R.M.CLARKE
The Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, was a large luxury car with a 4.3m (169.3in) wheelbase and 6.4m (21ft) overall length. It weighed approximately 3175kg (7000lb) and used a 12.7L straight-8 engine. For comparison, the Royale is about as heavy as a large modern commercial pickup truck, such as a Ford Super Duty F-450, but it is about 10% longer. When compared to the modern Rolls-Royce Phantom, it is about 20% longer, and more than 25% heavier. Ettore Bugatti planned to build twenty-five of these cars, and sell them to royalty. But even royalty were not buying such things during the Great Depression, and Bugatti was able to sell only three of the six made. Today a Bugatti Royale is both one of the largest and rarest cars in the world. Crafted by Ettore Bugatti, the Type 41 is said to have come about because he took exception to the comments of an English lady who compared his cars unfavorably with those of Rolls Royce. A total of 160 fully illustrated pages.
