Rare Bugatti found could fetch $12m+
January 2, 2009 by Matt Brogan
A rare Bugatti, one of just a handful ever made, which was found gathering dust in an English garage after more than 50 years could fetch millions of dollars when it goes under the hammer next month.
Experts believe the car could fetch as much as £6 million (A$12.51 million) when it is auctioned at the Retromobile car show and sale being organised by Bonhams in Paris on February 7.
The 130mp/h Type 57S Atalante is only one of 17 ever made and will be the most expensive car to ever go under the hammer at Bonhams.
Former owner, Dr Harold Carr, died in June 2007, aged 89, as a reclusive childless bachelor. He left a garage in Newcastle to his nephews and nieces, without telling them of its valuable contents.
Alongside the Bugatti they also found an E Type Jaguar and a rare Aston Martin. They have decided to put the Bugatti, which has not been driven since 1960, up for auction.
Dr Carr’s nephew, an engineer from Gosforth, Newcastle, said “We just cannot believe it was there. No one had any idea what kind of cars he had parked in there. We knew he had some cars, but we had no idea what they were. It was a bit of local folklore that he had a Bugatti, but no-one knew for sure, and certainly no-one knew how much it was worth.”
Describing his uncle as “a very eccentric old gent”, he said “It’s a wonderful thing to leave.”
James Knight, International Head of Bonhams’ motoring department said “I have known of this Bugatti for a number of years and, like a select group of others, hadn’t dared divulge its whereabouts to anyone. It is absolutely one of the last great barn discoveries. The Atalante is incredibly original and, although she requires restoration, it is ‘restoration’ in the true sense of the word. From my perspective, save for some of the interior, all original parts can be restored or conserved in order to maintain originality.”
The Bugatti 57S was originally owned by British aristocrat and racing enthusiast Earl Howe, who was the first president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club. He took delivery of the sporty two-seater Atalante in 1937 and kept the car for eight years.
After it changed hands several times, Mr Carr bought it in 1955 and drove it for a few years before parking it in the garage in the early 1960s, where it remained until his death.
Print it: 
How’s that for an anti-spam word – Bugatti?
Wow, I wish I had an uncle like that.
Its very sleek although it looks like an Italian version of an English Morgan xe’d with a 1939 Chevrolet
I’d rather have the Bugatti Royale which is an Italian version of a German Dusenberg
I hope the buyer will actually drive it every now and then and not keep it locked in a garage like so many of these tyep of cars are.
Makes you wonder how many more like these remain tucked away in garages, barns, under houses etc. Mind boggling really.
What are you smoking Wheelnut? The Duesenberg was an American car, not German, and the Bugatti Royale, like all Bugattis, was French not Italian. And the only relationship between a Duesenberg and a Royale was that they were both very big.
Thanks for that Capt’n.. my mistake. I must have been thinking of some other vintage European cars that look similar to the Duesey and the Bugatti whilst I was writing my comment.. I like the old “touring cars” from back then – the 30-60s
Im glad they realised its value. Would have been sad/funny if they just thought “ah whats this heap of junk, lets sell it for scrap and buy beers with the money we get.”
Whats the point in having a car if you’re never going to drive it? Just so you can later sell it to someone else for a higher price who will also never drive it? Seems like a waste to me.
I recon by the 60’s he realised how scary that thing would be at 130mph and locked it up : )
Does that mean the mint Cortina Gt sitting in my Mums shed is worth something?
I love reading about these sorts of things.. post more!
Wow – even that Bugatti badge would sell for a few quid.
Once read an article about an american who bought a property in Portugal to find a shed load of cars in a locked barn. Amazing try www. intuh . net/barnfinds/afa70.htm
I love hearing stuff like this… also Cupid ^ the above site even says the ‘American buying property scenario’ is an urban myth.
There are now some saying that this is a setup, and when you look at the picture closely, it just could be.
What would be the future year if this same(10.5mil)senario happend but with a TRD Aurion?Im going for around 4700AD.Ha Ha (just a friendly jibe)
I’w ith you, Captain.
There is a lot of dust on the car but not a spec of dust on the shelves or the items on the shelves. The picture hanging near the driver’s door is as clean as a whistle.
The white powder stops on a straight line in front of the car, and the walkway along the left side of the car is not straight, yet there is no reason for it not to be – there is nothing on the floor right beside the car that would deviate the path, and no mark where something might have stood.
A bit of Photoshop artwork perhaps ???