Body style: Convertible (spider/spyder, cabrio/cabriolet, drop/open/soft top)
Segment: Roadster & Convertible
Production years: 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934
Designed as a Grand Touring car, the Type 49 was the last that featured a single-camshaft, inline-eight engine built by Bugatti.
Unlike other Bugatti cars from that era built for speed, the Type 49 might have been considered a personal luxury convertible. It was built with passion, and even though it built less than 1000 units, it became a famous vehicle that attracted attention.
On the outside, the horse-shoe shape of the radiator was unique on the market. The spare wheels flanked the engine compartment. Its long, curved wheel-arches supported the headlights with a chromed bar. One of the most interesting features of the car was the turbine-wheels, which were cast in aluminum. Most of the cars from that era still featured artillery-wheels or steel wheels with caps. But not the Type 49. Bugatti mounted a separate trunk behind the short cabin accessible only from the outside.
Inside, the French carmaker installed a leather-clad interior and real wood on the dash and door panels. All the levers and buttons were metallic, and some of them were polished. The four-spoke steering wheel was big and featured a wood-crown. Bugatti took good care of its customers and offered the car with a split front bench and a smaller bench in the back. While it was hard to believe that someone could sit behind the driver, the carmaker still installed them.
Under the hood, the inline-eight engine featured a twin-spark ignition system. Even though it featured one camshaft, it had three valves per cylinder: two for intake and one for the exhaust. Bugatti paired it to a four-speed manual gearbox.
ENGINE SPECS - 3.3 | |
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Cylinders: | L8 |
Displacement: | 3257 cm3 |
Fuel System: | Carburetor |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 85 mph (137 km/h) |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Rear Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | Manual, 4 Speed |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Drums |
Rear: | Drums |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 28 X 5.25 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Front/rear Track: | 49.2/49.2 in (1,250/1,250 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 122.8 in (3119 mm) |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2947 lbs (1337 kg) |