The Forgotten Royal Bugatti Masterpiece
Video from Peterson Automotive Museum
The Forgotten Royal Bugatti Masterpiece
"Bea is back for another deep dive — and this one comes with a royal pedigree.
Owning a Bugatti is already rare air. But owning a Bugatti once delivered as a wedding gift to a future king? That’s something else entirely.
This is the 1939 Bugatti Type 57C — bodied by Vanvooren and originally presented to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the future Shah of Iran. Commissioned by the French government in 1939 to celebrate his royal marriage, this wasn’t just a luxury car. It was a diplomatic statement — a rolling piece of French artistry.
Powered by a supercharged 3.3L straight-eight and shaped in dramatic pre-war Art Deco style, the Type 57C represents the golden age of coachbuilt design. Fully skirted fenders. Concealed convertible top. A windshield that lowers into the cowl. Every line sculpted for elegance and motion.
But like many great royal stories, this one took unexpected turns. Sold off decades later for the equivalent of just $275 USD, the car fell into disrepair before eventually being rescued and restored to its original splendor.
Today, it stands as both a breathtaking Bugatti and a rare artifact from a time when monarchs drove sporting machines instead of armored SUVs.
You can see this extraordinary piece of automotive history in person at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction
00:50 - Bugatti History
02:17 - Type 57C
03:31 - Wedding Gift
05:33 - Restoration & Relic
06:21 - Closer
from the video introduction
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