Bugatti Type 45 at speed by Sjoerd van der Wal Photography

About "Bugatti Type 45 at speed"

by Sjoerd van der Wal Photography

About the artwork

Bugatti Type 45 Bi-Place Course 1929 race car participating in a sprint race in black and white.

The Bugatti Type 45 Bi-Place Course was a rare and experimental racing car developed by Bugatti in the early 1930s. It was part of Bugatti’s continuous efforts to innovate in Grand Prix racing, bridging the gap between the earlier Type 35 and later more powerful race cars. The Type 45 was notable for its use of a twin-engine setup—essentially two supercharged 1.5-liter straight-eight engines mounted side-by-side, derived from the Type 35B—giving it a combined displacement of 3.0 liters and producing approximately 250 horsepower.

The "Bi-Place Course" designation refers to its two-seat configuration, intended for endurance racing or as a test platform. While technically ambitious, the complex drivetrain, weight distribution challenges, and reliability issues limited its competitiveness. Only a handful were produced, and it never saw significant racing success.
The Type 45 featured the hallmark Bugatti craftsmanship with a lightweight chassis, signature horseshoe grille, and elegant bodywork. It stands today as a fascinating example of Ettore Bugatti's relentless engineering curiosity and willingness to experiment outside conventional norms. Although it was not a commercial or racing success, the Type 45 remains an important piece in the lineage of Bugatti’s innovative and daring approach to automotive design.