Part 3 - A Bugatti in your garage? Some good reasons to having one

With no visual references to show that it is exactly half the size of a real Type 35, the Bugatti Baby could fool just about anyone when seen in a photograph. A toy for fortunate children, the Baby was created in 1927 by Ettore for his son Roland, who was five at the time. Equipped with an electric engine of the sort used as a starting motor for the Royale, it is powered by a 12 Volt battery that allows the car to reach more than 12 miles an hour.

The original Bugatti Baby made for Ettore Bugatti’s son, Roland, fourth birthday

The beauty of the model encouraged Ettore to put it into production, each unit with its individual chassis number, just like the adult versions. We do not know exactly how many were produced, but experts surmise that over 300 left the factory, some with a lengthened wheelbase to suit slightly older children. Given its potential performance, it was even used for mini-races that might nurture the passion for cars among the very young. Since the price was fully in line with that of a Bugatti 35 racing vehicle, the Bugatti Baby (the name Type 32 was never officially endorsed) delighted the junior members of various royal families, including Prince Ranier of Monaco and Baudouin, the future king of Belgium, as well as becoming a favorite plaything of the Agnelli children at their hillside residence near Turin. Even Mussolini, the Italian Dux, owned two of them: the one given to his son Vittorio is still in the hands of an Italian collector.

Another picture of Roland Bugatti playing with his Baby Bugatti in the garden

Children were so enthusiastic about the Bugatti Baby that special races were organized, particularly in Argentina, where they became regular events in the public gardens of Buenos Aires. Today, perfectly preserved authentic models (as opposed to the various replicas that are still produced here and there) fetch prices ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 dollars, and in a recent auction bidding increased to 75,000 dollars. The immaculate state of such items suggests that their original little owners weren’t particularly interested in cars and racing! To safeguard such luxury toys and their value, a special register has been set up.

Bugatti Baby IIs, produced by The Little Car Company, continue the legacy