Bugatti Veyron and Top Gear

[ViperVX]

No real recing driver will spend time, racing in his own supercar. No rich supercar owner will risk everything, by doing a track day. One thing left is a middle class guy with a fast-ish car, who thinks he can driver fast & look cool, but more often it ends up in tears.

[ahpadt]

You gotta remember that the Veyron is electronically limited to 253mph.

[Jos J.]

it won't go around the track next episode...the 599gtb will though...

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally Posted by nannocrob

Obviously you've been reading their website.

I reckon differently. First, the front wheels are so big there is no room for your left foot. The body panels look flimsy, so I bet the road noise is deafening at any speed. The seats look thin and uncomfortable. It's ugly... Inside and out. All the colors are boring.

I can go on all day.

It's too wide for most bridges and parking spaces...

same goes for that SSC, have you seen the interior shots? the front wheel wells protrude so far in to the cabin! and speaking of the cabin in that car...well i know where id want to be and its not inside that thing with its demon tweaks steering wheel.

plus what you are doing is assuming based on looks, you havent driven one, no one here has, but all of the road tests i have seen (tiffs, jc's and that chris from autocar) all pretty much contrast to your assumptions. and since when did thin body panels have squat to do with road noise? 2 major things contribute to road noise....wind and the tyres and tyre noise is based on the tread pattern and rubber compound, so i dont think thin body panels have much to do with it IMO.

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally Posted by nannocrob

"The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders, or the equivalent of two narrow-angle V8 engines mated in a "W" configuration. Each cylinder has 4 valves, for a total of 64, but the narrow V8 configuration allows two camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only 4 camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four turbochargers, and it displaces 8.0 L (7,993 cc/488 in³) with a square 86 by 86 mm bore and stroke."

You see, right there. F***en Genius!

Under Specifications: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Veyron

Also, Jeremy Clarkson: "... I mean it has two 4.0 liter V8 engines joined together to make an 8.0 liter W-16..."

Top Gear - [07x05] - 15:24

no points to the man who quotes wiki as fact.

that description of it as 2 v8's mated together to me is very obviously a way to help people visualise how the engine works.

[No Boss]

Originally Posted by bartboy9891

Every single review I've read says the complete opposite.

And you know the difference between those reviewers and this guy? They've actually driven it. Has he even said if he's seen a Veyron in person? I have, and everything he's said is wrong.

[MadCow809]

Originally Posted by otispunkmeyer

same goes for that SSC, have you seen the interior shots? the front wheel wells protrude so far in to the cabin! and speaking of the cabin in that car...well i know where id want to be and its not inside that thing with its demon tweaks steering wheel.

plus what you are doing is assuming based on looks, you havent driven one, no one here has, but all of the road tests i have seen (tiffs, jc's and that chris from autocar) all pretty much contrast to your assumptions. and since when did thin body panels have squat to do with road noise? 2 major things contribute to road noise....wind and the tyres and tyre noise is based on the tread pattern and rubber compound, so i dont think thin body panels have much to do with it IMO.

not to knit pick, but flimsy door panels does contribute road noise, but the Veyron's door panels arent flimsy at all. The real 2 major factor for road noise are 1) tyre compound, which you have already pointed out and 2)sound deadening materials, things like carpet and rubber seals, damper, absorber, barrier etc..

so our SSC fanboy nannocrob rekons the Bugatti is noisy, ugly, cramped etc.. but the truth is that the only thing SSC managed to beat the veyron is the topspeed. And anyone with a bit of car knowledge will tell you that topspeed is not hard to achieve, the hard part is the tyre choice and gearing etc. Also, lets not forget the Veyron is limited to 400kph, incase the tyre cant handle the speed.

All nannocrob have done is making himself look stupid, he needs to do some researching and say something intelligent instead of just looking at the picture of a Bugatti and make stupid assumptions.

Originally Posted by No Boss

And you know the difference between those reviewers and this guy? They've actually driven it. Has he even said if he's seen a Veyron in person? I have, and everything he's said is wrong.

i have as well, its a proper hypercar with almost perfect build quality. As for the left legroom problem, i seriously dont know what the nannocrob is on about..

[MrChips]

Originally Posted by nannocrob

"The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders, or the equivalent of two narrow-angle V8 engines mated in a "W" configuration. Each cylinder has 4 valves, for a total of 64, but the narrow V8 configuration allows two camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only 4 camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four turbochargers, and it displaces 8.0 L (7,993 cc/488 in³) with a square 86 by 86 mm bore and stroke."

You see, right there. F***en Genius!

Under Specifications: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Veyron

Also, Jeremy Clarkson: "... I mean it has two 4.0 liter V8 engines joined together to make an 8.0 liter W-16..."

Top Gear - [07x05] - 15:24

By your logic and my failings, I shall now declare that the Corvette will henceforth be known as having two inline-4 engines.

[ruuman]

Originally Posted by MrChips

By your logic and my failings, I shall now declare that the Corvette will henceforth be known as having two inline-4 engines.

yeah but it's all based on a single reciprocating piston concept just with a shared crankshaft so why don't we just call it an "8x single", it's not like engine design and manufacture is complex at all, someone just has a big tube of glue and a box of cylinders right?





/... oversimplifying masterpiece engineering makes me sad

[Trollbooth]

Comparing the SSC and the Veyron is like comparing a kit car to an S-class Merc.

I wonder how stable the SSC is at top speed compared to the Veyron. I also wonder if you drove both the Veyron and the SSC at top speed which one would break first.

[Chambers]

Originally Posted by vanMould

Obviously no where. But that thread in the image you posted looks like it's going to a much more interesting place telling from the cat chasing it.

[LurkerPatrol]

Yeah its quite odd that the point that I'd hoped to make with the topic would be to get people to put out their opinions about why Bugatti won't let TG put the Veyron around the track. It's devolved into an argument about something I can't even tell now...

Thanks to all those who actually answered the question rather than argued. If some mod could lock this that'd be great.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by nannocrob

Obviously you've been reading their website.

I reckon differently. First, the front wheels are so big there is no room for your left foot. The body panels look flimsy, so I bet the road noise is deafening at any speed. The seats look thin and uncomfortable. It's ugly... Inside and out. All the colors are boring.

I can go on all day.

It's too wide for most bridges and parking spaces...

People have already said it much better than me, I just thought I would say that after reading this and other posts that you are a arrogant, biased, uninformed tit.

You say the Veyron must be flimsy, what does that make the SSC then!

[bwkrupp]

Somewhere on the wide internet is another forum where a guy worked for a company that detailes cars and he helped to detail the very car that was used by James May. It took a week and cost 40,000 pounds. But then they were using tweezers for every bit of speck of rubber that was on the paint. Point is, hundreds of high def photos close up of the body work. It is not flimsy in the slightest.

And anyways, the point of the Veyron isn't how fast it can go. The Porsche 917 from 1971 could break 250 mph, but was so undriveable that it only ever had one driver. There is a long list of cars sold to the public (even if just for homogolation reasons and not actually road legal) that were faster than the Veyron before the Veyron. That does not make them better.

Last thought, Clarkson is 6'5" and fit in the Veyron just fine. May isn't exactly short and he fit in there with a helmet. Now kindly go over to supercars.net, they'll be happy to kindly debate you further.

[marcos_eirik]

Originally Posted by bwkrupp

And anyways, the point of the Veyron isn't how fast it can go. The Porsche 917 from 1971 could break 250 mph, but was so undriveable that it only ever had one driver.

In other words, you refer to the 1971 917 KH... They early ones were a bit iffy, but after they got sorted for the 1970 season, they became unbeatable. The 917 is regarded as pretty much the best racing sportscar ever and the pinnacle of the sportscar racing era before the FIA killed the 5-litre class completely. Drivers like Derek Bell, Richard Attwood, Brian Redman and Steve McQueen, said it's definately the best of it's kind.

It's not the most successful endurance racacar, that title lays with it's successor, the 956/962, regarded by the racers as the easyest prototype racecar ever, according to Derek Bell it had no vices and could cruise at 250 mph down the Mulsanne at Le Mans with ease. So making a car go 250 with ease isn't anything new. The Dauer 962 would do that.

[NHeer-Design]

Oh, looks like someone is grumpy in this thread. Sure, you're entitled to your own opinion. But no need to go smacking everyone who disagrees with you.
Firstly, my opinions on the Veyron:
I have seen one in the flesh: it's beautiful. It's incredibly low profile, and there's a lot of tension in the lines. The interior, while not having sat in one, is apparently one of the most comfortable interiors created, on par with Rolls Royce and Bentley interiors. Apparently, there is plenty of footroom, and the seats are almost perfect.
My opinion on the Aero TT?
I think it's just another really powerful car. Anyone can throw a jet engine like motor on a car. But the Veyron is a huge achievement. I know of Skylines and others that can get a billion bhp out of the engine. But even the owners admit that the day-to-day driveability suffers drastically. Contrast that with the Veyron which many owners drive every single day. And why not? It has 4WD for traction (yep, even in snow and ice), it's comfy, it has a great stereo, and an even better power soundtrack coming from just behind the drivers' right ear. The Veyron is a magnificent achievement. The Aero TT is just a fast car. They can trumpet top speed all they want, but driveability combined with power trumps that every single time.
PS: The Veyron Pur Sang hasn't been top speed tested yet, I don't think. I wouldn't be surprised if it hit 260MPH+.

[Necx0]

Originally Posted by marcos_eirik

In other words, you refer to the 1971 917 KH... They early ones were a bit iffy, but after they got sorted for the 1970 season, they became unbeatable. The 917 is regarded as pretty much the best racing sportscar ever and the pinnacle of the sportscar racing era before the FIA killed the 5-litre class completely. Drivers like Derek Bell, Richard Attwood, Brian Redman and Steve McQueen, said it's definately the best of it's kind.

It's not the most successful endurance racacar, that title lays with it's successor, the 956/962, regarded by the racers as the easyest prototype racecar ever, according to Derek Bell it had no vices and could cruise at 250 mph down the Mulsanne at Le Mans with ease. So making a car go 250 with ease isn't anything new. The Dauer 962 would do that.

I can't remember the model or the race (although I have a suspicion it was the 'Ring) but for one race the "A" drivers just flat out refused to drive the 917. Too scary. 956/962 were awesome, not sure they would do it with ease though haha, I suppose relative to other race cars. Still quite a sketchy ride.

Originally Posted by NHeer-Design

Oh, looks like someone is grumpy in this thread. Sure, you're entitled to your own opinion. But no need to go smacking everyone who disagrees with you.
Firstly, my opinions on the Veyron:
I have seen one in the flesh: it's beautiful. It's incredibly low profile, and there's a lot of tension in the lines. The interior, while not having sat in one, is apparently one of the most comfortable interiors created, on par with Rolls Royce and Bentley interiors. Apparently, there is plenty of footroom, and the seats are almost perfect.
My opinion on the Aero TT?
I think it's just another really powerful car. Anyone can throw a jet engine like motor on a car. But the Veyron is a huge achievement. I know of Skylines and others that can get a billion bhp out of the engine. But even the owners admit that the day-to-day driveability suffers drastically. Contrast that with the Veyron which many owners drive every single day. And why not? It has 4WD for traction (yep, even in snow and ice), it's comfy, it has a great stereo, and an even better power soundtrack coming from just behind the drivers' right ear. The Veyron is a magnificent achievement. The Aero TT is just a fast car. They can trumpet top speed all they want, but driveability combined with power trumps that every single time.
PS: The Veyron Pur Sang hasn't been top speed tested yet, I don't think. I wouldn't be surprised if it hit 260MPH+.

Veyron's are limited to 407km/h, and Pur Sang has no more power....so not sure why it would go any faster.

[Steve Levin]

Originally Posted by ViperVX

No real recing driver will spend time, racing in his own supercar. No rich supercar owner will risk everything, by doing a track day. One thing left is a middle class guy with a fast-ish car, who thinks he can driver fast & look cool, but more often it ends up in tears.

Bollocks.

Several of the Veyron owners bring cars far more rare and expensive and race them at the Monterey Historics every year. Sure, the Historics aren't hardcore wheelbanging (in fact, contact might lose one their privileges for a year), but bad things can and do happen all the time.

There are a surprising number of people that have that kind of money around.

Steve

[Gman333-X-ferrari]

Originally Posted by Steve Levin

There are a surprising number of people that have that kind of money around...
Steve

Quite true that. I mean someone has to buy all those super/hyper cars.

[BigDaveDogg]

Originally Posted by Gman333-X-ferrari

Quite true that. I mean someone has to buy all those super/hyper cars.

There's a 19 year old kid with a Veyron. I saw it on VH1...pretty nuts.