The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is one of the world’s most prestigious car events, where machines like pristine Ferraris and immaculately restored Duesenbergs go under the microscope in the pursuit of trophies. As a result, most blue-chip cars arrive in enclosed trailers, free of bugs and road grime and chances of stone chips. Most, but not all. Certainly not Fritz Burkard’s Bugatti Type 57 Atalante.
That’s because Burkard drove his Bugatti from Newport, R.I. all the way to Pebble Beach, Calif., from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The sort of journey that’s heroic in something from the 1960s, let alone a multi-million dollar machine from the mid-1930s. We’re talking about an 11-day journey across the Midwest plains, over the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming, through the desert heat of Nevada, and on to the coast of California. Absolutely heroic stuff.
The decision to drive such an esteemed, historic car more than 3,000 miles to America’s premier classic car event may seem daring, but it starts to make sense when you really start thinking about it. Bugatti built its name not just on the exquisiteness of its automobiles but also on its racing success, including multiple wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Unlike today, when purpose-built Le Mans Hypercars bear little resemblance to road cars, the Bugatti Type 57G Tank that won Le Mans in 1937 was based on the actual road car, so why not draw from the spirit of Jean-Pierre Wimille and Robert Benoist?
More importantly, Burkard has a particular view on car ownership that I think many of us share. Speaking with Pebble Beach Concours chairman Sandra Button, he said, “You have to drive your cars, otherwise they die. . . . A static car museum is like a cemetery to me.” When you think about it, paint protection film can guard against stone chips, and little bits of cosmetic wear-and-tear can be fixed. You know what often can’t be fixed until it’s too late? Regret over not taking that road trip you wanted to take.
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Granted, Burkard did have a bit more support than most of us would have when making a cross-continent journey. His mechanic, his restorer, and a crew member from the Audrain Automobile Museum supported the journey and documented it on Instagram, with little fixes like using a bottle cap to hold louvers open because a spring failed helping the Bugatti make the trip, along with going to war against an oil leak. Still, the Type 57 Atalante is nearly 90 years old. Those are merely minor hiccups for a machine that rolled out of the factory before Velcro was invented.
Even better, Burkard isn’t done driving yet. He’ll be taking his Type 57 Atalante down the coast and back on the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance before entering it in the Concours on Sunday, competing for trophies against some of the most pampered collector cars in the world. That should still leave plenty of time to clean the spattered bugs off the beautiful front fenders, but even if Burkard’s Bugatti doesn’t take home hardware, it’s going home with arguably something greater: The story of a lifetime.
Top graphic image: Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
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When I read Bugatti I did not realize it was a proper car.
Cars should be driven, used up and crushed.
As the owner of a 95 year old, 60 year old, and a bunch of 25 to 35 year old cars I can’t disagree more. Cars should be driven, cared for, and outlive their owners. My late father and I drove his 1st car, a 1930 Model A, cross country several times in the 80s and 90s. In the 90s to early 2000s I daily dove a 66 Mustang. In the 2010s I dailied a 1992 Civic. Now I daily either a 2000 Insight or 2001 Integra depending on how many car seats I need. I expect all of the above cars to outlive me (I own 4 cars with over 250k miles each and they are no where near ready for the crusher)
Why are you here?!
Resplendent!
I wonder how may people had their monocles fall out and shatter when hearing that a vintage Bugatti owner had actually driven his car at all, let alone an actual distance?
I’ve watched Type 35 drivers drive the snot out of their cars at Laguna Seca. Real Bugatti owners don’t mess around.
But does it have an Atari in the backseat and the AC switch on the hood?
It seems so strange to me to own a machine that is never used for purpose, even if only occasionally. These things deteriorate even just sitting around, then get expensive restorations to get everything working perfectly again so they can sit and deteriorate. Makes no sense. This guy gets it.
Yeah, I never got it, either. I don’t want to ever own a car I can’t actually use
So, when you park it at the hotel for the night, do you put a club on it or something?
THe MANUal tranSmiSsIoN iS ThEFT prOtectIOn
I feel like you’re being sarcastic, but this is scientific truth.
Absolute respect for him using the car for what it was intended for.
It is what the thing was built for, my big Bentley has just had some engine work done, first time in years, nice to have it back. so, a few shopping trips, a hospital appointment for a friend and a wedding. All very gentle gentle, about 3.500 miles running in bearings and bores and bits and pieces. Feels good for another 90 odd years.
Some days on site I walked farther in a day, about 5.309 miles
The wedding was in Truro,the Cornish one, not the Canadian one I live on the top bit of England, 590 miles each way, Hospital is in Newcastle a seventy mile round trip, and as you know there is never one visit, and the nearest shop is 9 miles away.
Great article! I went with a buddy to Newport last October and both the Audrain and the Newport Car Museum are impressive. The Vanderbilt mansions are very cool, too, if you’re into that sort of thing.
I’m comfortably middle class. The things that far more money can buy are truly mind-blowing. I’m happy enough to go and appreciate things that were part of every day life for a very wealthy few.
I’d rather visit and see things for the price of admission rather than having to earn it or inherit it and deal with all the family drama that entailed.
This is AMAZING!
There should be more enthusiasts like this. Cars are meant to be driven.
Newport is the only town in RI that this car would come from. Happy it did, and wish I could be on the highway as he rolls back by to wave. Well done good sir!
Put him on the two dollar bill already.
This is awesome, especially in the current climate of literally everything being a collector’s item.
I mean… if you can afford to own this car, of course you can afford a support team. But good on this guy. I share the thought that he’s the hero we all need.
Fritz is definitely a hero!
With respect to the oil leaks, please note that it looks like Fritz’s (great?) grandfather founded the Swiss adhesive & sealants giant SIKA. The family did cash out their investment many years ago, but it is still a little ironic…
The ad hoc work with the bottle cap and the Instagramming travelling supporters makes it clear that this legendary chap took all his inspiration from Torch and the Taxi
Absolutely hero-tier stuff
better than cheating and going the Pur Sang Argentina copy route
Is that car what Cadillac names the Allante after? 😛
Heroine from Greek mythology.
Apparently, Allante is completely meaningless, it was selected by GM from a printout of 1700 computer-generated names suggested based on given prompts, they just wanted something vaguely Italian/French/European-sounding to American ears
As opposed to Reatta, which is just reata, the Spanish word for lariat, with an extra “t” added to make it unique enough to guarantee the trademark registration.
I clearly need to get a mechanic, restorer, and a crew member so I can take more road trips.
Cars are to be driven otherwise they are just statues and expensive beanie babies. Good for him.
I love this so much.
Our vehicles aren’t happy when they sit. If they sit too long and then you want to use it, they will voice their displeasure.
Take your vehicles out. It’s good for them.
HE ROLLED UP IN AN OLD BUGATTI
This Is The Way.
I’m 57 and have significant leaks just going around the block. I’m impressed. Fritz, you are an awesome dude.
Not all Type 57s are the same! 🙂
I wonder how many owners of new Bugattis would dare take their cars on a 3000 mile road trip. This is brilliant!
To be fair, I’d trust the nearly 90 year old one over a modern one.
I mean doesn’t it need like a bajillion dollar service after 2500 miles?
Eh just a few $10K oil changes and a maybe a new set of wheels. That’s why you travel with a support crew. Everyone’s dream: just you, the open road, and 4-6 people you’re paying to be there with you.
Yeah, this is probably true, actually. And you can probably replace a tire much easier if one were to be beyond patching
They don’t even put new tires on old wheels, you just get a whole new wheel with a tire already on it.
Only peasants “change” their tires.
Don’t tempt Ed Bolian with a good time…