Jean Bugatti’s “Aerolithe” body for the shortened, lowered, and supercharged Type 57SC chassis is easily his most striking design. Its lightweight Elektron alloy body couldn’t be welded, so the body and fenders were made in halves and riveted together, giving the car its identifying vertical spines. When the car went into production as the steel-bodied “Atlantic,” it retained that feature, and most of the striking machine’s looks. Minichamps latest “Mullin Collection” model is the very first Atlantic, Chassis 57374, delivered to Lord Rothschild in 1936 and forever known as “the Rothschild Atlantic.” When delivered it had low-mounted headlights, small rear windows, louvers over the doors and a few other details that differed from the three that followed it, and over time it was “updated” to match the later cars. Happily, it was restored to its original configuration for the Mullin collection and photos taken by Jean himself show that the car, as Minichamps has modeled it, is exactly as delivered to Lord Rothschild. Suffice it to say that the metallic blue paint is perfect, every bit of trim is there and in scale, and the interior, with its delicate wood-grain wheel, wood-grain dash with authentic instruments, and realistic upholstery, is as good as the exterior. Shape, details, and dimensions are excellent; this is the best 1:43-scale Atlantic I’ve ever seen. — Wayne Moyer
1:43 | $95
