By the early 1930s Ettore Bugatti had established an unrivalled reputation for building cars with outstanding performance on road or track.

Indeed, the world’s greatest racing drivers enjoyed countless successes aboard the Molsheim factory’s products and often chose them for their everyday transport.

Although Bugatti is best remembered for its racing models, most of the 6,000-or-so cars produced at the Molsheim factory were touring cars of sporting character.

Ultimate expression of Ettore Bugatti’s original design, the Type 49 debuted at the Paris Salon in 1930 and was produced from then until 1934.

The Type 49 would be the last of the maestro’s eight-cylinder, single-camshaft touring cars and is considered by many to be the finest of all ‘real’ Bugattis.

The new 3.3-litre model featured twin-plug ignition, an enlarged radiator, ball-change gearlever and (later) very pretty cast aluminum wheels among many other improvements.

Total Type 49 production amounted to 470 cars, around ...