click above image to view both shots of the first unofficial wreck of the Veyron on public roads
We only know of one other time a Bugatti Veyron has been wrecked, and that was during the car's development when a prototype was destroyed doing a high-speed test. There there was the time a preproduction Veyron performed a very public spin-out at Mazda's Laguna Seca Raceway during the Monterey Historics. These incidents actually delayed the debut of the production car, though perhaps it should have stayed in the oven a bit longer if its designers were worried about stability at speed.
Reports this morning are flooding in of the first known wreck of a Bugatti Veyron on public roads, and there are pictures to prove it. Very little is known about the circumstances expect that the crash occured in the U.K. and was apparently the result of hydroplaning. For a car with an MSRP well over a million bucks, we assumed that when hydroplaning is detected the car would immediately enter hovercraft mode, but we now know that's not the case.
We should end this post with that greatest of car wreck jokes: "Think that'll buff out?" No. No it won't.
Thanks to everyone who sent in a tip!
[Source: Germancarscene]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MK @ Mar 5th 2007 9:38AM
While all that talk about AWD and safer cars are valid, they can't/don't account for bad drivers. From the pictures, it looks like it was raining (or had just rained).
Atleast there's only front end damage. Anyone got 500k to buy a slightly used, slightly damaged Bugatti and fix it up?
G. Snyder @ Mar 5th 2007 9:42AM
I believe you mean unofficial first wreck. That wreck looks pretty official to me.
James @ Mar 5th 2007 10:01AM
Only a matter of time...... If that were myself driving it wouldn't have wrecked.
David @ Mar 5th 2007 10:05AM
Repeat after me, repeat after all of us; all-wheel drive means MORE traction, not INFINITE traction. Say again; more, not infinite.
Peter @ Mar 5th 2007 10:16AM
> though perhaps it should have stayed in the oven a
> bit longer if its designers were worried about
> stability at speed.
So at what speed did this happen? How did it happen? Why did it happen?
You're probably just trying to make this interesting, but I'd rather you sticked to facts instead of just making something up.
Presto @ Mar 5th 2007 10:24AM
That'll be in the shop for awhile...
White Goodman @ Mar 5th 2007 10:27AM
How come when pictures of a wrecked exotic surface, people always make a comment about the driver being bad/money can't buy skill/what an idiot? Sometimes things happen that are out of the control of any driver. I wonder how many wrecks Michael Schumacher had during his career? Or Fangio or Mario Andretti or Derek Bell or Phil Hill..... are they all bad drivers too?
Lee Gibson @ Mar 5th 2007 10:31AM
"Sometimes things happen that are out of the control of any driver."
Uh huh. They don't happen very often on public roads at reasonable speeds without the presence of other cars.
Are there accidents that are beyond the control and/or anticipation by the driver? You bet. Compared to the number of accidents caused by people driving unwisely, they're staggeringly uncommon.
Peter @ Mar 5th 2007 10:40AM
Well yeah, people driving cheap cars probably are just such as bad drivers on average (though I guess you can indeed get into a lot more trouble much faster with a quadturbo-W16 behind you). Such accidents happen quite frequently, the pictures are just a lot less interesting if they show a wrecked Corolla.
seif @ Mar 5th 2007 11:18AM
when you've got tires as wide as delaware, i guess hydroplaning is only inevitable
TheChaz @ Mar 5th 2007 11:19AM
Somewhere, an insurance company weeps.
Deron @ Mar 5th 2007 11:44AM
I would have expected there to be lasers pop out of the headlights to obliterate all potential impact hazards, including the ground.
tatertot @ Mar 5th 2007 11:46AM
Hee Hee
http:www.carcredit-online.co.uk @ Mar 5th 2007 11:50AM
Still looks the best car in the world smashed up!
Visit US!
jonnyrock @ Mar 5th 2007 11:59AM
As funny as "Somewhere an insurance company weeps" is, the truth is probably that this guy self insured.
It's unlikely any company would ensure a Bugatti and allow it to be driven.
Sucks for that guy.
Rob @ Mar 5th 2007 12:20PM
Wonder if this it in happier times, is under recently sold section too. If so happens to be the first car in delivered in the country(be some irony in that)
http://www.romansinternational.co.uk/car.asp?id=309
Rocket Punch @ Mar 5th 2007 12:56PM
Its never too early for a "Save the Veyrons" T-Shirt, I guess.
Toy Yoda @ Mar 5th 2007 1:00PM
Need more salient facts like: Was there a hot girl involved?
ruggels @ Mar 5th 2007 1:05PM
"Atleast there's only front end damage. Anyone got 500k to buy a slightly used, slightly damaged Bugatti and fix it up?"
Lmao... only? so that's what, just half a dozen radiators, associated cooling systems, etc? lolz
ruggels @ Mar 5th 2007 1:08PM
"(be some irony in that)"
The irony is the vanity plate :P