The 1937 Bugatti Type 57G Tank sports car was built by the Bugatti Company in France between 1936 and 1937. Only three of these were produced at Bugatti’s Alsace factory.

This race car was a winner from the start when Jean-Pierre Wimille won two Grand Prix races in 1936. It also won the twenty-four hour Le Mans race in 1937.

At Le Mans, the car had an average speed of 85 miles per hour.

Specifications

The sports car was nicknamed the “tank” because it had a fully enclosed body. Only one is believed to have survived and is on display at the Simeone Foundation Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The surviving race car’s chassis number is 57335 and is the model that won the Grand Prix races and the Le Mans race.

Chassis & Engine

To make sure the race car had a low center of gravity, the company used the standard Bugatti 57S chassis. They then combined it with their 3.3 liter straight eight cylinder engine.

It had a wheelbase of nearly three meters. The engine was highly tuned that it produced 200 horsepower.

The tank had a four speed gearbox. Because of this Bugatti Type 57G Tank sports car had an outstanding aerodynamic body, it could easily achieve higher speeds when compared to most of its competitors’ race cars at that time.

This Bugatti model also had better fuel economy than most other cars that it raced against.

Exterior

This race car showcased a sloped front that had mesh grilles which allowed cool air to easily pass through its engine and its front drum brakes, it has four drum brakes . The body was made from lightweight aluminum and its frame was made from steel.

The winning race car was painted in two different shades of blue.