Colour: Blue Cylinders: 8; 2,262cc Gears: 4 + reverse Power: 120bhp (approximately) Produced: 1927-32 Production: 160 (including Type 43A) By the early 1930s Ettore Bugatti had established an unrivalled reputation for building cars with outstanding performance on road or track; the world’s greatest racing drivers enjoying countless successes using the Molsheim factory’s products and often choosing them for their everyday transport.

His earlier efforts notwithstanding, the foundation of Bugatti’s not inconsiderable repute was his family of eight-cylinder cars, the first of which – the Type 30 – appeared in 1922.

The Type 30 shared its chassis, axles and gearbox with the later four-cylinder Type 13 Brescia model and was powered by an inline eight displacing 1,991cc.

Developments of this superb engine, with its single overhead camshaft and three valves per cylinder, would go on to power the Type 35 Grand Prix car, the Type 38 tourer and Type 43 sports car.

Introduced in 1927, the Type...