Vanderbilt Cup Races

 Kurst Ernst has posted highlights from last Saturday's Keeneland Concours d'Elegance in the Hemmings Blog.

Enjoy,

Howard Kroplick

 
1934 Bugatti Type 57 takes Best of Show at Keeneland Concours d’Elegance
 
Kurt Ernst on Jul 20th, 2016

Hemmings Blog
 
Designed as a grand touring automobile by Ettore Bugatti’s son Jean, the Bugatti Type 57 was produced from 1934 through 1940 in a variety of forms, and with factory-supplied or coachbuilt bodies from Europe’s finest shops. Paris-based Carrosserie Franay is known to have rebodied several Type 57s, but reportedly just one in rumble seat convertible form with dual rear-mounted spares. Now owned by Clem and Mary C. Lange of Huntingburg, Indiana, the unique 1934 Bugatti Type 75 took Best of Show honors at last weekend’s Keeneland Concours d’Elegance in Lexington, Kentucky.
 
Throughout its production, the Bugatti Type 57 was powered by a 3.3-liter straight-eight engine, equipped with twin gear-driven camshafts and rated at 135 horsepower, enough to propel the car to a top speed of 95 MPH. Later versions of the Type 57 would include the 57S, or “Surbaisse,” lowered for improved handing; the 57T, which was capable of a 115 MPH top speed; the supercharged 57C, which produced 160 horsepower; and the rarest of all, the Type SC, which was both lowered and supercharged.
 
The Franay-bodied 1934 Bugatti Type 57 rumble seat convertible that took Best of Show in Kentucky was ordered new by German actress Hella Hartwich, who had played a starring role in the 1932 film Slalom. It isn’t clear how long Hartwich kept the Bugatti (or what became of her career), but in late 2004, the Bugatti turned up for sale at a specialist dealer in Switzerland. Sometime later, the car was acquired by concours veterans Clem and Mary C. Lange, who routinely share their exquisite collection at events across the country.
 
 
Earlier in 2016, the Langes’ 1934 Bugatti Type 57 earned the Raymond “Le Patron” Milo Trophy at Amelia Island, awarded to the car with the most elegant French coachwork. Given its impressive 2016 record thus far, it’s a safe bet the prewar French masterpiece will prove competitive at other events in the coming months, too.
 
Other key category winners include the 1937 Chrysler Imperial C-15 Town Car owned by Howard and Rosalind Kroplick, which earned the Judges’ Award; the 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago owned by Sheldon Kapp, which earned the People’s Choice Award; the 1941 Chrysler Town & Country owned by Peter Heydon, which earned the Junior Judges’ Award; and the 1937 Peugeot Darl’mat 402 coupe owned by The Patterson Collection, which earned the Children’s Choice Award.
 
 
Enjoy the gallery of additional category winners below. For complete results from the 2016 Keeneland Concours d’Elegance, visit KeenelandConcours.com.