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Targa Florio 1925 - The first of five Bugatti victories

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Created on May 6, 2025

Text:

Gerhard Schütz

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Archiv Gerhard Schütz

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Bugatti Automobiles SAS

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Archiv Gerhard Schütz

7

Bugatti Automobiles SAS

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Bugatti Type 35 (1925) - Ferdinand de Vizcaya at the 1925 Targa Florio

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Bugatti Type 35 (1925) - Bartolomeo "Meo" Costantini at the 1925 Targa Florio

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Peugeot 174 S (1925) - André Boillot at the 1925 Targa Florio

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Peugeot 174 S (1925) - Louis Wagner at the 1925 Targa Florio

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Bugatti Type 35 (1926) - Jules Goux at the 1926 Targa Florio

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Bugatti Type 35 (1927) - Emilio Materassi at the 1927 Targa Florio

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Bugatti Type 35 (1928) - Elisabeth Junek at the 1928 Targa Florio

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Bugatti Type 35 (1929) - Albert Divo at the 1929 Targa Florio

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Bugatti 35 (1924) - first sketch by Ettore Bugatti, already with a teardrop-shaped floor plan

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Bugatti Type 35 (1924) - Debut at the 1924 French Grand Prix in Lyon, with Ettore Bugatti at the wheel

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Bugatti Type 32 "Tank" (1923) - The cars of Bertrand Prince de Cystria (18), Pierre Marco (16) and Pierre de Vizcaya (11) at the 1923 French Grand Prix in Tours. Ernest Friedrich (6), of all people the only one to finish, is missing

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Bugatti Type 35 (1926) - The teardrop-shaped layout and the one-piece forged front axle are clearly visible

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Summary

Founded in 1906 by Conte Vincenzo Florio, this international race in the Sicilian mountains was one of the most spectacular of the racing season until 1977. After two years of Mercedes dominance, a new era began at the Targa Florio in 1925: that of Bugatti. The Type 35 won five times in a row until 1929.

This article contains the following chapters

The shape
The new front axle
Longer, but not too long wheelbase
New wheel design
The engine
The race
Targa Florio 1925

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

With the Bugatti 35, Ettore Bugatti created a car of the century in 1924. It was credited with over 2500 victories in advertising (including each of the frequent small racing events at the time). What made the car so successful? At first glance, it hardly differed conceptually from its competitors. To be able to classify it correctly, it is worth taking a brief look at its revolutionary predecessor: the Type 32. With the "Tank", as the Type 32 was also known, Bugatti had ventured a radical new design. At its debut in Tours, one came in an honorable third place. Bugatti then sold three of the five cars. One remained in the factory and one was destroyed in an accident. Had Bugatti expected more from the revolutionary concept and was now disappointed? The real reason for abandoning the project lay elsewhere: the concept of the Type 32 could not be used for a road version, the sale of which would have meant the financial basis of the company. The Type 32 was too small and too cramped, and it presented nothing to the potential car buyer of the time - too functional, no distinctive radiator, no free-standing wheels - in short: far too simple and far too futuristic.

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