A 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio once owned by Prince Louis Napoleon, the grandson of the nephew of Emperor Napoleon I of France – will go on the auction block under the prestigious Gooding & Co. during its annual auction at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this August.
The prince purchased this vehicle using the pseudonym Louis De Montfort. It is estimated to sell for $1.3 million to $1.6 million.
“We have known of this vehicle for a long time. It was in the United Kingdom and we convinced the owner to let us sell it at Pebble Beach,” said David Gooding, president of Gooding & Co.
The Bugatti would have sold for about $12,000 in 1938, during the depths of the Great Depression, Gooding said. A new Ford at the time was about $500. “Bugattis are known for their performance and unique design. This car would do more than 100 miles per hour, which was fast for the 1930s,” he said.