Lighter is better
Bugatti heralded a turning point in motorsport in 1921 with the Type 13 “Brescia.” The open-top sports car brought an end to the era of large, heavy racing cars. Its lightweight body, superior chassis, and powerful engines made the Type 13 a racing car that was far ahead of its time. The open-top two-seater weighed just 490 kilograms and was powered by a water-cooled, 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with an initial output of 40 hp, later increased to 50 hp. The racing car could reach speeds of up to 150 km/h – a speed that, over 100 years ago, only significantly more powerful and heavier vehicles could achieve. But even these had little chance against the light and agile Type 13 before the first corner. Their bodies weighed more, their chassis were less precise, and their tires rarely lasted long in the rigors of racing.
Ettore Bugatti, on the other hand, discovered over 100 years ago that weight is the real enemy in motorsport and began to focus consistently on lightweight construction. Even with the first car built under his name, the Type 10, he tinkered with weight optimization. The Type 13 was created in 1910 and was continuously developed and optimized over the following years. With the Type 13 “Brescia,” Bugatti improved on the Type 13, which had been equipped with a 1.35-liter engine since 1914. Due to the First World War, production was suspended shortly thereafter, so Bugatti did not develop a slightly revised model until after the war in 1919. Now with a displacement of 1368 cc, modern four-valve technology, vertical shaft, and 30 hp, the Type 13 was one of the first automobiles with four-valve technology. White metal for the crankshaft bearings and pistons were just as new 100 years ago as a fuel pump and a pump that sprayed oil onto selected components. A lightweight and easy-to-shift four-speed transmission made it easier for the driver to change gears.
Two years later, Ettore Bugatti increased the cylinder bore to 68 millimeters, which increased the engine’s displacement to 1453 cc. In addition to the production car, he designed a vehicle for competitions. To this end, he continued to refine the details, installing ball bearings for smoother crankshaft operation, increasing the compression of the engines and the flow of the carburetor, and opting for a magnetic dual ignition system with two spark plugs per combustion chamber. This allowed the racing engine to overcome the inertia of the sparks at high speeds, initially from 2700 rpm and later up to 4500 rpm, ensuring reliable and powerful combustion. The Type 13 responded well to the throttle and was easy to navigate through corners thanks to its extremely precise steering. Lightweight wire-spoked wheels instead of heavy wooden wheels reduce unsprung masses and increase agility.
The model celebrates its greatest triumph at the Grand Prix des Voiturettes in Brescia in September 1921, cementing its unbeatability. Four Type 13s take the top four places – the famous victory becomes synonymous with the model. To this day. In the 1920s, the vehicles won almost every competition in which they participated. The light and powerful sports cars from Molsheim were particularly superior to their competitors in the tough road and hill climbs with their tight corners, poor road surfaces, potholes, sand, and flying stones. With the Type 13, Bugatti heralded a golden decade and flourished as a company. Over the next few years, the French manufacturer sold 711 vehicles of this type with the 16-valve racing engine, plus 388 vehicles with engines featuring a smooth-running crankshaft with ball bearings. Bugatti continued to successfully implement the Type 13 concept with other vehicle lengths, such as the Type 15, Type 17, Type 22, and Type 23. The Type 13 was produced in Molsheim until 1926, with Bugatti selling a total of around 2,000 units of the model. From 1925 onwards, the employees then assembled the Type 35. It continued the successful series and followed in the tire tracks of its legendary predecessor. Over the next few years, it became one of the most successful racing cars of all time with over 2,000 victories. (Text Bugatti Newsroom)
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