Bugatti Type 23 I gallery (1913–1926)
The long-wheelbase touring evolution of Bugatti's early four-cylinder platform designed for four-passenger coachwork.
The Bugatti Type 23 was the long-wheelbase variant of Ettore Bugatti's acclaimed light car family, positioned above the Type 13 and Type 22 to accommodate spacious four-passenger open touring coachwork. With a generous 2550 mm wheelbase, the chassis delivered superior ride comfort and stability, appealing directly to discerning sporting motorists. Early production series utilized the single-overhead-cam 1.4-liter eight-valve four-cylinder engine, but the model truly came into its own after the First World War with the implementation of the potent 1.5-liter 16-valve Brescia powerplant producing between 30 and 40 horsepower. Power was directed to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox with an external or internal mechanical linkage. The suspension retained semi-elliptic springs in the front and Bugatti's characteristic reversed quarter-elliptic springs in the rear, with four-wheel drum brakes arriving on later production updates. Sold throughout France, the UK, and continental Europe, the Type 23 established a benchmark for light grand touring automobiles of the 1920s.
