For 20 Years, The Bugatti Type 41 Royale Was The Most Expensive Car Sold At Auction

Prices achieved by classic and sports cars at auction in the last decade have shot up considerably. In 2016, Porsche's Carrera GT and the Ferrari F40 were only reaching just north of $1 million. But buyers today are forking out close to $5 million for the former and closer to $10 million for the latter. Many super-exclusive models have been riding this wave of ever-increasing prices over the last decade, but there are certain models that have always commanded biblical costs — like the Bugatti Royale Type 41. Way back in 1987, a Type 41 Royale netted a staggering $9,867,000 result. 

In the previous year, Thomas Monaghan – founder of Domino's Pizza and then-owner of the Detroit Tigers — paid $8.1 million for such a car, so the '87 result was certainly no one-off. The '87 result saw the Type 41 Royale become the most expensive car ever sold at auction, and that record stood for over two decades. The exact car which broke Bugatti's 1987 record was a Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider. In fact, British DJ Chris Evans purposefully bid an additional 100,000 euros just to snatch the 20-year-held title — making the Royale's record matter for more than just fame.

The Royale was always designed to be the most extravagant and opulent car in the world, destined to find its way into the hands of only the wealthiest individuals on earth. Hence the name "Royale." And during the late 1920s and early 1930s, when most motorists were still bumbling around in Ford Model Ts, the Bugatti was an outstanding feat of engineering. It boasted a monumental 12.8-liter inline-eight engine churned out around 300 horsepower, powering the Royale to speeds in the region of 125 mph. 

This machine was also one of the largest cars of all time, at a length of over 6 meters. A car as capable as the Royale was practically unheard of at the time — and so was its price. It commanded sums roughly three times above what would typically be charged for a limousine from any of Bugatti's closest competitors. And it cost around 10 times more than what Bugatti generally asked for one of its other period marques.

As wonderful as the Royale is in retrospect, it was actually a commercial flop when new. Only six examples were ever built, and of those, only four were actually sold, so at least Ettore Bugatti and his wife had access to some pretty swanky dailies. 

It's tough to say exactly what a Type 41 Royale is worth today. Only six were ever made, so modern sales don't exactly go through all that often. The last sale of one was only a few years back, in 2021, but it changed hands for an undisclosed sum. Magneto Magazine reports that the model might have surpassed the highest amount paid for a pre-war car at auction, which stood at $22 million. Currently, that's the best indicator as to how much a Royale might sell for these days.

Bugatti itself suggests that, should one come up for sale publicly, it still might have what it takes to surpass the price of any other vehicle in the world. That would mean eclipsing the $143 million paid for the current most expensive car ever sold, which seems like an uphill battle even for the remarkable Royale. The current title-holder is the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe — a 1-of-2 prototype which never got to realize its racing potential. 

Hagerty estimates $50 million as a closer figure to the Bugatti's true value, which would place it right within Ferrari 250 GTO territory — another notable record-setting favorite. Of course, you could always just adjust the 1987 price of $9,867,000 to take inflation into account. That results in a figure of over $29 million, but this obviously doesn't factor in any swings in market preferences — which have certainly changed since the mid-to-late 1980s. Regardless of how much money the Type 41 Royale might bring today, its former record still speaks volumes about its value.