Ettore Bugatti’s own 1936 Type 57C Coupe up for auction

Last month Ferrari set a new world record for a car sold at auction with a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testarossa fetching €9 million (approximately $12,737,000) at an auction of Italian supercars organized by RM Auctions in Maranello, Italy. An ultra-rare 1936 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe that’s set to go on auction at the this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, however, may just eclipse that record.

You see, this particular Bugatti was built for Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti as a birthday present. The car was protected at the Bugatti factory in France during World War II and was owned by Ettore until his death in 1947. The automaker continued to keep it, even upgrading the vehicle with a new engine and transmission as the passage of time rolled on.

The car has only changed hands a few times since the factory first sold it back in 1950 and its bodywork is completely original as there has been no restoration work done whatsoever.

Handling the auction at the Pebble Beach event will be the Gooding & Company auction house, which will also be selling the Denis "Denny" Hulme 1967 AAR Gurney Eagle Indy Car, the Mario Andretti 1964 Dean Van Lines Roadster Indy Car and the 1909 Stoddard-Dayton Model K Re-creation – three important vehicles from America’s racing past.