Tag Archives: Type 13

1st Mass Production 16 Valve – Bugatti Type 23 Brescia Tourer

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Following victories for the 16 valve Bugatti Type 13 in the 1920 VIII Coupe des Voiturettes at Le Mans and 1921 I Gran Premio delle Vetturette run in Brescia demand for touring vehicles powered Bugatti’s 16 valve 4 cylinder motors, known post 1921 as the ‘Brescia’, began to rise.

Bugatti Type 23 Brescia Tourer, Goodwood Festival of Speed

To meet the demand in 1920 Ettore fitted the Brescia 16 Valve motor into the Type 23 boat tale tourer first seen in eight valve form in 1913.

Bugatti Type 23 Brescia Tourer, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Type 23 Brescia Tourer thus became the first 16 valve mass production vehicle with 2000 units sold before production was halted in 1926.

Bugatti Type 23 Brescia Tourer, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Well known as a bit of a curmudgeon on the issue of front brakes Ettore did not sanction them as standard items on the Type 23 until the final year of production 1926.

Bugatti Type 23 Brescia Tourer, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Today’s featured Type 23 Brescia Tourer, seen at Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, was delivered new to a Czechoslovakian customer in 1926.

Bugatti Type 23 Brescia Tourer, Goodwood Festival of Speed

It underwent a two year restoration in 1990/91 and is I believe currently owned by a Trustee of the Bugatti Trust.

Thanks for joining me on this “1st Mass Production 16 Valve” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again when I’ll be looking at some small cars at Carmel by the Sea. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Do Not Touch The Cars – Bugatti Type 13 Brescia

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This month’s Tuesday blogs will feature some Vintage Bugatti’s starting with today’s featured Type 13 Brescia.

After the success enjoyed by Bugatti following the second place finish in the 1911 French Grand Prix by Ernest Friderich driving a 1368 cc / 83 cui Voiturette Type 13 to the mighty 10 litre / 589 cui winning FIAT S76 driven by Victor Hemery Bugatti future up until the beginning of the Great War hostilities in 1914.

Bugatti Type 13 Brescia, Ward, Prescott

At the out break of hostilities Ettore Bugatti took two Type 13’s to Milan and buried the parts of three more for the duration. In 1918 Ettore returned to his factory in Molsheim with his two Type 13’s and built up three more from the buried parts.

These cars were entered into the 1920 VIII Coupe des Voiturettes at Le Mans where Ernest Friderich drove one of the cars two victory Team mate Pierre de Vizcaya was disqualified from the event after Ettore was observed by officials to have touched the radiator of the #18 which counted as receiving outside assistance.

Bugatti Type 13 Brescia, Ward, Prescott

In September 1921 Ettore sent a team of four cars with slightly larger 1,453cc / 88.6 cui motors to compete in the I Gran Premio delle Vetturette run in Brescia, Northern Italy and after just under 3 hours of racing Ernest Friderich led home a Bugatti sweep of the first four places, subsequently all Bugatti’s with 16 valve heads including the Type 13’s, Type 22’s and Type 23’s fitted with 16 valve head motors, were given the Brescia moniker in memory of the victory.

Bugatti Type 13 Brescia, Ward, Prescott

The Type 13 was manufactured with 8 valve and 16 valve cylinder heads from 1910 to 1926 being fitted with front brakes as standard only in the final year of production, Ettore having oft been quoted as saying “I make cars to go, not to stop.”

Bugatti Type 13 Brescia, Ward, Prescott

The 1921 Type 13 Brescia seen above driven by Michael Ward at Prescott is notable for having front brakes fitted.

My thanks to Michael Fines, Felix Muelas and Barttore at The Nostalgia Forum for their help in determining which cars Ettore sent to Brescia in 1921.

Thanks for joining me on this “Do Not Touch The Cars” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow, when I be looking at how the Mercedes Formula One team got on in 2013. Don’t forget to come back now !

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