A multi-million pound Bugatti was probably not what the nieces and nephews of Harold Carr expected when they opened their newly inherited lock-up. The Ex-Earl Howe Type 57S Atalante has been getting a bit of press over the Christmas break. The car is up for auction at Retromobile on the 7th of February and is expected to reach over £3m.
The question is once you've bought it what do you do with it? How far do you go with the restoration? Unused and untouched since the 60s it is complete and would need very few new parts most could be refurbished. Let's hope that the new owner sticks with the current trend and lets the patina of Brooklands in the 1930s and storage during the war shine through.
The history of the car is fabulous, and there's a great article explaining the background in the Times. It sounds like the owner knew the value of his collection and had fended off car collectors, and potential purchasers for a long time so he could leave it as an inheritance.
Source: Bonhams
