The Littlest (And Slowest) Bugatti

"Jonee" (Jonee) 09/03/2014 at 13:53 • Filed to: Bugatti, Type 68, microcar, microcars

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Today when we think of Bugatti, we probably think of a 1,000+ horsepower monster. The most expensive and maybe fastest car in the world. An engineering wonder. Or, maybe the classic Atlantique, or Bugatti race cars that today fetch the highest prices at the fanciest auctions.

But, just after WWII, Ettore Bugatti had a vision of something much different for his car company, the Type 68, a microcar. Bugatti actually designed the little car in Paris during the war. Understanding the need for simple transportation in a war torn world, and a cheap way to keep the marque afloat, it's speculated the idea was to license the car to be built by other companies around the world. Bugatti experimented with several small engines, but the one in the car is a 318cc, 16 valve(!) 4 cylinder with removable cylinder heads. Oh, and it was supercharged, making about 48 horsepower. It's said he tested the engine on a motorcycle in order to conceal its true purpose. A later motor was this 370cc, 8 valve powerplant that never found its way into a car, but was a technical marvel.

Only the one car was built, but Bugatti did sketch an enclosed, Atlantique style coupe version that I'm sure would have kicked ass. In some alternate universe, it was Bugatti, not Volkswagen, that put the world back on wheels.

GhostZ > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 13:55

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Given that this thing looks like it weighs about 700lbs, 48HP is insane.

Jonee > GhostZ 09/03/2014 at 13:56

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Considering my 900lb Subaru 360 has about half that power, yeah. Must have been a (scary) blast.

For Sweden > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 13:57

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Never has such Torchinsky bait ever been cast.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 13:58

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48bhp in something as tiny as that? That's got to be quick...

Cherry_man1 > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 13:58

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bittybutatti

Jonee > For Sweden 09/03/2014 at 13:59

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Torch and I like a lot of the same stuff, yeah, but we've both known that for years. If I were as funny as him, I could pinch hit if he ever went into a coma, or something.

GhostZ > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 14:00

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It's got about the same power/weight ratio as a Chevy Sonic RS, but in a MUCH tinier package with obviously much higher gearing (small wheels) for a lot more torque, and with MUCH less traction.

It seems to me to be that the modern equivalent would be having a Civic on stock suspension and tires, but with about 550-600HP.

Jason Torchinsky > For Sweden 09/03/2014 at 17:12

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YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

Jason Torchinsky > Jason Torchinsky 09/03/2014 at 17:13

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Well, actually, you have the exact right idea. I love that thing.

Jason Torchinsky > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 17:13

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You absolutely could. You're like my auto-desire star-twin.

Raphael Orlove > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 17:20

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400 kilos, claims Bugatti

http://www.bugatti.com/en/tradition/b…

762kg, wildly claims Italian wikipedia

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_T…

bbutle01 > Raphael Orlove 09/03/2014 at 17:27

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400k = 882lb

762k = 1680lb

So the rest of the 'Muricans like me don't have to look it up.

TheDouble-ClutchBandit > GhostZ 09/03/2014 at 17:27

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Hayabusa engine instead?

ccc40821 > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 17:27

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Don't forget the even smaller supercharged, dohc bicycle engine:

GhostZ > TheDouble-ClutchBandit 09/03/2014 at 17:28

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Yeeessss .

tylinol > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 17:29

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A 48HP supercharged 16v Four in an 800lb, very attractive microcar? Pur Sang, you've been replicating the wrong Bugattis.

GhostZ > TheDouble-ClutchBandit 09/03/2014 at 17:29

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That reminds me of those midget cars that ran 400-500HP offenhauser 2.65l 4 cylinders.

Jonee > Jason Torchinsky 09/03/2014 at 17:30

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I'd get the cars right, but I'd need a team of joke writers to come even halfway close to a Torchinsky piece.

Had you known about the Type 68 before? I'd assume yes. It was in the back of my memory bank and then I came across a picture of it while searching for something else the other day. There's only drips of info about it in cyberspace and I'd like to know more. I don't know why it isn't on the cover of every Bugatti book. And, it looks like someone was making a repro of the coupe version a few years ago.

Incredible.

Mercedes Streeter > Jason Torchinsky 09/03/2014 at 17:31

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Fellow microcar enthusiast reporting for duty!!!

**What other crazy nut would say a smart fortwo is their attainable dream car, publicly; on the Internet?

Jonee > Raphael Orlove 09/03/2014 at 17:34

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So about the same as the 360 which makes sense, I guess. The one with a roof would have been a bit heavy. The Subaru's roof was paperboard, believe it or not, to save weight.

Jonee > ccc40821 09/03/2014 at 17:36

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Oh, yeah. I was thinking 4 wheels, but that's also an incredible bit of petit machinery.

MultiplaOrgasms > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 17:38

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Hory Shet how much boost was this thing running? 48hp out of 318cc? A 375cc 2CV made about 9hp, waht kind of witchcraft did the old man use to get this? And how the hell would he get this thing even remotely reliable??? 11/10 would Autocross.

Maxaxle > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 17:38

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All together now: D'AWWWWWWW.

Evan, Pope Of Jalopnik by Self-Appointment > ccc40821 09/03/2014 at 17:45

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Are you kidding me? Is that a DOHC single? My mind is blown.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 17:46

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"Bugatti experimented with several small engines, but the one in the car is a 318cc, 16 valve(!) 4 cylinder with removable cylinder heads"

I initially read that as being a 318cId 4 cyl... but upon rereading... wow... 48HP from 318cc back then is amazing and still impressive by today's standards.

151HP per liter!

Jonee > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 09/03/2014 at 17:53

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It does sound nuts. It's also rumored to have run at up to 12,000RPM.

Alex B > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 17:56

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Aw! It's too cute. It would look good with the torch bug.

Collin Maley > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 17:59

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Multi-million dollar post-war mini Miata would sum it up pretty well.

Xaoc > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 18:12

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was this the first car to have a 16v I4 banger? I'm genuinely interested to know !

Jonee > Xaoc 09/03/2014 at 18:18

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No. The first multi-valve engine was a Peugeot inline 4 in 1912. And, it was a hemi!

Xaoc > Xaoc 09/03/2014 at 18:19

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Since its not letting me edit, I'll reply instead.

Apparently peugeot was the first to have a DOHC 16v four banger which was 7.6 liters(jesus christ) called the Peugeot L76 which was a GP car, gonna have to do some researching on this... 7.6 liter I4, wow.

Jonee > Xaoc 09/03/2014 at 18:19

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But, this was probably the smallest. Mazda put a 356cc inline 4 in the Carol kei-car, but it wasn't multi-valve, I don't think.

CJinOB > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 18:20

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This isn't even close to being the littlest or slowest Bugatti. The Baby Bugatti , sometimes referred to as the Type 52, was the smallest product of Molsheim.

2cvhoonage > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 18:22

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As much as I'd love to talk about the microcars we have in each other's profile pictures I think we're getting a bit off topic lol

Xaoc > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 18:24

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yeah, I had a quick look up and had to reply to my post cause it wouldn't let my edit my original post, I wish it wouldn't keep putting me in the pending comments section it makes me sad :( thanks for the speedy reply though!

Jonee > CJinOB 09/03/2014 at 18:28

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Good point. Smallest grown-up's Bugatti.

Jonee > 2cvhoonage 09/03/2014 at 18:31

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What's more on topic than microcars? Although, as a microcar snob, the 2CV is a minicar in my book despite the displacement. Do you have one?

darthd > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 18:32

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So how exactly do you build an engine without removable heads?

2cvhoonage > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 18:35

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Hell yeah, it's a 32hp beast. I've had one for a few weeks now, they're such enjoyable cars.

Jonee > darthd 09/03/2014 at 18:41

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It's called a monobloc and early Bugatti motors were built that way.

Jonee > 2cvhoonage 09/03/2014 at 18:42

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That's awesome. Congrats! They're amazing. I've never had one, but I did own an Ami6 once and I loved driving that car.

Atlantian > ccc40821 09/03/2014 at 18:57

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Oh boy, this is a machine that is designed to destroy cogs and chains at record speed.

GBond > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 19:30

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Something tells me reliability probably wouldn't have been too great though. But still amazing stats.

JGutz164 > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 20:55

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Veyron Shmeyron, I need this in my life!

becausecars > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 21:22

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subawu 360 tho

leftingvt > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 21:25

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I can see where their heritage of ugly grilles began, right here.

NipperDawg > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 21:36

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Can we race my Justy against your 360?

Joneez > darthd 09/03/2014 at 21:39

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Also used by Fred Offenhauser to great effect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offenhaus…

Jonee > NipperDawg 09/03/2014 at 21:40

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If we can deactivate one of your cylinders, sure. Maybe 2, actually. I love Justys. I've almost bought one a couple times and it's still on my list.

Dr. Strangegun > Raphael Orlove 09/03/2014 at 21:52

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Interesting... I think someone has a unit error. 400kg=881lb, and 762lb=345kg. 762kg would be almost 1700 pounds, I don't see where that could be on that vehicle unless it has lead ballast in it.

NipperDawg > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 22:26

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It's a CVT, so you may be faster :)

TheStigsGermanCousin > Jonee 09/03/2014 at 23:45

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That is the most adorable thing I have ever seen.

Speed.Freak > Jonee 09/04/2014 at 00:28

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Ideal Childs book 'The Little Bugatti that could'.

I don't do that any more > Jonee 09/04/2014 at 00:38

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A technological marvel, to be sure, but hardly Bugatti's slowest. That would be the type 16 Bébé. Built immediately before WW1, it had about the same weight, but a quarter the horsepower. Astonishingly, they built and sold over 3,00 of them!

Jonee > I don't do that any more 09/04/2014 at 01:02

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Wasn't that licensed to Peugeot?

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I don't do that any more > Jonee 09/04/2014 at 09:53

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That' right, although confusingly it was the second car Peugeot sold as the Bébé, the first being a much more typical brass era car. Le Patron called it the type 16, while Peugeot called it (internally?) the type BP1. One source indicates that is was sold as the BB, but the photos of its nameplate show Bébé. There is a lot of contradictory information out there about which parts were built by whom, and how close the production car was to the design, but the Bugattistes claim it as one of their own. Here's one with a full-size adult:

coz312 > Jonee 09/04/2014 at 10:58

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The Littlest (And Slowest) Voisin

Rick Brasche > Jonee 09/04/2014 at 11:56

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I'd drive it. Daily.

Jonee > coz312 09/04/2014 at 12:21

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I love those things. I got to drive one once and it's as fun as you'd expect.

BrianMadigan > Jonee 09/04/2014 at 15:32

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turbo-supercharger? More info please.

Jonee > BrianMadigan 09/04/2014 at 15:35

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It's a little compressor making the motor supercharged.

BrianMadigan > Jonee 09/04/2014 at 16:59

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I see, so this is the intake side, and the carb is sitting on top of the compressor. NEATO

gmctavish needs more space > GhostZ 09/04/2014 at 23:20

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I've gone for a ride in a 700lb Austin 7 Brooklands Supercharged, with 33hp, and even that felt stupidly fast....took it up to 100 km/h and it had plenty more to give...

Boo > Jonee 05/29/2015 at 08:40

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The 2CV isn’t even a particularly small car in Europe.