Pierre Veyron, born in 1903, was the Bugatti driver for whom the new superior sports car Veyron 16.4*) is named.
Veyron’s initial career plan did not include racecar driving – instead, he enrolled in the university to study engineering. But his friend Albert Divo, himself an ardent motor sport aficionado, persuaded him to give racecar driving a try. Divo introduced Veyron to the industrial magnate André Vagniez, who offered him financial support. In 1930, Vagniez made true on his promise and purchased a Bugatti 37 A for Veyron, which the young driver raced to his first big victory in the Grand Prix at Geneva.
In 1932, Ettore Bugatti’s son Jean, by now director of the construction team, offered Veyron a job – the ideal position for young Pierre, as it allowed him to combine his passion for racing and engineering. As test driver and development engineer, Veyron helped to optimize the racecars. He continued to enter races as a company driver, winning many of these including the 1933 and 1934 Berlin Avus races with the Bugatti Type 51 A. He applied his engineering skills in particular to developing the Type 57 car, which sold well and soon became a financial boon to the company. The zenith of Veyron’s racing career was his victory together with Jean Pierre Wimille in the 25-hour Le Mans race of 1939.

After decades of building separate various models for sport and luxury Bugatti decided to consolidate their range for in what would be the final wave for the company. The Type 57 was first and foremost a passenger car that kept the excitement of Bugatti’s race cars but maintained everyday practicality. By 1936 these were fitted with an optional roots-type supercharger that increased power to nearly 220hp.

Largely influenced by Ettoire’s son, Jean Bugatti, the Type 57 was a high performance chassis built in large quantities that could still capture the exclusive market which was once occupied by the Type 41 Royale and Type 46/50 range. He also wanted to focus on a passenger car which would compete with the 1930s custom coachwork Delahayes and Delages, going so far as to design some bodies himself!

In retrospect the T57 was the Bugatti with the largest production numbers, the best road-going Bugatti, and unfortunately, Bugatti’s swan song. Nearing the end of 1938, all type 57s were built to Series III specification. The most important change was the inclusion of Lockheed design hydraulic brakes with twin master cylinders. Also aiding in the comfort of the car were Alliquant shock absorbers that replaced the de Rams 57S units or Hardford Friction Dampers.