The Lost Bugatti Type 22: 73 Years At The Bottom Of A Swiss Lake

The story of the 1925 Bugatti Type 22 Brescia is one of the most captivating tales in automotive history—equal parts mystery, folklore, and mechanical resurrection. It’s the kind of saga that feels more like a screenplay than real life, yet every piece of it is true.

From French Roads to Swiss Shores

Originally delivered in April of 1925, this Bugatti Type 22 was first registered to Georges Paiva of Nancy, France. By 1930, it bore markings from Paris, with a brass plate linking it to a Georges Nielly. Somewhere along the way, the car found its way into the hands of an architect named Marco (or Max) Schmuklerski, who relocated to Ascona, Switzerland, in 1933.

It’s believed he brought the Bugatti with him—without paying the steep Swiss import duties. When the authorities caught wind of the unpaid taxes, the options were limited: either pay up, or destroy the vehicle to avoid the fees.

In an act of defiance—or perhaps hope—Schmuklerski chose an unconventional form of “destruction.” He rolled the car into Lake Maggiore, but not before attaching a heavy chain to its frame, planning for some future recovery when circumstances allowed. It would be the last time he’d see it.

Descent into Darkness

As time passed, the chain rusted away. The Bugatti slipped deeper and deeper until it came to rest over 170 feet below the surface of Lake Maggiore. There, in the cold freshwater silt, it would remain undisturbed for over three decades, slowly becoming part of the lake’s legend.

Local divers rediscovered the car in 1967. But rather than raise it immediately, it became a sort of subaquatic pilgrimage site—an eerie, elegant monument to a bygone era, resting peacefully beneath the waves.

Recovering the Bugatti Type 22

It wasn’t until 2009 that the decision was made to raise the car. Spurred by the tragic death of a local teenager, the Ascona diving club organized a recovery mission with the intention of auctioning the Bugatti and donating the proceeds to a foundation created in the young man’s memory.

On July 12, 2009, the Bugatti finally broke the surface. Caked in corrosion and lake silt, it was a hauntingly beautiful relic. The crowd gasped—despite everything, the tires still held air. A piece of 1920s motoring had returned to the light, frozen in time.

Auction and Legacy

In January 2010, the car crossed the block at Bonhams’ Retromobile auction in Paris. Though little more than a skeleton of its former self, it captured the imagination of collectors and historians alike. It sold for €260,500—far beyond its estimate.

The winning bidder was American collector Peter Mullin, founder of the Mullin Automotive Museum in California. Rather than restore the car, Mullin chose to preserve it exactly as it had emerged from the lake—a testament to the power of storytelling, time, and the enduring mystique of the Bugatti marque.

Today, the Bugatti is displayed in a dimly lit room at the museum, evoking the dark, cold depths of Lake Maggiore. It’s not just a car—it’s a time capsule, a conversation starter, and a symbol of the strange ways in which history can circle back on itself.

A Documentary Waiting to Happen

The 1925 Bugatti Type 22 Brescia’s journey from the roads of France to the bottom of a Swiss lake—and finally to a museum in California—deserves more than a footnote in automotive history. It’s a story about engineering, economics, legacy, and human nature.

And yes, it’s absolutely begging to be turned into a documentary. Think Lost at Sea meets The World’s Most Beautiful Machines. Because some legends aren’t made in racing glory—they’re forged in silence, beneath the surface, waiting to be rediscovered.

Photos Couresty of Bonhams | Video Via Car Auction Talk