Before It Made 300-MPH Exotic Hypercars, Bugatti Made Trains

The Type 41, or Bugatti Royale, as it came to be known, motivated itself with a similarly large engine. The Royale's motor displaced a massive 12.8 liters with eight cylinders. The hood was apparently so large, you'd need two grown men to lift it simply due to its length and weight.

The Type 41 is full of factoids like that. The wheelbase measured a huge 14 feet (4.3 m). The car itself weighed roughly 3.5 tons. Despite its massive displacement, the straight-8 engine only made some 300 horsepower. The list goes on.

As a matter of fact, the engine was rather ahead of its time in some respects. For example, the motor made use of overhead camshafts. These were something largely unheard of at the time, and they're now a staple in just about any engine on the market. Moreover, the engine used three valves per cylinder with two spark plugs each, and dry-sump lubrication kept things moving. Again, this is something commonplace in modern supercars that would have been truly exotic nearly 100 years ago.

The original Royale was something of a study, however, and the first production train car wouldn't actually go on sale until 1932. Unsurprisingly, Bugatti says the train wasn't much of a success. I can't imagine the brand would be where it is today if the train thing had worked out.

The brand cites the Great Depression as one of the reasons the train never worked out. Up to 1933, Bugatti had built six models and 25 motors for the upcoming Royale. However, only four had been sold. Still, the French brand says Ettore at least got something out of it.

That highly advanced engine was used to change the face of France's rail network with a new high-speed railcar. At the time, like much of post-war Europe, the French rail system was extremely developed (at least the parts of it that didn't have holes in it from the war). On top of that, trains and busses were rapidly becoming a popular means of transport. Far and away, the most prominent issue was that much of the network still made extensive use of slower and older steam-powered trains. However, Bugatti's engine was theoretically capable of almost 120 mph (193 kph).

The Royale’s engine was reconfigured to be used with a new four-axle rail units Ettore had developed. The design was completed in just nine months. After the design was completed, it had to undergo homologation testing. During this, the new train's lighter, more aerodynamic design meant it hit a top speed of 106 mph (171 kph). While the engine had more in it, this would still be a massive leap forward for the French rail system. In typical Bugatti fashion, more speed was to come.

Later, a much-improved version of this train would go on to become the fastest train in the world. It hit 121 mph (195 kph). The new, faster trains enabled a kind of rail travel that was previously impossible. These trains, which Bugatti argues are direct descendants of the original Royale design, totally revolutionized rail travel in France at the time.

Ettore's train achievements were not just limited to the mechanical aspects of these machines. Bugatti claims that his revolutionary designs were the first to put the conductor in a centrally located cabin. There's a word for this in French, which isn't specified. Apparently, this is why the French use the term "autorail." The central positioning of the conductor gave them greater control over the train's various functions, making them both safer and more efficient. Bugatti made interior improvements to these trains as well. Seats could rotate, which allowed passengers to either face in the direction of travel or toward each other.

The French marque claims that Ettore was responsible for the development and manufacturing of 88 trains. These also provided much-needed financial stability for the brand through the 1930s. Bugatti even goes so far as to say that the brand flourished during the 30s.

However, of the 88 trains built, there is only one survivor. "Le Présidentiel" was one of the first delivered by Bugatti, and it now resides at the Cité du Train, one of the largest railway museums in the world.

Without Bugatti's commitment to early railcar development in France, you could argue that the company may not have survived the 1930s. Times were hard, and many small automakers didn't make it through to the end of the World War. Bugatti II, however, did, and the world is better off for it.