Product description
A monumental work, a very fascinating overview, with chassis-by-chassis descriptions of 113 Bugattis that left the Figoni workshops between 1925 and 1939.
The fascinating story of how Joseph Figoni Coachbuilder worked closely with Bugatti in Paris in the 1920s, along with the first exhibitions of Figoni bodies at the Paris Salons and Concours d’Elegance.
A compelling account of how French luxury automobiles were built, sold, and marketed in the City of Light before the Great Depression. Who were the key players and figures, and the conflicts that arose when commercial interests clashed.
The book also analyzes the Bugatti marketing system implemented by businessman Étienne Bunau-Varilla, who for several crucial years relied on Joseph Figoni as his go-to coachbuilder, establishing him as one of the leading car manufacturers in Paris. But it was also a business that grew to such an extent that Ettore Bugatti could no longer live with Bunau-Varilla’s power over the factory in Alsace. The resulting divorce is described in meticulous detail, including how things subsequently deteriorated in Paris due to the deficient sales structure Ettore Bugatti had created. There were many victims, not least Joseph Figoni and his coachbuilding business, as well as several competitors.
All extensively illustrated with period photographs, documents, and brochures. The extraordinary material from the Figoni and Bugatti archives has provided a wealth of new information. Thanks to this, many previously unknown Bugattis have been identified. Many previously unseen images are included, including the captivating and detailed profile renderings of the late Gerrit-Jan Caviët.
Born in the Jazz Age, these extraordinary cars marked a bygone era. Figoni completed the last Bugatti bodywork just months before the outbreak of World War II. Nothing would ever be the same again.
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