German Car Zone

Just_me · 11-03-2005, 06:20 AM

The monthly magazine Sport-Car of November publishes a test of the "Bugatti" Veyron to which VW had invited many journalists - sumptuously treated guests: in first class to Milan, then out of private jet, then in helicopter. Here however some extracts of the article:

Two cars at the pithead

Something seems to oppose the staff of Bugatti. Obviously one of the cars is immobilized on the circuit since the day before, for unspecified technical reasons (...)

Restent four cars

Four technicians are agitated around another 16.4. A strapping fellow approaches with the step race and says to me in German, and anger, that I do not have anything to make here. A few minutes later, the pretty smile of attached press is done squeaking more. Obviously, a second car is at the pits, for technical reasons "the direction is light and the precision does not seem surgical", like that of Enzo for example. The contact with the road does not have anything to see, either with that of one Carrera CGT, and even less with that of Pagani Zonda. Sometimes at the wheel, the information feedbacks make think of Audi TT, size XXL.

Weight-power ratio

Bugatti asserts 1888 kg dry for which it is advisable to add 98 liters of gasoline, 40 liters of water for the engine, 15 liters for the exchangers and 15 other liters of oil, is, in best case 2030 kg. With 1001 kg, the report/ratio weight power remains always close to 2 kg/PS [note: the weight-power ratio of Enzo with 660ch for 1360 kg is 2:06 against 2:02 for Veyron if one sticks to the asserted weight - and that of Zonda F Clubsport is most powerful of all: 650 PS for 1250 kg is 1.92 kg/PS ]."

In "degraded mode"

"After a score of kilometers carried out at the peaceful rate/rhythm of the meeting photo... two suspect witnesses ignite in the dashboard. Aïe! The box wants nothing any more to know and the engine functions in degraded mode. One stop on the side while cutting the contact, then one starts again. Without miracle, Veyron hoquette? on the third report/ratio and will finish the course while boîtant?. The problem is announced to the Bugatti staff which hastens to return the car in a box. One then tries to include/understand from which the breakdown comes. The embarrassed engineer: "The computer of edge raised of the series of followed accelerations up to 200 km/h strong decelerations, which you should not have made... the car is not made for that". What to leave perplexed. "On five cars planned for the presentation, three are immobilized." One has not been able to prevent oneself from thinking of the whirring figures held up for six years, of the deferred times, the repurchase of a name and a castle, and with the billion invested in Germany for the development, without speaking about the phenomenal care which had to be taken to the reserved cars of test with press. It had formally been promised that the car would be delivered to the customers in October. That appears doubtful in the state of its development. Remainder, VW did not indicate yet to date if the car were approved.

PanterroR · 11-03-2005, 06:25 AM

Holy crap!!!!

Again??? No, this cannot be true!

Are they finally going to make that car ready for delivery or the people who ordered it are going to wait another 6 years... Shame on!

The Artist · 11-03-2005, 06:31 AM

HAHA..i knew this would happen.. when i read reports on the car..its seemed so conceptish still.. this shows once again the greateness of manufacturers like Ferrari and especially porsche.. the CGT is worthy the porsche name..cause its everything a ordinary porsche is and so much more...

PS
We dont even need to mention the zonda.. reports like this and the one on the koenigsegg shows once again that the zonda is a masterpiece.. especially concidering the tighter budget compared to the big guns...

Centurion · 11-03-2005, 07:40 AM

This car is a really complex machine and it seem like VAG hasn't manage to make sure that the car's reliability is top noch.*thumb down*

Mr. M · 11-03-2005, 07:58 AM

For those millions, I'm sincerely disappointed.

But who knows, this may just be a one-off event. But then again, they had so much time to make sure everything will be perfect...

bum-man · 11-03-2005, 11:50 AM

It took VAG 5 years to design a million dollar paper weight?
Honestly, the last thing I expected it to be was unreliable. Seems like this project was always doomed from the start, one problem after the other.

Alx · 11-03-2005, 12:48 PM

Damn... back to the drawing board!

SDNR · 11-04-2005, 08:40 AM

Well it's just perferctly clear that this car is not going to knock the McLaren F1 off it's throne - just as I have thought all along. - Remember this thread

http://www.germancaraddicts.com/phpB...en+connoisseur

This is what I posted then - and I stand by it 100%

Quote:

Only one of these cars is truly worthy of the title "king of the Supercars" and that is the McLaren F1.

Although I am strangely attracted to the Enzo and I love the CGT, the McLaren is undoubtedly the most important car among them, historically speaking.

The Bugatti is very attractive and I love it's interior, but in reality, it is "male jewelry". It's not a car for the true automobile connoisseur.

The engineers of the Bugatti were totally preoccupied with the speed of the thing and it's 0-100kmh time. Its claim-to-fame, in fact it's raison d'être, is that it is the fastest and most expensive car in the world - unfortunately that is not what the essence of a true super-car is all about.

The McLarren is not about glamour or ostentation, it wasn't designed to be a toy for playboys. It was designed to give it's owners the ultimate driving experience and everyone who owns one says there is nothing else like it in the world.

The Bugatti is a status symbol - it will loose it's allure....once something faster and more expensive comes along. The McLarren is a legend - it was built to be driven rather than just admired and talked about, it will always be considered one of the most important cars ever built whereas the Bugatti Veyron will eventually be just another footnote in automotive history.

Centurion · 11-04-2005, 09:06 AM

Very well said Roberto.

Yannis · 11-06-2005, 11:38 AM

I see that Veyron hasn't got many fans here.

IMo no matter what happens Veyron will make history as the fastest and most outrageous automobile of all time. Starting from stand still 10 seconds after McLaren F1 when F1 already speeds at 200 km/h, Veyron will reach 320 km/h at the same time with F1!

German Car Zone

BUGATTI Veyron tested by the press: three cars out of five broken down.