Why Everyone Needs a Pur Sang Bugatti

What began as a limited venture has evolved into Argentina’s most talented artists. Pur Sang obtained original blueprints for the Alfa 8C, and those represent their bread & butter sales. Due to the complexities of casting and forging every part, they spent years reverse-engineering the Bugatti Type 37 for one purpose: Build it better than Bugatti did.

Friday morning, I was introduced to William, their chief machinist and salesperson for the U.S. After hours of technical, engineering, and logistical questions, he informed me that Wayne Carini (Chasing Classic Cars) had ordered the car the year prior.

Their brochure is an elegant modernization of what Bugatti dealers offered to customers in 1926. Imagine yourself on the French Riviera, in need of a new supercar. You don’t want Bentley or Rolls because of poor reliability. The Chevrolet brothers were dominating Indy, putting France in Victory Lane. But you need a status symbol. Hence, a new 1927 Bugatti is the only choice.

Before any options, your Type 35 is equipped with a straight-8 engine comprised of two chunky four cylinders cast as a massive unit. It has a tiny bore of 60mm with a 100mm stroke to offer incredible low-end torque.

You will have fun shifting this 4-speed crash-box. Without synchros, you will learn to shift like your grandpa did, or like how my CTS-V acts in chilly weather. The rear axle is simply a bevel gear that measures 14 pinion teeth x 54 ring teeth. Doing a little math, that translates to a 3.86 differential ratio- perfect for such prodigious torque.

Manual brakes have much more feedback than hydraulics- trust me! Your brake pedal operates all four corners, and the massive handbrake is a throwback to horseless carriages. Given the modern return of tall handbrakes, it could allow this Bugatti to drift for a living.

Other goodies include a full-size 19” spare wheel and tire. The wheels are cut from forged discs using the same methods as the factory workers. That detail pushed me down the rabbit hole to notice that every screw and clip was also formed by hand. Clamps, springs, and keys are all linked by safety wire, evoking memories of rewarding tasks that have been forgotten.

Should you need to boost your collection, the Type 35B Grand Prix arrives with the same 2.3-liter DOHC straight 8, along with a supercharger. Originally rated at 138 horsepower, Pur Sang’s hand-built examples are capable of much more. This, in a car loaded with 20 gallons of fuel, weighing only 1,650 lbs (748kg).

Finally, your optional goodies range from a car cover, full tonneau cover, spare tire carrier, luggage rack, tool kit, and an auxiliary magneto that is a work of art unto itself. Mr. Carini took time to point out these finer points to me, so check out his collection and stay tuned for more great coverage from The Amelia 2022.