A 1937 Bugatti type 57C sports tourer has sold for $9.7m in Bonhams' Amelia Island sale in Florida on March 10.
Only a handful of the model were ever built, most of which remain locked away in long-term collections.
 The Bugatti Type 57CS can reach speeds of up to 100mph |
It was the fastest production car of its era, easily capable of speeds up to 100mph.
The present lot is one of a rare few featuring coachwork built by outside contractors, in this case the legendary Belgian makers Vanden Plas.
Bonhams comments: "Authentic, well known and in impressive mechanical, structural and cosmetic condition, number 57541 embodies the very best of pre-war motoring.
"Its unbeatable combination of coachbuilt body and 1930s performance underpinnings result in a car of the highest known standards of the time.
"Athletic and tremendously aesthetic, this is the rarest of the rare and represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Other top lots included a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K cabriolet that achieved a sale price of $2.9m.
The 540K was the last Mercedes-Benz built with a supercharger right up until the modern era. The present lot is one of only 32 examples to feature the sleek and attractive coachwork by Singelfingen.
Several other auction houses will hold sales at Amelia Island this weekend, including Gooding & Company and RM Sotheby's.
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