The World's Most Expensive Car To Date

Let me present you the world’s most expensive car. It’s not a Ferrari nor a Lamborghini, but a classic Buggati. Only 4 units of Buggati Type 57SC Atlantic were built and only 2 or 3 of these cars are still around to see the light of the day. One of the cars is owned by Ralph Lauren and the other belongs to the late Dr Peter Williamson. This car was auctioned by the auction house Gooding & Company for a record sum estimated of $30~40 million. The auction house didn’t disclose the exact amount or the buyer’s identity at this moment.

Hit after the jump to read the rest of the press release

Source: Gooding & Company

GOODING & COMPANY MAKES HISTORY WITH THE PRIVATE SALE OF THE WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE CAR, THE 1936 BUGATTI TYPE 57SC ATLANTIC

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 5, 2010) – Gooding & Company, the internationally celebrated auction house that offers a wide range of services, including private and estate sales, is proud to announce that it has sold the unparalleled 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic to an undisclosed buyer. As the official broker for the Trust that formerly owned the Atlantic, Gooding & Company found a devoted connoisseur who will become the guardian of this treasured piece of automotive history.

"I am extremely pleased to have found the new buyer for the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, one of the world's most significant and valuable automobiles that has been in a private collection and rarely seen during the past four decades," says David Gooding, president and founder of Gooding & Company. "It has been a great pleasure to work with the Williamson Family and Trust in this important endeavor."

Formerly the coveted pillar of the world renowned Williamson Bugatti Collection, the Atlantic was the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance best in Show car. The Atlantic was an automobile derived from Bugatti's prototype Aerolithe Electron Coupé that caused a sensation when it was unveiled at the 1935 Paris Auto Salon. Bugatti later built just three Atlantics, each one different from the next, but this 1936 car (chassis #57374) is the first in the series and its historical significance, originality and restoration has been revered by enthusiasts throughout the world.

About Gooding & Company

Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, will be conducting its annual two-day Pebble Beach Auction on August 14 & 15, 2010. Auctions are broadcast live from Gooding & Company's website on www.goodingco.com/auction. Bidder registration forms, press credentials and additional auction information are also available on www.goodingco.com or by calling (310) 899-1960. For additional vehicle information and up-to-the-minute results, follow Gooding & Company on Facebook and Twitter @GoodingCompany.

Gooding & Company provides unparalleled service for those in the collector car market, offering a wide range of services, including private and estate sales, appraisals and collection management. Gooding & Company achieved two new world record sales at its inaugural Amelia Island Auction in March this year with the outstanding 1931 Voisin Mylord Demi-Berline at $2.75 Million and the 1961 Porsche RS61 Spyder at $1.705 Million. At its annual Scottsdale Auction in January, Gooding & Company topped Arizona's auction week charts for the third year in a row with the sale of the $3.74 Million 1956 Jaguar D-Type Sports Racer