informed about styling trends there, usually via the Paris early fall Salon de l'Automobile that included examples of custom bodies on luxury cars.

It was such custom or low-volume cars that could express various possible directions for future mass-produced bodies.  The Bugattis featured in this post were highly aerodynamic in spirit (if not actuality) for the very early 1930s.  For example, like the featured Bugattis, in mid-decade several British cars featured conventional front ends and sleek passenger compartments and tails.

The Bugattis are Type 46 and Type 50 models.  They are coupés called Superprofilé, having to do with a strongly raked flat windshield.  The existing Type 46 example shown below has a genuine Bugatti Type 46 chassis and motor, but its body is a replica of the original Superprofilés, as explained here.  It seems that only one original 46 Coupé Superprofilé exists, and is in the Schlumpf museum in France.  Regardless, this recreation sold for a very high price at auction.

The Type 50 Superprofilé was a notchback, not a fastback design.  Images below were taken many years ago.  A few cars might still exist.

Gallery

Type 46 Superprofilé

Snapshot of a Type 46.  The two-tone paint design is obscured because the two colors (likely black and dark red) appear dark.  I'd prefer the Superprofilés to be monochrome because the two-tone scheme detracts from the body design.  But who am I to quarrel with Ettore and Jean Bugatti?

Another example, perhaps at the 1929 Salon de l'Automobile.

Side view of 1931 model auctioned by Bonhams showing the extreme rake of the windshield.

Right front quarter.

This shows the fastback styling.  Small back windows due to use of flat glass.  The shaping of the aft ends of the rear fenders is odd, but perhaps was intended to avoid buildup of mud or ice aft of the wheels.

Type 50 Superprofilé

The Type 50 version seems less streamlined, though it's a more practical car due to its large trunk and rear-mounted spare tires.  (A Type 46 spare tire would have been inside the body, taking up storage room.)

Images of a 1930 Type 50 Superprofilé.

1932 Bugatti Type 50 Coupé Superprofilé - 1964 Pebble Beach concours d'élégance winner photo