McLaren: Bugatti Veyron is "a complete piece of junk"
04-12-10, 08:31 AM
#1
McLaren: Bugatti Veyron is "a complete piece of junk"
Ron Dennis brands $2m Bugatti Veyron ‘piece of junk’
by Damian Reilly on Thursday, 01 April 2010
SPEED DEMON: The Veyron, which sells for close to $2m, has a top speed of 253mph. The executive chairman of McLaren Automotive, Ron Dennis, has slammed the Bugatti Veyron - the world’s fastest and most expensive roadcar - dismissing it as “a complete piece of junk”.
Dennis, whose company recently unveiled the MP4-12C supercar – a car he says will be the best sports car in the world – told Arabian Business: “The Bugatti Veyron is a complete piece of junk. I think it is. I believe I can look at a range of women and I can see beauty in most of them, but I can look at a Bugatti and I think it is pig ugly.
“The Veyron doesn’t do anything for me. I’ve been looking at it for years, and I don’t see one single thing that makes me feel good.”
His criticism extended beyond aesthetics. He said a recent televised road race organised by the BBC in Abu Dhabi between the Veyron and the McLaren F1 roadcar – the fastest roadcar in the world from its launch in 1992 until the Veyron was produced in 2005 – had to be rigged to make the Veyron look quicker than it was.
“I know that they have to cut the car open to take the engine out. To make an engine in that configuration, you know, it doesn’t go around corners. When we did the race in Abu Dhabi, we beat it off the line so many times that the film crew was getting frustrated because the outcome was supposed to be for the Bugatti to win.
“So we had to do that whole thing about ten times before it managed to get off the line cleanly and catch us up. Because every time they dropped the clutch it bogged down and we were gone.”
The McLaren F1, which sold for close to $1m until production ceased in 1998, has a recorded top speed of 243mph. The Veyron, which sells for close to $2m, has a top speed of 253mph.
The MP4-12C, which will be sold for close to $250,000 next year, is believed to boast a top speed in excess of 200mph.
Dennis said the production of the MP4-12C was costing in the region of $1.2bn, adding that 1,000 would be produced over the next twelve months, a figure that could then rise to 4,000 per year should demand prove sufficient.
“We are either going to lose an awful lot of money or we are going to make an awful lot of money, but there is nothing in between,” he said.
by Damian Reilly on Thursday, 01 April 2010
SPEED DEMON: The Veyron, which sells for close to $2m, has a top speed of 253mph. The executive chairman of McLaren Automotive, Ron Dennis, has slammed the Bugatti Veyron - the world’s fastest and most expensive roadcar - dismissing it as “a complete piece of junk”.
Dennis, whose company recently unveiled the MP4-12C supercar – a car he says will be the best sports car in the world – told Arabian Business: “The Bugatti Veyron is a complete piece of junk. I think it is. I believe I can look at a range of women and I can see beauty in most of them, but I can look at a Bugatti and I think it is pig ugly.
“The Veyron doesn’t do anything for me. I’ve been looking at it for years, and I don’t see one single thing that makes me feel good.”
His criticism extended beyond aesthetics. He said a recent televised road race organised by the BBC in Abu Dhabi between the Veyron and the McLaren F1 roadcar – the fastest roadcar in the world from its launch in 1992 until the Veyron was produced in 2005 – had to be rigged to make the Veyron look quicker than it was.
“I know that they have to cut the car open to take the engine out. To make an engine in that configuration, you know, it doesn’t go around corners. When we did the race in Abu Dhabi, we beat it off the line so many times that the film crew was getting frustrated because the outcome was supposed to be for the Bugatti to win.
“So we had to do that whole thing about ten times before it managed to get off the line cleanly and catch us up. Because every time they dropped the clutch it bogged down and we were gone.”
The McLaren F1, which sold for close to $1m until production ceased in 1998, has a recorded top speed of 243mph. The Veyron, which sells for close to $2m, has a top speed of 253mph.
The MP4-12C, which will be sold for close to $250,000 next year, is believed to boast a top speed in excess of 200mph.
Dennis said the production of the MP4-12C was costing in the region of $1.2bn, adding that 1,000 would be produced over the next twelve months, a figure that could then rise to 4,000 per year should demand prove sufficient.
“We are either going to lose an awful lot of money or we are going to make an awful lot of money, but there is nothing in between,” he said.
04-12-10, 08:36 AM
#2
haha, pretty interesting interview. i won't comment on the road, but i do believe very much on the performance. the veyron can have all the numbers to itself, but on the track the f1 is still very much the best you can ask for 
i haven't followed the mp4-12c much, but it's priced at around 250k? that's a very attracting price point
i haven't followed the mp4-12c much, but it's priced at around 250k? that's a very attracting price point
04-12-10, 08:49 AM
#5
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While I am utterly amazed at what the Veyron can do I never fapped over it. McLaren pulled no punches here and surely VW will respond in kind
haha, pretty interesting interview. i won't comment on the road, but i do believe very much on the performance. the veyron can have all the numbers to itself, but on the track the f1 is still very much the best you can ask for
i haven't followed the mp4-12c much, but it's priced at around 250k? that's a very attracting price point
i haven't followed the mp4-12c much, but it's priced at around 250k? that's a very attracting price point
04-12-10, 10:15 AM
#7
Speaks French in Russian
"Bugatti Veyron is a complete piece of junk.... because we dont make it."
Nothing shocking about a car maker calling another car maker's car crap. Gotta create some buzz around your new car in any way possible.
The only thing that is truly comparable between these two automakers is the fact that they both produced million dollar exotic vehicles. McLaren's are street legal race cars (engineering masterpiece), while the Bugatti is an ultra fast excessive grand tourer (technological masterpiece). To call one car crap because their philosophy is completely different than yours is wrong.
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04-12-10, 11:15 AM
#8
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While I don't agree with Ron, I can understand his point of view.
Also, @meowcat, It is entirely possible for the F1 to be faster in some areas, It actually has a better power to weight ratio than the veyron. The awd and launch control will obviously give the Veyron the advantage from a dig, providing of course, the McLaren driver does not know what he is doing.
It's a different approach to doing things, and all things equal, I prefer McLarens approach, though I'd rather have some modern doo-dags like ABS and TC, because I don't really need to die proving I'm a super hero driver
Also, @meowcat, It is entirely possible for the F1 to be faster in some areas, It actually has a better power to weight ratio than the veyron. The awd and launch control will obviously give the Veyron the advantage from a dig, providing of course, the McLaren driver does not know what he is doing.
It's a different approach to doing things, and all things equal, I prefer McLarens approach, though I'd rather have some modern doo-dags like ABS and TC, because I don't really need to die proving I'm a super hero driver
04-12-10, 01:03 PM
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Its a heck of a statement..
But its Funny.
This independent test also confirms how the F1 gets the jump..
I am pretty sure it wont beat the Veyron... but
As the Hampster says it... "This is the real world."
I am pretty sure everyone has already seen this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXqSedWSu2k
But its Funny.
This independent test also confirms how the F1 gets the jump..
I am pretty sure it wont beat the Veyron... but
As the Hampster says it... "This is the real world."
I am pretty sure everyone has already seen this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXqSedWSu2k
04-12-10, 01:21 PM
#11
Its a heck of a statement..
But its Funny.
This independent test also confirms how the F1 gets the jump..
I am pretty sure it wont beat the Veyron... but
As the Hampster says it... "This is the real world."
I am pretty sure everyone has already seen this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXqSedWSu2k
But its Funny.
This independent test also confirms how the F1 gets the jump..
I am pretty sure it wont beat the Veyron... but
As the Hampster says it... "This is the real world."
I am pretty sure everyone has already seen this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXqSedWSu2k
j/k
04-12-10, 02:13 PM
#12
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C'mon catman, unbunch your undies. Jeez, you'd think you were the chief engineer of the veyron or something. I understand gearing quite well, as aerodynamics, etc etc. There are a lot of factors to poll in and numbers do not always add up in a real world scenario.
Heat soak for example.
re: 335 vs genesis... last I checked, the BMW weighs a scant 90lbs more and if you think for a second that it only has 300hp then apparently you don't know BMW. Stock 335i put down about 275whp... close to say 350bhp.
Heat soak for example.
re: 335 vs genesis... last I checked, the BMW weighs a scant 90lbs more and if you think for a second that it only has 300hp then apparently you don't know BMW. Stock 335i put down about 275whp... close to say 350bhp.
04-12-10, 03:05 PM
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I have seen a Veyron driving around Denver here, and it def is quite Bad **** looking.
I think it is hypercar spaceship beautiful. and needs to be respected for its technical craftsmanship.
BTW Meow... I think everyone was shocked (just like Hammond) to see the F1 get the jump in the Top Gear Video.
All the numbers/tests/magazines point to the Veyron being able to destroy anything short of a Formula 1 car.
But you do have to give the old Mclaren props, being that its down 373hp.
I think it is hypercar spaceship beautiful.
and needs to be respected for its technical craftsmanship.BTW Meow... I think everyone was shocked (just like Hammond) to see the F1 get the jump in the Top Gear Video.
All the numbers/tests/magazines point to the Veyron being able to destroy anything short of a Formula 1 car.
But you do have to give the old Mclaren props, being that its down 373hp.