Chassis 57838 is one of the final Bugatti Type 57s produced before World War II and a rare factory-supercharged 57C, denoted by the original engine stamp “100C,” which it retains to this day. Delivered bare to the Brixton Road agency in London in July 1939, the car was fitted with a two-seat body by Vanden Plas and registered as DWW 222 just weeks before Britain entered the war. Though official records are sparse, the car is widely believed to have been ordered by Scottish industrialist Edward G. Thomson, later famed for his sponsorship of the Ecurie Ecosse racing team. Period photos confirm Thomson campaigned the car in sand races at St. Andrews before selling it in 1970, along with his full collection that included the Le Mans-winning Jaguar D-Type XKD 501.

By the time of its sale, the Vanden Plas coachwork had mostly vanished, and the car was reimagined in the spirit of Corsica’s two-seat Tourist Trophy roadsters by Keith Bowley of Ashton Keynes. In 2004, it was further transformed by D.L. George Historic Motorcars, who enhanced the body with sweeping Corsica-inspired lines, teardrop fenders, and a deep red finish, while Leydon Restorations completed a full mechanical restoration. The interior features tan leather upholstery, matching carpeting, woodgrain trim, Jaeger gauges, and a fully finished trunk with a leather-strapped spare.

Under the hood, the original supercharged 3.3-liter inline-8 remains in place, paired with a Roots-style blower and period mechanical detailing including a turned metal firewall and cam covers. This gives the car not only authentic performance, but also visual character consistent with Bugatti’s finest pre-war engineering.

Now part of the Tom Maoli collection, the car is actively driven and shown, including a Third in Class award at the 2023 Audrain Newport Concours. With its rare mechanical pedigree, layered provenance, and masterfully executed Corsica-style coachwork, 57838 stands as a stunning tribute to the Type 57’s grand touring legacy at the very edge of the prewar era.