Patterico's Pontifications

11/12/2009

Things That Don’t Mix (Updated)

Filed under: General — DRJ @ 2:37 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Salt water, a pelican, a cell phone, and a $2M Bugatti Veyron:

“The Veyron’s powerful engine gurgled like an outboard motor for about 15 minutes before it died.”

— DRJ

EDIT: Gazzer has video.

UPDATED — Two years later and this story isn’t over yet: Insurer calls crash of $1.2 million car fraud.

19 Responses to “Things That Don’t Mix (Updated)”

  1. Well, at least it’s not a real Bugatti. They haven’t been made since 1959. The are really rare and expensive. A friend of mine has three. He invested his pension plan in them in the 60s and boy has that been a good investment !

    Mike K (2cf494)

  2. You could say it was a Royale flush. (Car guy joke.)

    Gazzer (f4dafa)

  3. I would be very careful about buying any used Veyron from Texas.
    Salt-water is not very friendly when it comes to non-ferrous metals,
    or anyplace else where it cannot be properly flushed away.

    AD - RtR/OS! (05d966)

  4. Sorry Mike K.

    That’s the real deal. http://www.bugatti.com/en/veyron-16.4.html

    My 7-year-old is way bummed right now.

    Wife and Mom to car nuts – Em

    Em (11cf60)

  5. So, how much Obama cash for that soaking-wet klunker?

    Old Coot (166f79)

  6. Em, I think Mike is saying that the new Bugattis are not authentic in the true spirit of the old company.

    I agree with Mike that this would be much worse if it was a classic Bugatti. This is just a nice piece of plastic.

    Dustin (bb61e3)

  7. fine-tuned, French-built car

    Ok, if there ever was a contradiction in terms ….

    nk (df76d4)

  8. Ah, got it Dustin.

    My bad.

    Still pretty sad though. I think they’re pretty cool. But that’s just this chick’s opinion.

    Em (11cf60)

  9. Em, this is a Bugatti like the Ritz Carlton hotels are the Ritz Carlton. A very smart lawyer bought the Ritz Carlton name about 1970 and sold it to partnerships to build those luxury hotels. He made a ton of money. But those are not the original Ritz Carlton, which was in Boston. Even the 1959 Bugatti was not a real one.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  10. Vintage vs. “kit car.” Got it.

    I imagine small consolation for the dude now out $2 mil. Great advertisement for hang up and drive though.

    Em (11cf60)

  11. Ouch.
    Hang up and drive.
    Or as I saw once on a bumper sticker, “Steering is not enough”

    tyree (63f92c)

  12. Pelicans can be really treacherous but the thing is, they really do mean well. I don’t know what to tell you.

    happyfeet (b919e7)

  13. Out of respect for the dead, I will not insert the obligatory Ted Kennedy snark here.

    Dave N (c7afc5)

  14. Dave N – hey, the video is sorta emblematic of the Obama Ship of State, is it not ?

    (It couldn’t be Kennedy, cuz it’s not *under*water)

    Alasdair (e7cb73)

  15. Veyrons are amazing cars. It is a shame that such an amazing machine was wasted on a jackass… but that’s the way it works with awesome cars.

    Dustin (bb61e3)

  16. The Veyron is not a “kit” car. It is built by VW, because their chairman Ferdinand Piech wanted a “supercar”, and along with the VW Phaeton is considered to be his pet projects trying to move the VW more upscale.

    He is a minority owner of Porsche, but was forced to move to Audi/VW because of rules that forbid Porsche family members from being involved in management of the company.

    He also bought the Bentley and Lamborghini brands for VW.

    doug (49dd6f)

  17. Doug – I know Veyron isn’t a “kit car.” I was using car lingo (lamely I guess) to show my understanding that some automobile purists might find it to be, shall we say, a departure from the original owner. Then again, Ettore Bugatti did seem to enjoy flash. And since VW just surpassed Toyota for #1 position, that group must be doing something right.

    I live with one man and two young sons – it’s Car and Driver, BBC America Top Gear and HotWheels 24/7 here.

    Now, who wants to talk shoes?

    em (11cf60)

  18. Paging Dana …

    DRJ (dee47d)

  19. Dmac has a lot of singles laying about…
    seems someone keeps throwing them at him.

    AD - RtR/OS! (05d966)


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