The car was a 1925 Bugatti Type 22 Brescia, recovered from Lake Maggiore in 2009 after decades underwater. New Atlas reported that it sold at Bonhams’ Rétromobile auction in 2010 for €260,500 (headlined as US$360,000) and was intended to remain unrestored, with its damaged, partially reclaimed condition preserved.
What happened to the Bugatti at the bottom of Lake Maggiore?
According to Mike Hanlon’s 2010 account in New Atlas, the two-seat Bugatti Type 22 Brescia was raised from Lake Maggiore in northern Italy in July 2009. The car had reportedly spent more than 70 years underwater.
The reported backstory is unusual: the Bugatti entered the lake in 1937 after its owner encountered trouble over import duties in Switzerland. That account is reported by New Atlas; it should not be mistaken for an independently verified archival record.
How much did the Lake Maggiore Bugatti sell for?
New Atlas reported that Bonhams sold the car at its Rétromobile auction on January 23, 2010, for €260,500. The article’s headline gave the equivalent sale figure as US$360,000. These are figures reported for that 2010 auction, not a current valuation, and no exchange-rate calculation is implied.
#1 Best Overall
- Die-cast metal body with plastic parts
- Opening doors and engine compartment
- Detailed chassis
- Package Weight: 1.17 pounds
Why wasn’t the Bugatti restored?
New Atlas reported that the car would not be restored and would instead be preserved in its partially reclaimed condition. That choice favors retaining the material evidence of the car’s long immersion over making it look or function like a restored vehicle. Restoration can return a historic car toward a usable or finished state; conservation can prioritize keeping its surviving original fabric and visible history. Those are general distinctions, not a description of a documented treatment plan for this Bugatti.
Where is the car now?
The 2010 New Atlas article said the Bugatti would live on at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California. That report establishes the intended destination at the time, but does not confirm whether the car remains there or is currently on display.
Quick Recap
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