The Award-Winning Bugatti 57 SC Corsica, 1938

Limited Edition of 3000 Pcs Worldwide

Item No. M-136

Scale 1:18

I. Research and Development: The Crocodile-Interior

Thanks to the generous support of Mr. John Mozart, a CMC team was able to visit his private name-sake Automobile Museum in Mountain View, CA in late December, 2012. The visit was initially proposed by Bugatti at Molsheim and graciously accommodated by Mozart in order for us to photograph and measure the Bugatti 57SC Corsica for its replication in the form of a high-end, detail-exact, 1:18-scale model. Upon seeing the vehicle, we were overwhelmed by its amazing beauty. Coach-built in 1938, it may well be a prize possession in any collection. An insightful summary of this beauty is offered by Richard Owen on the Supercars.net:

The most striking part of the car is the body design which is completely unique to this car. It incorporates pontoon fenders and a cigar body which comes to a unique focal point at the rear. Grey accents run the length of the body and complement the shape of the radiator as well as the sweeping tail.

The rear portion of the body opens completely to reveal a tool kit and spare tire, but there is little room for anything else. By the late forties, the trunk lid was altered so that the spare tire could be fitted into it to offer more space but this drastically reduced the car's appeal. Thankfully this addition was reverted during the car's most recent restoration. (1938 Bugatti Corsica Type 57SC Corsica Roadster)

            But there is more. Admittedly, the Corsica (#57593) is mounted on the same type of chassis (57S) as is the Bugatti Atlantic 1938 (which was replicated by CMC years ago). However, in addition to the one-of-a-kind elegance of its art-deco body designed by Eric Giles in consultation with Jean Bugatti, the Corsica Roadster also features a one-of-a-kind interior: crocodile-hide upholstery.  In the September issue of Bugantics published in 1938 by Bugatti Owners’ Club, Colonel Giles, who had just had the Corsica coach-built and became its first owner, reminisced the birth of the car. Among the various features that were held to be the making of this special beauty, he included a crocodile interior (see La Petite Sezanne abridged and posted on this website):

… The windscreen is again V, having proved most satisfactory on “Thérése,” but it has been made slightly deeper to give more protection and is ample both for wind and rain.  The instrument board is covered in the same brown “crocodile” leather as the rest of the upholstery and makes a very pleasant and serviceable finish.

            Given the fact that the crocodile interior was an integral part of the Corsica Roadster crowned as “Best of Show” at the 1998 Pebble Beach Concours, CMC would very much like to incorporate it into a limited-edition replica of the award-winning version. This, however, turned out to be a greater challenge than expected. There were, of course, many leather hides embossed and stamped with different crocodile-hide patterns that came in a variety of hues and colors. A major problem that confronted us was that few of the crocodile-hide patterns available on the market were fine enough for a 1:18 scale model or came close to the looks of the Corsica upholstery in both design and color. Even if the design and color were okay, they might have a leather base that would not allow thinning down to 3-4 mm and was too thick to be used as seat covers, console wraps, and door panels in our models. The quest of the right leather with the right pattern and hues for a crocodile-hide interior involved countless visits to leather hide stores and leather processing plants. And it went on and on for virtually half a year – well beyond the point when the Corsica replica was scheduled to go into production. This led to the delay in making the crocodile-interior version available on the market.

            We are well aware of the nostalgic expectations voiced by quite a few experts after reviewing the prototype samples of our M-106 – the 1938 Bugatti 57SC Corsica replica that has a non-crocodile interior. While their comments are mostly exuberating on M-106, which is rewarding to us, it had remained unclear whether we would live up to their implicit and explicit expectations for a crocodile-interior Corsica until a short while ago. Now we are delighted to announce that the intended release of a limited edition of the award-winning Corsica will materialize. North America is where M-136, the crocodile-interior Corsica, is going to be first released. We hope that you will like the replica and the way that it brings to life the precious 1938 Corsica on your desk or display shelf. It is also a piece of art that will enrich your collection!

II. Historical Background

British Colonel Godfrey Giles acquired a Bugatti 57 S chassis in 1937 for the roadster he would like to have. His brother Eric Giles undertook to design the bodywork, and an English coachbuilder Corsica executed his plan. It led to the birth of an astonishingly beautiful roadster. Its recorded registration took place in 1938, with the license plate number “GU7.” The roadster seemed to develop some engine problems later on. To fix them, a compressor and pistons of a different type were installed, hence the new type designation 57 SC, where C stands for “compresseur.”

In 1985, the vehicle came to be owned by John Mozart, a renowned collector in California. At the end of 1995, he initiated a complete restoration of the car. The roadster re-emerged as a stunning beauty in a dark blue finish and won the much-coveted “Best of Show” award at the 1998 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. CMC has replicated the Mozart car in its contemporary gorgeous appearance as a high-end model of the first class.

We would like to thank Mr. Mozart and the Bugatti S.A.S. – Tradition for their generous support during the research and development process.

III. Model Description

• Hand-assembled precision model composed of over 1,780 single parts
• Authentically formed and true-to-scale body, built after the contemporary appearance of the car found in John Mozart’s collection
• Precisely replicated frame made of metal
• Leather seats, console cover, and door panels embossed with a crocodile-hide pattern
• Fully functional double-wing engine hood. The wings open to rest on specially-mounted metal buttons
• True-to-the-original replication of the front with beautifully-integrated head lamps
• Perfectly replicated radiator grille and functional metal radiator cap in a chrome finish
• Rear wheels covers with “half-moon” metal tabs
• Functional driver and passenger doors with finely-made hinges
• Highly detailed 8-cylinder in-line engine with all aggregates, pipes, and cabling
• Perfectly spoked wheels and two-wing central locking nuts with right- or left-hand threat for the release of the wheels
• Removable spare wheel in the trunk after the toggle screw is released
• Trunk lid is lockable
• A miniature version of the car jack, air-pump, grease gun and toolkit is enclosed in the trunk
• Finely replicated dashboard with all instruments and controls
• Elaborate underbody with an exhaust system of stainless steel
• High-quality paintwork with an excellent finish

IV. Technical Data of the Original Vehicle

• 8-cylinder in-line-engine with two overhead camshafts
• Bore x stroke: 72 x 100 mm
• Displacement: 3,257 ccm
• Output: approx. 200 hp at 5,500 / rpm
• Top speed: approx. 200 km/hr
• Right-hand drive
• Dry sump lubrication
• Mechanical cable brakes
• Wheel base: 2,980 mm
• Track width front / rear: 1,350 mm
• Total length: approx. 4,510 mm