A Most Exquisite Failure: The Bugatti Type 41... [PIC]

The huge Bugatti Type 41 known as the Royale was Ettore Bugatti's dream of the ultimate luxury car. With its long wheelbase and 300 HP 14.7 liter straight 8 aircraft engine, it also handled like a dream. The list price for the rolling chassis was £6500 in 1932 or $22,750 which even scared away royalty as when bodied, the price doubled The plan was to produce 25, but only 6 were built and only 4 were sold. They were built from 1927 to 1933. Jean Bugatti designed this 1932 roadster for Armand Esders who sold it after a few years. Right befor WWll King Carol of Romania had it rebodied by Henry Binder as a Coupe de Ville similar to the Napoleon. The war prevented delivery and it was taken by the French government and armored. It's now in the VW's museum. The Kellner Coach or Napoleon was the last built and never sold staying in the family along with the #1 Type 41. Bugatti did actually turned a profit by selling the powerful engines to the railroads.