The Atalante was a two-door coupe body style similar to and built after the Atlantic, both built on the 57S chassis, but with a single piece windscreen and no fin. Only 17 Atalante cars were made, four of which reside in the Cité de l’Automobile Museum in Mulhouse, France (formerly known as the Musée National de L’Automobile de Mulhouse).
One Atalante, chassis number 57784, a 3-seater vehicle version with aluminium bodywork made by Vanvooren of the iconic Bugatti Type 57S model, resides in the Museu do Caramulo in Caramulo, Portugal. Vanvooren would do two more bodies alike, one (Chassis 57808) for the French government, who gave it, in 1939, as a marriage gift of Prince Reza and Princess Fawzia, and another one (Chassis 57749).
Like many of the Type 57SC chassis, #57563 (pictured below) features a unique body. It was Philippe Levy, a successful textile businessman, who ordered Gangloff to make the his body and interior. The result was very similar to what a drop-top Atalante may have looked like.
By 1949 the car had entered the United States which made it one of the first 57SCs to do so. The bug changed hands a few times before landing in Ralph Lauren’s hands in 1986. Ralph commissioned Paul Russel to do an extensive restoration of the car which included changing the color to black despite having an original color of plum. This car is one of three Gangloff Cabriolets made for the Type 57 chassis.
| type | Limited Production Car |
| built at | France |
| engine | Inline-8 w/Cast Iron Block, Dry Sump Lubrication |
| position | Front Longitudinal |
| valvetrain | 2 Valves per Cyl, DOHC |
| fuel feed | Stromberg UUR-2 Carburetor |
| displacement | 3257 cc / 198.8 in³ |
| bore | 72 mm / 2.83 in |
| stroke | 100 mm / 3.94 in |
| compression | 8.5:1 |
| power | 156.6 kw / 210 bhp @ 5500 rpm |
| specific output | 64.48 bhp per litre |
| redline | 5500 |
| body / frame | Steel over Ash Wooden Supports over Steel Frame |
| driven wheels | RWD |
| front tires | Dunlop |
| rear tires | Dunlop |
| front brakes | Drums |
| rear brakes | Drums |
| front wheels | F 45.7 x 14.0 cm / 18 x 5.5 in |
| rear wheels | R 45.7 x 16.5 cm / 18 x 6.5 in |
| steering | Worm & Roller |
| f suspension | Semi-Indpenedant Centrally Collared Axles w/de Ram Shock Absorbers, Leaf Springs |
| r suspension | Solid Axle w/de Ram Shock Absorbers, Quarter-EllipticLeaf Springs |
| wheelbase | 2979 mm / 117.3 in |
| front track | 1349 mm / 53.1 in |
| rear track | 1349 mm / 53.1 in |
| transmission | 4-Speed Manual |
| top speed | ~177.0 kph / 110.0 mph |
| 0 – 60 mph | ~10 second |
