The car is the first time after over 15 years almost complete and drivable . Still need some small changes .
Baron Eugene de Dietrich ordered in 1902 , 2 Type 5 from Bugatti for the Paris - Madrid race . There is no information what happened with this 2 cars after 1905 . The last info we found was a advertisement in a newspaper , the German "Automobil Zeitung" in 1905 . The car was for sale in Straßburg for 15 000 RM . Baron Gilbert de Dietrich started this project together with Uwe Hucke in England over 15 years ago .
It is the first real race car Bugatti made . And the biggest engine he made . Today it is the oldest Bugatti in the world .

I am surprised there are so little pre-1909 Bugattis left. (Dietrich, Hermes, etc)

Anyhow. The 1903 Paris-Madrid race was a dangerous one. Bugatti did not participate due to scrutineering problems.

I guess you are the only one to answer this question: What is the car like? How does it feel? Would you do a Paris-Madrid race with it?

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Vive la Marque !!

Hello Udo,

great car, would like to drive it, you are very privileged!

Marco

The scrutineering problem was political , it was not a technical problem . If everythink is OK , there is no problem to do a Paris Madrid race . How does it feel , great . You sit behind a 13 liter monster in the open , just imagine . Car is easy to drive . No brakes at the front is bad , bad all had it in this time . If you know , how you can start this big engine , it is easy . Very easy if the engine is cold . I still need some more experience how to start the engine between cold and hot . The car is now driveable but I still have to change many parts . All the Parts made in England have so many mistakes , sometimes you can not belive what kind of mistakes . I am just back from Beaulieu where I investigated a 1903 De Dietrich . The car will be this year in Baden Baden and Molsheim , and a few times at the De Dietrich castle . It is time to look for a another project , maybe already have one .