Bugatti Type 46 Coupe Superprofilée Ch. 46208. Matching numbers. Documented history.

The Bugatti Type 46 was first launched at the 1929 Paris Motor Show with production beginning that same year. It bridged the gap between the opulent Bugatti Royale and the 3 Litre Type 44.

The Type 46 quickly became a success for Bugatti with around 350 build in total between 1929 and 1933. Coachbuilders and their offerings for the Type 46 were diverse, however one of the most interesting and iconic coachwork designs for the Type 46 was created by none other than Jean Bugatti, son of Ettore Bugatti and a creative genius in his own right. The Coupe Superprofilée as it was known, is widely accepted as one of his best designs using a raked windscreen, two tone paint job and curvaceous wings that flow the entire length of the car only to be finished off with a dramatic flared kick at the rear.

The engine of the Type 46 is a 5,359cc SOHC Inline eight-cylinder with three valves per cylinder and twin spark ignition. This particular Type 46 engine has been bench tested giving out almost 200HP at 4200RPM.

The early history of this Type 46 Ch. 46208 is outlined by former registrar of the British Bugatti Owners Club and independent Bugatti consultant, David Sewell:

“On 10th January 1930 an order was received by Automobiles Bugati of Molsheim from their Paris agent Dominique Lamberjack for two Type 46 chassis, and Chasssis Nos. 46202 and 46208 were allocated against this order…..Chassis No. 46208 was then delivered to Paris by road on factory trade plates numbered 1649 WW5 allocated to this chassis between 1st and 4th of February 1930.

The car would next have been delivered to one of the Parisien coachbuilders where it was fitted with a “conduit Intériure”, a four-door saloon body, to the order of lamberjack´s client”……The long established Henri Binder of Paris, renowned for their high quality coachwork supplied exclusively for fitment of chassis of the most expensive marquees, is recorded as having built bodies for five Type 46 Bugattis and one Royale….on account of certain coachwork detail similarities it is surmised that Chassis No 46208 might have been the fifth.

The car was first registered by its new owner in the Paris region…the first owner must have sold the car (or moved house to the south-west of France) in 1932 because its first known registration number, 3630 JV1, was issued in that year in Agen.

In 1935 the car passed to a man named Grenier living in the same region, and then in 1937 to Rodriguez who lived in a castle at Villeneuve-Sur-Lot. Around New Year 1938 the car returned to Paris where it was re-registered with the number of 6324 RL4.

There now follows a long gap in the car´s history because its next recorded owner was Baron Johny Raben-Levetzau of Arrholm in Denmark who over a number of years build up a large motor car collection”.

According to The Nordic Bugatti Register, Baron Raben-Levetzau purchased Bugatti Ch. 46208 in a complete but sorry state in 1970 and embarked on a restoration considered for exhibition purposes.

After Raben-Levetzau’s death in 1992 the car was sold at a Sothebys auction in 1994, the new owner being Dr. Walter Leuthausel in Germany. A few years later, in 1997, the Bugatti was sold on to George Fernandez of Australia.

George Fernandez then commissioned award-winning coachbuilder Ken Hayward of Prestige Restorations Sydney, Australia, to restore the car and replace the saloon bodywork with a Coupe Superprofilée body in the style of Jean Bugatti. The restoration work was initiated in 1997 and finalized in 2007 to absolute concours standard.

A detailed description of the restoration written by Ken Hayward in 2013 including numerous photos in various stages of the build, accompany the car. Chassis 46208 retinas its original engine number pairing with engine number 77.

Following the restoration, Ch. 46208 was displayed at the 2011 Sydney Concours where it won Honours.

The Type 46 Coupe Superprofilée was then sold at RM Sothebys’ Villa Erba Auction in 2013 and just two years later, sold again by DD Classics in 2015 to the current owner who has treasured and exercised the Bugatti over the years to great enjoyment.

Comprehensive work and service was carried out with Bugatti engineers par excellence, Gentry Restorations, in the UK in 2017. The invoice totalling 18.436 Pounds accompanies the car.

Since then the Bugatti has behaved impeccably and has been enjoyed in various Bugatti Club meets and other runs during the summer period. It has always been maintained by the owner’s own workshop and is now ready to be used by a new discerning owner.

Finished in the wonderful Art Deco two-tone colour scheme of black and acid yellow with Tan Ostrich leather interior, fine wood interior and polished alloy fittings, the car remains in concours condition and is a welcome addition to any significant collection.

The Bugatti Type 46 Coupe Superprofilée comes with current Danish registration documents (EU registration).