Treasures of the Toyota museum (and it’s not just Toyotas)
One of the most iconic pre-war Grand Prix cars of all time, the Bugatti Type 35B was blisteringly fast thanks to a supercharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine that produced 138bhp, a lot for the time.
This car is in French blue, while the Bentley behind is in British racing green – the national colours that harked back to the Gordon Bennett Cup run at the start of the 20th century.
Tsukuba-go (1935)
A real rarity now, just 130 Tsukuba-gos were built over a three-year period from 1935 by Tokyo based car company Jidosha Seizo. Bearing a striking resemblance to the Austin Seven and featuring a 737cc inline-four engine, the front-wheel drive contraption was named after Mount Tsukuba in Kanto province.
Datsun Model 11 Phaeton (1932)
One of the very first cars to be manufactured in Japan is another Austin Seven look-a-like, the grandly named Datsun Model 11 Phaeton from 1932. Originally launched under the name of DAT, the initials of its founders, the company’s new brand was the son of DAT, hence Datsun.
Bought by Nissan in 1934, Datsun was used as a sub-brand for over 50 years before being phased out in 1986. Datsun saw a revival in 2013 as a budget brand.
Lancia Astura (1936)
Designed by Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina and unveiled at the 1931 Paris motor show, this stunning 1936 Lancia Astura cabriolet replaced the Lambda model.
Featuring a 2972cc OHC V8, it’s one of the most desirable pre-war Lancias, winning top honours at both Pebble Beach and Villa D’Este Concours.
Cord 812 (1937)
Designed with the sole purpose of turning heads, the 1937 Cord 812 certainly succeeded in standing out. Highly innovative, the 812 featured front-wheel drive, retractable head lamps, a supercharged V8 and a vacuum shift gearbox.
Not that it did Cord much good, as the company died at the end of 1937.
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