For the 50th anniversary edition of Retromobile, Paris will pay homage to a truly monumental marvel of mechanical ingenuity—the legendary Bugatti Autorail. From January 28 to February 1, 2026, enthusiasts will have the rare opportunity to witness one of automotive and railway history’s great creations, a celebration of Ettore Bugatti’s genius on rails.
Measuring an impressive 23 metres in length and weighing nearly 40 tonnes when accompanied by its transport convoy, the Bugatti Autorail remains a singular, surviving testament from the 88 units originally produced in the 1930s.
Powered by four robust engines borrowed from the iconic Bugatti Royale—a luxury car synonymous with opulence—the train was designed and built in a mere nine months to revolutionise express travel during an era still dominated by steam locomotives.
This remarkable railcar reached speeds just shy of 200 km/h, with recorded maxima of 194 km/h to 196 km/h in its various iterations, a speed that made it the fastest train of its time. This performance was no accident; Ettore Bugatti’s keen eye for aerodynamics and engineering excellence is evident throughout the design, boasting a streamlined body and a lightweight yet sturdy chassis.
Inside, passengers were treated to an experience reminiscent of a luxury salon on wheels. Innovatively, the seating could be reversed at the conductor’s command, allowing clusters of seats to face one another for conversation or to face forward for high-speed travel.
The central conductor’s cabin offered exceptional 360-degree visibility—an avant-garde feature that underpinned both safety and operational control.
Beyond its engineering feats, the Autorail also holds an intriguing historical significance. The project helped save Bugatti financially during the Great Depression, repurposing the Royale’s powerful engines in a market seeking modernity and speed over extravagance. Even French President Albert Lebrun favoured the train, utilising it on the Paris to Cherbourg route and slashing journey times dramatically.
The Bugatti Autorail’s last operational runs concluded in 1958, mainly due to its high fuel consumption, but its legacy endures as an archetype of “Art, Forme, Technique”—a Bugatti motto that perfectly encapsulates the fusion of beauty, innovation, and technical mastery. Today, this singular surviving traincar is preserved with reverence at the Cité du Train museum in Mulhouse, France.
As the Retromobile 2026 invites visitors to celebrate classic machines and collectors’ passion, the presence of the Bugatti Autorail promises a highlight of unparalleled grandeur—bridging the glamour of automotive art with the romance of rail travel.
You can watch a teaser video of the forthcoming exhibition on YouTube here.
All photography by Arthur Chambre.
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