BABY BUGATTI, L’art automobile pour enfants

Jean-Pascal Viault

The reference book for Bugatti lovers. Conceived and developed by Jean-Pascal Viault, this book is a reference for Baby Bugatti collectors and, beyond.

Along with photographer Bernard Canonne, well-known by classic car enthusiasts and readers of magazines dedicated to classic cars, they have been traveling across Europe for several months, meeting owners and collectors of these unusual vehicles that delight young people participating in the Little Big Le Mans parade at the Le Mans Classic.

Baby Bugatti will be released exclusively by Editions l'Odyssée to mark the 100th anniversary of the Baby's creation and the 50th anniversary of Rétromobile, from January 28 to February 1, 2026.

This comprehensive book (456 pages) includes more than 1000 illustrations, archives, never-before-seen old photographs, as well as previously unpublished plans of spare parts, anecdotes, and more.

A Legend

Legend has it that Roland Bugatti, the youngest son of Ettore, the founder of the Molsheim-based brand, was so fascinated by the Bugatti 35 that for his fifth birthday, he was given a 50% scale model. Named the Baby Bugatti, it was powered by an electric motor and a 12-volt battery that allowed it to travel up to 20 km/h. At the wheel of this children's car, Roland cruised the avenues of the Château Saint-Jean park.

The rest is history: the Baby Bugatti did not leave customers unmoved when they came to pick up their vehicles at the factory. Ettore Bugatti had to deal with an influx of requests and orders, which he quickly fulfilled. A wish is a command.

Between 1927 and 1930, Bugatti produced 457 copies of the children's replica of the Grand Prix, born in 1924 and first appearing on August 3, 1924, at the Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France, which also served as the European Grand Prix. It was organized in the Lyon region on a 23-kilometer circuit whose route started from the Sept Chemins, passed through Givors, and returned via the Grande Pavière and the Esses descent. The five Bugattis arrived via the Molsheim road. A sixth—the original prototype—was kept in reserve.

Photographs : Bernard Canonne and other sources.

Author : Jean-Pascal Viault

Editorial director : Gilles Cargueray, Camille Gallet

Artistic direction : Alexandre Viault

With written contributions from Caroline Bugatti (granddaughter of Ettore Bugatti), Marc Newson (Designer), Pierre-Yves Laugier and Goy Feltes (Historians), Mark Morris (Expert), and Pierre-Henri Raphanel (Official Bugatti Driver).

Proofreading: Catherine Guichardon

English Translation : Maren Baudet-Lacker

Original edition : 130€ instead of 160€ (until February 1, 2026)

Limited édition : 750€ instead of 1 000€ (until February 1, 2026)

Box set created by the Vianney Deschatrette workshop

Limited to 30 numbered copies

Contemporary handcrafted creation in the spirit of the Baby Bugatti

Made from the same materials as the car (aluminum and leather)

Entirely handmade in the Vianney Auto workshop

Including a Baby Bugatti book in French or English

ISBN : 978-2-494767-50-8

Free delivery at the 2026 edition of Rétromobile, Porte de Versailles, from January 28 to February 1, 2026

Bugatti Club France booth

Jean-Pascal Viault

Since 1992, he has created and directed an unusual form of traveling theater in rural areas, writing and directing numerous shows for children and young people, particularly for very young children. His productions have been widely presented throughout France and Europe, as well as in Japan, South Korea, China, Georgia, and North America (Canada, USA).

Since the 1980s, he has developed a passion for children's cars and has become one of France's most renowned collectors.

A lifelong fan of pre-war grand sports and Grand Prix vehicles, he regularly drives the roads of Europe in Amilcars and Bugatti Type 37s.

He is a "children's cars" consultant for the Bugatti Club France.

Alexandre Viault

Alexandre Viault is Design Manager at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where he has led and supported the museum's graphic design team since 2021, having joined the museum in 2017. With international experience, he previously worked at Bruce Mau Design in Toronto, as well as with several design studios in Paris and 2x4 in New York. His expertise spans art direction, visual identity, exhibition scenography, editorial design, typography, and signage. A graduate of the Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, his career demonstrates a constant commitment to creating visual experiences that combine conceptual rigor and graphic precision. The son of Jean-Pascal, he has always shared his father's passion for pre-war automobiles.

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