Bugatti Type 57 "Galibier" Berline, 1934-1939

Thanks to World War 2, Bugatti's efforts to replace 1934+ Type 57 models were put on hold.  Patron Ettore Bugatti died in 1947.  Post-war efforts to productionize Type 57 replacements failed.   Even if they had been partly successful, government efforts to restructure the French automoble industry helped the demise of firms making upscale cars.

Type 57 Bugattis came in four body types: (1) conduite intèrieur or Berline -- 4-door sedans; (2) "coach" -- 2-door sedans; (3) cabriolet -- convertible coupe; and (4) coupé.  These were marketed under the respective names "Galibier," "Ventoux," "Stelvio," and "Atalante."  Some background on Galibiers is here.

Galibiers and Ventouxs were made by Bugatti, some custom body examples excepted.  Bugatti-designed Stelvio bodies were sub-contracted to nearby coachbuilding firm Gangloff Frères.  Atalantes appeared in 1936 and apparently were Bugatti-built, aside from the usual buyer option for ordering a custom body.

In the Gallery below are examples of Type 57 Galibiers for each year of their main production run that lasted from late 1933 to perhaps early 1940.

Unless identified, images below are from photo sources unknown to me.

Gallery

1934 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier - via RM Sotheby's Auctions
The Type 57 was introduced in October, 1933 at the annual Salon de l'Automobile de Paris.  Earliest versions had exterior door handles for both front and rear doors, but that detail was soon changed, as this photo indicates.

1935 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier - via Tous les voitures Françaises 1935
Included in this scan is the the Ventoux, or "coach" Type 57 variant.

1936 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier - via Artcurial Auctions

1937 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier - via Gooding Auctions
This sorry looking car is the only true 1937 Galibier I could locate.

1937 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier
This is an interesting design, but I am having serious trouble dealing with it.  In the authoritative Tous les voitures françaises 1937 by René Bellu, page 16, this photo is captioned La berline Galibier sortie au cours de l'anée 1937.  On the other hand, it is illustrated as the Galibier in Bugatti's 1938 Type 57 brochure.  But note that it shares the hood-side air vent design as the 1937 car in the previous image.  Moreover, it's the only photo of this car that I could find.

1938 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier
This 1938 Galibier has a slightly different body than the supposed 1938 Galibier in the brochure just noted.  For example, rear window profiles differ, and include segmented glass (the previous image suggests no or partial window glass).  That car was most likely a prototype, the one shown here, a production car.

1938 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier - via Tous les voitures françaises 1938
Another production 1938 Galibier.

1939 Bugatti Type 57 Galibier
Basic 1939 Galibiers had headlights blended into the catwalks, as seen here.  However, customers could and did order conventional, freestanding headlights.