A machine that refuses to be taken too seriously — and demands to be respected all the same.
The Joker is a 1931 Bugatti Type 51 — a car that sits somewhere between motorsport legend and mechanical mischief. Instantly recognisable, slightly absurd at first glance, and impossible to ignore, he carries his nickname honestly.
Unlike most cars in the Garage, The Joker is not a long-term project, nor a restoration, nor something I maintain or develop. Instead, he represents something different: an encounter with automotive history that leaves a lasting impression.
Experiencing The Joker isn’t about refinement or comfort. It’s about theatre, sound, presence, and the strange joy that comes from being behind the wheel of something so historically important — yet so willing to make you smile.
The Type 51 itself is a landmark in Bugatti’s story, carrying the racing DNA of the Type 35 while introducing a twin-cam straight-eight that pushed performance forward in the early 1930s. But The Joker reminds you that history doesn’t have to be solemn. Sometimes, it laughs back.
Project status: Historic encounter & documented experience
Project Journal
Moments, drives, and observations from time spent with The Joker.