Hamilton business man Tom Andrews has his recently purchased 1937 Bugatti under wraps until a presentation reveal at his Classics Museum in Hamilton.

"Nothing is ever too expensive and nothing is too beautiful" - that was a comment made by Ettore Bugatti, founder of the French Bugatti car marque.

It sums up Hamilton Classic Museum owner Tom Andrews' thoughts on his most recent purchase perfectly.

The Hamilton car enthusiast spent $NZ460,000 on what some would call the most breathtaking examples of pre-war European luxury cars, despite its current appearance.

none A 1938 Bugatti 57 Atlantic coupe like this was bought for $40m by fashion icon Ralph Lauren.

The car, which was originally built as a 'Gangloff'-bodied 1937 type 57 Bugatti, one of only three, is to be the subject of an extensive restoration project in the Waikato after Andrews bought it at an auction in Paris in February.

The Bugatti was discovered in December 2014 among 60 rare cars which had been locked up in a French barn for more than half a century.

The task ahead is to re-body the Bugatti with an Atlantic body as Atlantic-bodied Bugattis are among the most expensive cars ever sold - one went to a US collector for $US40 million.

After obtaining permission from the French authorities to export the car from France, Andrews landed it in New Zealand in May.

"I had the idea that I wanted something new and I walked out with one," Andrew said.

"It will be a very significant car for New Zealand. We are very lucky in Hamilton, there are some significant cars and when you look at car design, most of the great designs came from Europe.

"When you look at the history of cars most of the great makes came from Europe. Bugattis are some of the most significant cars ever built."

The car has a significant history having been bought in 1937 a French military officer who fought for the French resistance during WWII but was captured and killed by the Germans when he was taken to the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp only three months before the war ended.

After the war the Gangloff-bodied car ended up in the same French wreckers yard as another Bugatti with a 'Ventour" body. The Gangloff was discarded and the Ventour fitted. It was bought by a French trucking contractor and car collector in the early 1960s and stored.

The car has matching numbers for its chassis and running gear, and came into New Zealand with its Ventour body. While in rough condition, the Ventour is itself a significant piece of steel and aluminum coach-building worth around $100,000 by itself, Andrews said.

The Bugatti will be the subject of an hour-long talk and presentation at the Classic Museum on Thursday June 25 - after which it will go under wraps for the next two to three years while it is fully restored. This is a public event, Tickets $30 can be purchased by email or at the museum.