Quote Of The Day: Veyron' From The Truth Edition

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

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.

McLaren’s Ron Dennis lays into the Bugatti Veyron at the Middle East launch of his firm’s new MP4-12C [ Arabian Business via Wired Autopia]. What Dennis leaves out is that the Bugatti has a (computerized, sequential-shift) automatic transmission, so it’s difficult to know what he means by “they dropped the clutch.” Besides, it sounds like the former Formula 1 boss is spewing bile, rather than objectively critiquing the Veyron… which there’s plenty of room for.



What makes us think Dennis is suffering from a case of early-harvest viticulture? How about this line:

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.

For the record, Ron Dennis looks like this. And at about $250k, his MP4-12C doesn’t even compete with the Veyron. Perhaps Arabian Business couldn’t print his quotes about the Ferrari 458…

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

More by Edward Niedermeyer

Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 20 comments
  • Areitu Areitu on Apr 13, 2010

    Comments like that probably come when you live in the automotive strata that Ron Dennis does. Same with Jeremy Clarkson, who in one review, said the McLaren had 'steamship' body roll. Us normal people can giggle and bench race all we want, in the meantime. The McLaren F1's fanatical devotion to being the ultimate drivers car goes as far as having the brakes and steering be unassisted for maximum feedback. Likewise the Veyron's fanatical devotion to looking a certain way while hitting performance targets should also be considered an amazing feat. The McLaren F1 doesn't have any sort of forced induction, unlike most of the other hypercars with similar or better performance.

  • Srogers Srogers on Apr 13, 2010

    It is bad form to dis the competition, but he's right. The Veyron is as big of a wanker-mobile (and looks about as good) as a Hummer.

  • Willman Willman on Apr 13, 2010

    Wow. Pretty insecure for such an accomplished set of guys like Ron and Gordon. Sad. And btw, they can criticize the Veyron all they want, but as far as the new McLaren goes, smashing a Gallardo into a 430 and calling it 'done', doesn't exactly qualify as a design; sorry. To borrow a phrase: "I believe I can look at a range of women and I can see beauty in most of them, but I can look at the MP4-12C and I think it is bland, soulless and derivative. The MP4-12C doesn’t do anything for me. I’ve been looking at it for months, and I don’t see one single original idea or line about it that makes me feel good." :P

  • Wsn Wsn on Apr 13, 2010

    Why use such a weird name? Why not just use "F2"?

Next