Today’s “Continental Thirties Foursome” features a brace of Bugatti’s a Lago and a Peugeot, seen at last months San Marino Motor Classic, representing a high water mark of style and elegance from the European continental coach building industry between 1935 and 1937.

The original Bugatti Type 57 Electron Torpedo Competition #57222 was shown alongside the original and similarly Electron bodied Bugatti Type 57 Aerolithe coupé at the Paris Salon 1935. Unlike the coupé the original Electron Torpedo body was never seen in public again.

The chassis for today’s featured car was built in 1934 with a ‘Galbiar’ 4 door saloon / sedan body, but in 1937 it was sent back to Bugatti for repairs which included upgrading the hydraulic brakes, engine mounts, differential and fitting a completely new exquisite Aravis 2 seat drop top body by Belgian Paul Nee who was allegedly chosen by Jean Bugatti as a personal favour to none other than the King of Belgium.

Perhaps the apogee of the tear drop form were the three 1937 Lago 150C SS models with coachwork by Figoni & Falaschi whose ‘Goutte d’Eau’ bodies featured not only faired in rear wheels, but faired in front’s as well, which one might expect to interfere with the steering. The first owner of what I believe is chassis #90107 was the Princess Stella de Khapurthala who allegedly had the colour of the paintwork changed many times to match her numerous outfits.

Finally, for today at least, above is a 1937 Peugeot 302DS Darl’Mat Cabriolet, Emile Darl’mat was a Parisian Peugeot dealer with his own coachworks whose cars included several Peugeot based Le Mans racers.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton and Paul McNabb once again for sharing their photographs from the San Marino Motor Classic.

Thanks for joining me on this “Continental Thirties Foursome” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be paying a visit to Castle Combe. Don’t forget to come back now !