Bugatti's masterpiece for 1929 was not a Grand Prix racing car but a sensational luxury car chassis powered by an eight cylinder, 5,360cc engine designed to take the finest and most sumptuously equipped coachwork, providing the ultimate in flexible motoring with exceptional road manners.

This was the Type 46 which earned the sobriquet 'La Petite Royale'.

Not that there was much petite about the 5,360cc engine or substantial chassis which weighed some 1,150kg, however the car shared many similarities with the Royale, including the three speed gearbox in the rear axle and the long (130mm) stroke of the later Royales.

The Type 46 comfortably bridged the gap between the 3 litre Type 44 and the gigantic Royale.

Of the larger Bugattis the Type 46 ranks most highly and offered impressive top gear flexibility.

At a time of world recession where the larger car competed in a reduced market place, its major competitors were Hispano-Suiza, Isotta-Fraschini, Rolls-Royce and Cadillac.

Somehow ...