46 Replies to “A Celebration of the Human Mind”

  2. Before anyone get’s too excited, go on the web (www.thompson-motorsports.com) and look up the life and times of Mickey Thompson, a yankee doodle doo who hit an amazing 406.60 MPH (yes that’s miles per hour) on Septermber 09-1960. As early as 1958, Thompson beat the Bugatti Veyron’s top end by at least 40 MPH.
    By now if you”re saying, “yah, but Thomson’s cars were not production models,” check out some his speed records in a run of the mill 1962 Pontiac, a car that was primarily designed for old ladies who drove back and forth to the public library and the chapel. With a few modifications, he was hitting well over 150 MPH.
    Sadly, Thompson and his wife were murdered in their home on March. 16-1988, and at the hands of a former business partner who was later convicted.

  8. Nice. Kate knows what’s hot.
    What else is hot? Lemme tell y’all… see, just three buildings down the road from the factory I run, there’s a small tuning shop. Parked out front is something which is also legendary, not to mention street-illegal. It’s a previous-generation Nissan Skyline GTR, including right-hand drive, somehow imported from Japan but I have yet to see it actually on the road; probably can’t register and insure it anyway, considering it’s illegal as far as I know.
    The good news: The new generation of that super-high-tech supercar is legal in North America, priced about 80 grand or so and will do zero-sixty mph in 3.3.
    Almost as quick to sixty as the Veyron, which does it just below 3 secs. But the Veyron will set you back at least 1.5 million to 2 million bucks and is practically impossible to acquire…
    Most folks will, however, be happy with a Chevy Cobalt SS with 260 horses. Just 25 grand. I’ve the base model and find it pleasantly quick, even tire-spinning, at 145 horses.

  9. 454 big block, anyday.(not saying faster, just one of the best engines Chevy ever made in the big bl series)
    Fantino & Sgt.Cam Wooley would piss themselves if that ever went by them on the 400.
    *note to the car junkies I said Engines Not Motor.

  10. I’m waiting for the non “green” nuclear model to come out.
    (Justthinin beat me to the the electric model with a high tension extension cord)
    heh
    G

  11. For those of you who feel it necessary to make comparisons… The Bugatti Veyron is a piece of automotive art and an engineering marvel in itself. It doesn’t take away from the beauty or engineering of any other automobile.
    I doubt one would go into an art gallery and state, “Compared to a Picasso, that Monet is a piece of crap.”?
    As for the green comments regarding this car, it has been called, by some automotive journalists, a “Kyoto Killer”.
    This endears me to the car even more.

  12. “Incredible – it’s made my eyes water.”
    I had much the same response. And I don’t even know how to drive. Never owned a car. But if I could, and was as rich as Croesus, I can’t imagine what would stop me from wanting one of these, if only just to drive downtown to pick up magazines and blank CD-Rs. What a beautiful machine.

  15. That’s hilarious. It’s a good thing he was a wearing a crash helmet!

  16. that should read Justthinkin (sorry about that)
    I was thinking of Suezuky towing a BIG windmill behind his electric version when I posted last.
    ok I’ll stop now.
    G

  18. I had the same reaction as McGinnis and the driver.
    the things Mickey Thompson drove couldn’t be driven by a plebian guy like this one or me or you for that matter. The bug is still roadable at speeds 3 to 4 times that of your run of the mill honda – that is what puts it above even the MaClaren F1.

  20. It’s even better that Top Gear let Captain Slow (aka James May) do the run. Amazing car, I believe VW will sell them at a loss of about $1.5 million per car at the planned production limit.
    Top Gear is one of the best shows around – too bad it’s not available in Canada unless you subscribe to BBC Canada – even then I’m not sure if the complete series is available.
    In case you can’t afford the Veyron, this one is almost as much fun as well as being affordable.
    http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=23702513

  22. To, “The greek.” No CD player, but it had an ashtray. Seriously, 250 MPH is a snail’s pace in this day and age. The Bugatti is a great automobile, and the video is awesome. And no, a ’62 Pontiac Catalina. does not compare. However the list price on the Pontiac was just under $4000. With a 421 that torqued out 405 HP, that was a tad better deal than 1.7 million for the “Bug” atti.

  23. For what it is worth,
    I once drove a 1989 Corvette to 136 mph and would have taken it to its limit ( 146 mph I believe ? ) but the owner – who was sitting by my side – insisted I slow down…
    It was a great feeling.
    Everything not straight in front of me was a blur, I can imagine at 250 mph…

  24. how many furrow plow will the piece O junk pull
    never have been impressed by useless, over price junk!!!!!

  25. There are no words…I will never drive one, I will never buy one, I probably will never even see one…but it exists! and that is enough.
    Somebody built that puppy just because he could.

  30. Had a ’76 Cougar up to ’bout 115mph once, on a blissfully flat straight stretch on hwy 59. I had to trottle back when the seasickness hit.
    Knew I shoulda worked on the suspension.
    Beautiful car. Literally screamed in agony whenever my girlfriend (now wife) drove it.
    A good machine has a soul.

  31. Just, just… damn that’s one fast ride!
    Fastest I’ve ever gone on a land vehicle: 140 MPH, full throttle, top gear, on a Yamaha 750 Maxim motorcycle… praying to God Almighty that nothing bigger than a raisin lay on the stretch of road ahead. 🙂 “Road pizza” anyone?

  32. mark peters >
    “Fastest I’ve ever gone on a land vehicle: 140 MPH, full throttle, top gear, on a Yamaha 750 Maxim motorcycle”
    I’m 155 MPH on 2004 Vmax (my fastest)……No ferring so wind wants to tear my head off (subsequently the limit)……yea, flat well paved prairie road + no hiding places for deer……….he he.

  34. It’s not just the speed of the car, it is the look. For some reason Italians make the best looking and best feeling (in terms of luxury and coolness of the interiors) cars in the world.
    Here are a couple of stories (I can’t sleep so I might as well blather away):
    1. Heading from Yellowstone through Montana trying to get to Sweetgrass and then the homeland and the northland. Doing 100 mph and then being passed by a Montana trooper – no ticket. ’92 Ford Escort LXE with the 1.8L Mazda engine. (This thing was much faster than the Integra at the time – and much cheaper.)
    2. Got on a speed train on the 401 from TO to Montreal. This is one of those synchronicity things where somehow 5 cars and car drivers know that they need to get to Montreal in a hurry and they collaborate and take turns as the lead car to avoid being pulled over (except in Quebec where they know about these things). Again, ’92 Ford Escort LXE (trying to keep up with 4 high end BMWs). About 105 mph.
    3. Driving from Wiesbaden to Cologne (in Germany). Hit 110 mph in a small standard Opel (this was as fast as the car could go – it was rattling and shaking at this speed). Being passed by everyone (had to stay in the slow lane – if you are a bad driver in Germany they will let you know in a hurry). Suddenly we were signaled to start slowing down. We noticed a helicopter in the middle of the highway (in fact we had to slow down and drive under the propellers) and then we noticed that there was a car upside down (a high end Volkswagen). It had rolled several times and the people in it had to be goners. Drove pretty slow after that.
    4. Driving from Lourdes to Avignon (France) in a high end Opel Omega 2.2 DTI (this car was a given as a rental replacement because the rental guys had screwed up my reservation). Hit about 110 mph. Pulled over by the Gendarme for speeding. Pulled out the Canadian Passport. After kissing their butts for a while they let me go. (Note that in France if you have a Canadian or Irish passport you can get away with murder. If you have an American or British passport you’re screwed.)
    5. Taking the A1 in Italy burning it from Positano through Sorrento to Siena via Rome. Hit 120 mph in a Mercedes C220 or C230 six speed. This was as fast as it could go. Was scared to death and slowed down in a hurry. It was the fastest I had ever gone and probably ever want to go. The thing though was the number of exotic cars on the A1. I also noticed that cops on the A1 were driving Lamborghinis.

  35. I was kinda hoping a tractor lead some cows would come out when he hit 407.

  36. Fastest Phantom ever was 150mph+ on my Yamaha RZ-500 on a straight bit in the Vermont mountains.
    Sixth gear, wide open, I had to back off at around 9,000 RPM because I ran out of road. Ground effect was lifting the bike up off the road so I was only touching the ground about half the time, I was pretty sure the curve was going to kill me at that speed.
    The way she was pulling though she would have gone redline (11K)in top gear with guts to spare. Uphill too. We’re talking wind in the hair, right through the helmet. ~:D
    That was about 1985 or ’86. I don’t know if I’d have the stones to do it these days. Age brings either wisdom or cowardice, I haven’t decided which yet.

  39. An F-150 Ford, a cool ice pack with six Pilsner, a Ruger 10-22 and a pasture covered with gophers would suit me better than the Bugatti. It is however an interesing piece of German engineering.

  40. Does it come with a radar detector?
    On second thought, would it even need a radar detector?

  41. “only 4 turbo-chargers ?”
    “call me when the 8 turbo version is available”
    The problem is, the Veyron would then require 20 radiators, double what it now has.

  42. Warwick. I’ll take a ’68 Charger over the both of ’em. That Bugatti is uuugleee.

  43. Had a S class v12 Benz for a spell. Drove it across parts of Utah, Nevada etc at well over 150mph with a 7 series BMW and an Audi in pursuit. I have come to the conclusion on various Interstates, there are people that drive fast, and there are people who drive fast. Big difference between driving for hours at speed, and simply showing off cause you think you can. I remember slowing down to 95 or so when I was coming back from LA outside of Bakersfield in a large pack of cars moving at speed on a clear summer day, 30 or more CHIPS came flying out of various approaches and scooped everybody up except me, To this day I have no idea why I never got nabbed. Lost a tire once at over 115mph the right rear, pretty freaky but, the Benz never deviated from its course for a second. An amazing car. By the way there are (2) Veyron’s in Calgary. Haven’t seen any McLarens in action except once in Newport Beach CA, Total f1 sound.
    Cheers

  44. Jeff Cosford: That machine is a dream maker, pure beauty.
    Ugh. You surely are joking. Any of the current Aston Martins make the Veyron look like a turd, beauty-wise.

  45. Sentinel: the new Nissan/Infiniti supercar is also one wartish-looking automobile. Gotta agree with Warwick on the F1 – gorgeous. But you’ll never get one for less than a million (not like I’ll ever be in the market for anything above the level of what the next CRX will be).

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