“this is a very skilfully executed replica of a 1931 bugatti which won the casablanca grand prix”. the copy of a bugatti type 51 had been lying unused in a garage in hartlebury, worcestershire for nine years. the car had been owned by car enthusiast alan riley, who believed it to be the original bugatti driven by count stanislas czaykowski in races in the 1930s, but the car was recently examined by david sewell, a bugatti expert, who decided it was a replica made using a mixture of genuine and reproduction parts, including some from the czaykowski vehicle. despite this, the car fetched £250,000 at an auction… an original would have been worth over £2,000,000. fortunately, admiring it is for free. by dd