Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica: next stop, the Côte d’Azur

By Mick Walsh

| 11 Mar 2025

Classic & Sports Car – Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica: next stop, the Côte d’Azur

As I open the cutaway door and slide on to the pristine ivory leather seat of the magnificent, concours-winning Bugatti Type 57S, this long-awaited drive evokes contrasting thoughts.

Glancing at the gleaming piano-black dash, deep under the scuttle, with its array of Jaeger instruments including a 120mph speedometer, my imagination flashes back to Jack Barclay’s Hanover Square showroom in March 1937, when first owner Robert Ropner saw his new Bugatti.

It was fresh from coachbuilder Corsica, where a bespoke four-seater tourer body had been fitted to a special Type 57G racing chassis, and Ropner was all set for a first drive back to Thorp Perrow, his family’s North Yorkshire home.

This Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica is capable of 114mph at 5000rpm – and is unique

The 31-year-old had already owned a fine range of machinery, including a Bentley Speed Six Le Mans team car, but having traded a Mercedes-Benz 540K for the Molsheim supercar, he was keen to test its famed pace up the Great North Road.

Ropner flung his city bowler hat on to the passenger seat and roared off for the 260-mile trip.

As the Bugatti raced through North London, he could smell burning and spotted smoke rising from his bowler.

Due to the closely fitted, racing-style undershields, the enclosed exhaust had heated the floor and roasted his hat.

The Type 57S by Corsica has Bugatti’s signature six tailpipes

Once the problem was sorted, Ropner blasted home to Yorkshire.

The performance clearly impressed, and back home the maps came out to plan a May road trip to the south of France with his wife, Dorothy.

En route the Ropners stopped in Paris and, while Dorothy went shopping, Robert headed south to the Montlhéry circuit where, amazingly, he was permitted to test the Bugatti’s performance.

Wearing a suit and tie, he gunned the Type 57 to 100mph for two laps before returning to the pits to fold the ’screen down for a second run.

The Ropner family gathers at Thorp Perrow in North Yorkshire to wave off Robert and wife Dorothy (centre) on their first trip to France in the Bugatti

As the speedo’s needle edged past 110mph, the engine started to falter with a misfire and back in the pits the raised bonnet revealed a melted piston.

How his wife reacted to the news that the Bugatti had blown up is not recorded, but the factory immediately agreed to collect 57503 for a full rebuild.

Undeterred by the engine failure, Ropner returned to France in 1938 and enjoyed an extensive tour of the Côte d’Azur.

Looking down the long, black bonnet to his bear mascot, it’s easy to imagine the dramatic views the couple enjoyed while touring France before the war.

Folding the Bugatti’s windscreen provides an uninterrupted view down the long bonnet

Fast-forward to 2020 and I’m standing in a cramped home garage in Staffordshire looking at a part-stripped Bugatti, the very chassis that Ropner had blown up at Montlhéry.

Evidence of a long and meticulous rebuild is clear on the workbenches, where straight-eight engine and steering components are scattered.

The late owner, Bill Turnbull, never finished his dream machine but, thanks to former boss Lord Bamford and the work of top specialists, this great car now looks as dazzling as it did the day it was first seen at Jack Barclay’s.

The Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica has a V-shaped radiator, topped by the remade bear mascot

Having spied the secret sleeping beauty in 2020, the transformation is remarkable, and I can’t quite believe it’s ready for a test drive.

Out on scenic Cotswolds roads, the Corsica Bugatti T57S quickly feels like a thoroughbred.

Thanks to the complex de Ram dampers, the chassis smooths out the bumps and feels firmly planted through the faster sweepers.

Although initially heavy, the steering lightens with speed and the responsive action through the signature four-spoke, walnut-rimmed wheel is inspiring.

The Bugatti’s gearchange gets better with speed

Only the gearbox dates the car: the cranked gearlever works through a wide gate that initially feels slow, but, again, as revs and speeds increase, the change slots faster.

With no weighty supercharger and the much-drilled Le Mans chassis, together with a lighter, open body compared with the heavier Atalante coupés, the acceleration is impressive.

The smooth power and meaty torque must have been staggering back in 1937, encouraging its first owner to roar past everything.

The earlier, mechanical cable brakes would have been the only deterrent, when 5000rpm in top equals an astonishing 114mph.

The Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica has a magnificent cockpit, with a gloss-black dashboard and Jaeger dials

No wonder Ropner was tempted to the famous Paris autodrome to max his new acquisition.

Owner Lord Bamford has always admired Bugatti design, but his interest started with Carlo Bugatti’s furniture, which he collected with his wife, Carole.

As a horse lover, Lady Bamford discovered the animal sculptures of Ettore’s brother Rembrandt.

“My favourite was the baboon, which I wish we still had,” says Lord Bamford. “It was a remarkable family.”

The Bugatti Type 57S, with stunning English Corsica bodywork

In 1974, while on honeymoon, Lord Bamford had the chance to buy his first Bugatti, the Atlantic 57591, from Barrie Price and couldn’t resist.

“It’s very beautiful, but very hot and noisy, so wasn’t much fun to drive,” he says. “But I’ve always loved cars with great stories.”

Lord Bamford has long worked closely with his engineering teams at JCB, where he came across Turnbull.

“He was a talented Kiwi who enjoyed engineering and became deeply absorbed in his projects,” he continues.

“We’d talk about his Bugatti, but I never saw it because it was dismantled.”

This Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica, as found in Bill Turnbull’s workshop in 2020

“He was a perfectionist and loved being in the workshop,” he continues. “Engineers need a target date to finish a project; that was my role at JCB, to make sure things were finished on time.

“Bill needed a deadline, which was the issue with his Bugatti rebuild.”

After a run to Prescott for the 1969 Bugatti International Rally, Turnbull wasn’t happy with the condition of 57503, so in 1970 he took it apart.

For the following 50 years it remained in his garage workshop until he died in 2019.

The Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica was partially stripped by skilled engineer Turnbull

The executors had inflated ideas of the Bugatti’s value, which was finally resolved during COVID-19.

In February 2021, Bonhams auctioned the car via a live online sale from its London showroom.

Lord Bamford, who coincidentally owned the ex-Ropner Semi-Lightweight Jaguar E-type, was drawn by the JCB link with Turnbull and was the successful bidder.

The car was then dispatched to foremost Bugatti specialist Tim Dutton, who had been one of the first to see it when still entombed in Turnbull’s garage. Tim had known of him through family friends.

The Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica’s rebuilt engine makes 140bhp

“Relations used to joke that Bill spent more time with his Bugatti than his wife,” he says.

“He took great pleasure in working on it, and when we collected the car we found parts all over the house. Bill wanted everything perfect and would often produce a part three or four times to make it really good.

“He wasn’t really interested in the body or trim, but would design improvements, such as a hydraulic valve to control oil flow to the heads, just as the factory did with the racers.

“The car was never a barn-find. It was a lovely project to be involved in because it hadn’t been messed about with.”

“Corsica didn’t hide Bugatti’s beautiful engineering”

“There’s no doubt the chassis was the Montlhéry record car,” Tim adds. “Robert Ropner wanted the ultimate T57S and knew what he was buying.

“He was a sporty driver and this was a very quick car.”

Tim has firm views about preserving originality, as his extensive work on two historic racing Bugattis – the Type 35C 4871 and the Pebble Beach-winning, ex-King Leopold Type 59 – confirms.

Several enthusiasts were vocal about the planned concours restoration for the Ropner Type 57S, but they had no idea that Turnbull had already started the work.

The first owner’s shipping ensigns are hand-painted on the Bugatti’s bonnet

The Bugatti’s body was very original but tired, and the trim, while complete, was tatty and dried out.

In March 2021, Lord Bamford met up with Tim and his favoured restorer, Steve Clark, to discuss the project.

The plan was set to return this unique T57S to as close to new condition as possible, just as first owner Ropner ordered it.

Eventually it was decided the work should be split between these respected talents, with Tim’s team carrying out the mechanical rebuild and Clark & Carter restoring the body.

Ropner family photos – here loading the Bugatti Type 57S on to the Channel ferry – provided invaluable detail for the rebuild

Before work started, Peter Bradfield was enlisted to research ‘Dulcie’, as the car was known – its registration number is DUL 351 – and find as many historic photos as possible for reference.

The Ropner family was very helpful and provided several highly evocative shots from their grandfather’s albums of pre-war trips in the Bugatti Type 57S to the Côte d’Azur.

These included rare images of loading 57503 on the Channel ferry – photographs that confirmed the car’s unique louvred undertray.

Perfectly set up, Ropner’s Bugatti Type 57S handles beautifully

With its body removed and fitted to a jig, Tim started work on the driveline.

The old crankcase repair was addressed and line-bored before a new crank, rods, pistons and reprofiled cams were fitted.

On the dyno it produced 140bhp, but Tim’s priority was smooth power.

The gearbox was rebuilt and sorted to cure the problem of selecting two gears at once, which Turnbull suffered prior to taking the car off the road.

‘The Bugatti looks dazzling. The transformation is remarkable, and I can’t quite believe it’s ready for a test drive’

A critical element to resolving a Bugatti Type 57’s ride and handling is setting up the de Ram shock absorbers.

“We now use a shock dyno,” explains Tim. “Bill, being a hydraulics specialist, would have approved.”

As the engine was being rebuilt, the chassis, with a dummy motor, was dispatched to Clark & Carter in Chelmsford so work could begin on the body.

The only Bugatti that Steve had previously restored was a Type 37, but the pressure was on when, late in 2022, Lord Bamford decided he wanted to enter the car for Pebble Beach – which left just six months to complete everything.

Hours were spent perfecting the Bugatti’s shutlines and ride height

With the body skin removed for repair, Steve was impressed by Corsica’s workmanship.

“The body was good, but the glue had dried in the joints and they’d come loose,” he says. “It’s important to keep the car as authentic as possible.

“The doors, bonnet and mudguards were all original, but the front wings didn’t match due to crude repairs in 1945, when a truck reversed into it at Continental Cars.

“I’m a real perfectionist about shutlines. Matching the bonnet and scalloped radiator shell was tricky.

“We also made some subtle modifications to sort the wheel gaps within the arches. It took ages to get it looking right.”

The St Christopher plaque on this Bugatti’s dashboard

None of the team liked the Bugatti’s hood design.

“Up or down it looked like a Silver Cross pram,” Steve says. “We dropped the rear seat so the folded hood would be flush, and re-engineered the frame so it’s sleeker when fitted. The car looks best with the ’screen folded flat.”

The upholstery was done by Robert Smith. “To match the original, a piece of trim from under the seat was sent to Ben Connolly,” Steve continues.

“The hide required an embossed pattern, which was all done by hand.”

The Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica has a walnut-rimmed steering wheel

From Ropner’s hand-painted shipping ensign on the bonnet sides to the period-correct ‘GB’ plate, the team went to great lengths pursuing authentic details.

Peter searched every avenue to find a bear mascot to match the photographs.

“It was a gift from Robert’s wife, Dorothy, who nicknamed him ‘bear’. In the end we had one carved in wax and cast in German silver,” he explains.

“The toolbox was only missing a Michelin tyre gauge. We found one on eBay in France, but the seller wouldn’t ship it to the UK.

“It was finally mailed to a friend in the south of France and they dropped it off at the last minute.”

The Bugatti’s bear mascot was remodelled in wax and cast in German silver

As the deadline for transport to California neared, the Clark & Carter team worked seven days a week from 7am to 8pm.

“There was no time for testing or even a return to Tim’s for tuning,” says Steve. “The pre-concours tour down Highway 1 was a bit of a nightmare.

“It was cold and very misty. We had a few leaks and the brakes were pulling.”

After more polishing and detailing, 57503 was placed on the famous fairway for judging. “Just beautiful,” said Marek Reichman, chief creative officer at Aston Martin.

The Clark & Carter team redesigned the Bugatti’s hood

The judges were guided by Scott Sargent of Sargent Metalworks, who had coincidentally restored two of the cars, including the class-winning Bugatti Type 57SC.

After all their work, the English restorers felt deflated, but they were asked to wait to the end: it was announced the car had won the Jules Heumann Trophy for Most Elegant Open Car.

Three weeks later, the Bugatti was presented at Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace, where it won Best of Show.

When called to the presentation ramp, Lord Bamford drove 57503 for the first time, with Lady Bamford alongside.

“There’s no doubt it was the Montlhéry record car. Robert wanted the ultimate Type 57S and knew what he was buying”

The awards kept coming, with the Restoration category win at the 2023 Royal Automobile Club Historic Awards and Best of Show at the 2024 Cartier Style et Luxe at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

In a special Jean Bugatti tribute class entitled Types of Jean-ius, the Corsica 57S faced tough opposition from the ex-Lord Howe Type 57SC Atalante and another English-styled tourer body, 541, built by Vanden Plas and hidden away for decades.

Judges included Reichman once more and Marc Newson, the Australian industrial designer and Bugatti fan.

“I love that Corsica didn’t hide Bugatti’s beautiful engineering under a streamlined body,” he enthused. “Those exquisite de Ram shock absorbers and superb forged front axle also featured on the Grand Prix car.”

The Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica looks glorious bathed in spring sunshine

Lord Bamford was awarded the victory, much to the delight of the Duke of Richmond, another Bugatti enthusiast.

After the glory of two major concours wins, it’s time for Lord Bamford to enjoy driving the black beauty and a trip to the south of France would be perfect to follow in the wheeltracks of first owner Ropner.

With its ’screen folded flat on that lean bonnet and a sharp exhaust bark playing out through those six exhaust tailpipes, it would be a dream drive up the Gorges du Verdon in the spring sunshine.

Ropner would return to the Côte d’Azur with various high-performance GTs after naval service during WW2, but none matched the style of his unique Bugatti T57S.

Images: Olgun Kordal

Thanks to: Lord Bamford, Steve Clark, Tim Dutton, Neil McReynolds and Peter Bradfield

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