Like many premier automakers in the early 20th century, Bugatti used its success in competition to elevate the profile of its road cars.

In the case of the Type 55, introduced by Bugatti in 1932, the ties to motorsport were quite explicit: it was a direct descendent of the Type 51 racecar, and was similarly powered by a supercharged 2.3-liter dual-overhead-cam inline-eight.

The 38 Type 55 Bugattis produced typically wore sporting bodywork—often open-topped—that further emphasized the model’s racing roots.

According to the report by marque expert David Sewell, the Swiss Bugatti Agent Bucar of Zurich ordered chassis 55219 in the winter of 1932 on behalf of their client Mr. Edmond Reiffers, a notary in the city of Luxembourg.

Once completed later that spring, a factory employee delivered the unbodied chassis with a temporary seat to the border just 100 miles away from the factory.

Mr. Reiffers intended to commission coachwork of his own choosing for the car—but not before one of his ...