First Impression: Bugatti Veyron

I have seen many rare cars over the years and would like to share some of those cars with you.  I am starting a series called "First Impressions", where I give information about the cars I have seen and my thoughts on the cars.

Since graduating from college and moving back home to Houston, I have attended many local car events.  The first event was June 7, 2010, Classy Chassis: Concours d'Elegance, being held on the floor of Relient Stadium.  People from around the country bring and show off their unique cars.  A dealership from Dallas decided to bring a 2010 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Grand Sport.

A standard Veyron is a 4400lbs super car with a 8.0L W16 engine that produces 1001hp and has a top speed of 253 mph and it only takes 2.5 seconds for it to go from 0 to 60 mph.  The grand sport variant features a targa top.  With the top off, the Veyron can only go 229 mph. The price for this car is about $2 million.  When it came out in 2005, it was the fastest road-legal production car, dethroning the Koenigsegg CCR.  It held the title until the American Made SSC Ultimate Aero.

When I first saw the Veyron, I could not look away.  In a placed filled with Ferraris, Lambos, and Shelby Cobras, I could only focus on the Veyron.  I keep thinking that this is the only time I will ever see one.  This is the new standards for all modern cars.  I don't care if I would never drive one, I was content with just being in the presence of the Veyron.

The Bugatti Veyron was featured in Transformers: Cybertron.  It was the vehicle mode for Crosswise.  It has been featured in the Need for Speed series.  There are several videos on Youtube showing a guy drive a Veyron into a lake just north of Galveston. 

It has also made a few appearances on Top Gear.  Top Gear named the Veryon its car of the decade (2000-2009).  James May drove the car around the Volkswagen test track, reaching its top speed.  Jeremy Clarkson raced a plane from Italy to London and won.  Richard Hammond raced a McLaren F1 (driven by the Stig) and won.

Final Thought:  A lot of car for a lot of money.  There will never be a car like it.

CarJunkie
Photo taken from a camera phone

First Impression: Hennessey Venom GT

John Hennessey is a mad genius.  In his shop in Sealy, Texas, he will take a Ford GT, add two turbo chargers to an already supercharged engine, and turn it into the Hennessey Ford GT 1000.  He will also take a Dodge Viper and tweak the engine to produce 1000 hp and calls it the Hennessey Viper Venom.  His newest project involves modifying a Lotus Exige and putting a monster 6.2L Corvette engine and adding two turbo chargers to the engine.  His creation is called the Hennessey Venom GT.

Hennessey revealed the Venom GT at the December edition of Cars and Coffee of Houston.  This was the main attraction at the event.  This car got more attention than any other car at the event.  The Venom GT got more attention than the Rossion Q1, Ariel Atom, Tesla Roadster, a Hennessey Ford GT 1000, and several Ferraris, Cobras, and Lambos.  There was a constant crowd around the Venom GT.

Hennessey took a Lotus Exige, added a 6.2L LS9 supercharged V8 engine found in the Corvette ZR1, added two turbochargers, and added a 6-speed transmission.  He will have 3 engines, one producing 750 hp, another producing 1000 hp, and the top of line engine producing 1200 hp and 1155 lb-ft of torque.  The Car has a curb weight of 2685 lbs.  With the light-weight of the car and the power of the engine, the Hennessey Venom GT goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, reaching a top speed of 267 mph.  Prices start at $600,000, a bargain compared to the $1.9 million Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.  The Venom GT has the same performance as the Veyron Super Sport, but at a fraction of the price.

Hennessey brought his Venom GT to Jay Leno's Garage.  The video can be seen at www.jaylenosgarage.com. Videos of the car can be seen on Youtube, including the dyno test. 

Final Thoughts:  Great Car.  Unlike the Volt, the Venom GT will live up to its expectation and compete with the other high performance vehicles.  It has great performance for its price.  Those lucky enough to get 1 of the 29 Venom GTs will get a very fast car.

CarJunkie
Photo taken from a camera phone

First Impression: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

Bugatti has been making high-performing, luxurious cars since 1909. In 1998, Volkswagen bought the rights to make cars under the Bugatti name. In 2005, Bugatti released the 253 mph Veyron, which was the fastest production car at that time. In 2007, an American independent automotive company, Shelby Supercars (SSC), released the 257 mph Ultimate Aero TT. Volkswagen and Bugatti were not pleased. In 2010, in order recapture the fastest production car title, Volkswagen and Bugatti released the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. On June 26, 2010, on the Volkswagen test track while taping a review for Top Gear, the Veyron Super Sport reached a speed of 267.856 mph, dethroning the SSC Ultimate Aero TT as the fastest production car.

I first saw the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport at the 2011 Houston Classy Chassis: Concours d'Elegance. There was a consistent large crowd around the car. There was a 1930 Duesenberg Model J, 1931 Bugatti Type 40A Roadster, and a 1922 Hispano Suiza H6B Labourdette Skiff near the Veyron Super Sport, yet it was the Veyron Super Sport that got more attention than these three legendary cars. My first thought on the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is this is one exciting car. When I see pictures of the Veyron Super Sport, it has a two-tone paint job with black on top, orange on the bottom, and orange wheels. The Veyron Super Sport on displayed had a beautiful dark blue paint job. No matter where Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is, it will always stand in a crowd. There is nothing on the road like a Bugatti.

The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is powered by a quad-turbocharged W16 engine, paired with a seven-speed DSG semi-automatic transmission, that produces 1184 hp and 1,100 lb-ft of torque. It takes this car just 2.2 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. The top speed is electronically limited to 258 mph to protect the tires. The record run was done using a different set of tires and the limiter was turned off. Only thirty Veyron Super Sports will be produced, and each one will cost $2.4 million. The Veyron Super Sport is 447 lbs lighter than the standard Veyron. The standard Veyron cost $1.44 million when it was first released. The Veyron Super Sport is nearly $1 million dollars more expensive than the standard Veyron.

Top Gear's James May drove the Bugatti Veyron on the Volkswagen test track during Series 15, Episode 5. He reached a speed over 258 mph. His speed was latter beaten by the Bugatti test driver, Pierre Henri Raphanel. The Stig drove the Bugatti around the Top Gear test track in 1:16.8. It was the fastest car around the test track until the V8 Ariel Atom went around the test track in 1:15.1. The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is playable in Test Drive Unlimited 2 ($1.00 DLC) and in Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit (part of the $7.00 Super Sport Pack DLC).

Final Thought: This is one very quick, extremely fast, bank-breaking car. There is nothing like it on the roads. Only thirty will be made, so those who are fortunate to get a Veyron Super Sport will be part of a highly exclusive club. Cars like the Bugatti Veyron, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT, and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport push the limits of what a car can do. I wonder what SSC's responds to the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.

CarJunkie
Photo taken from a digital camera

First Impression: Hennessey Viper Venom 1000 Twin Turbo

Hennessey is known for taking high performing cars and tuning them to get even more performance out of these cars. Hennesssey has down work on the Nissan GT-R, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford GT, and many other cars. Hennessey has also added two turbochargers to the Dodge Viper, calling it the Hennessey Viper Venom 1000 Twin Turbo.

I saw the Hennessey Viper Venom 1000 Twin Turbo at the January 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. Hennessey brought several of his tuned cars at the same event where he revealed the Hennessey Venom GT. It had the hood up and I saw two turbochargers connected to the Viper engine. I cannot believe that someone would add two turbochargers to an already fast Dodge Viper. 

The Viper Venom 1000 is powered by a twin turbo 8.55L V10 engine that produces 1000 hp and 1,100 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.72 seconds and reaches a top speed of 255 mph. It failed the California emissions test, so it is legal in 49 of the 50 states. The price for one of twenty-four Hennessey Viper Venom 1000 Twin Turbo is $187,710. The Hennessey Viper has 500 more hp and 575 more lb-ft of torque than a stock 2003 Dodge Viper. The upgraded Viper costs about $100,000 more than a stock Dodge Viper. The Hennessey Viper is bargain for cars that go over 250 mph. The Viper Venom is faster than the original Bugatti Veyron and is one of the fastest cars from the United States. The SSC Ultimate Aero (257 mph) and Hennessey Venom GT (267 mph) are faster than the Hennessey Viper Venom 1000 Twin Turbo.

The Hennessey Viper Venom 1000 Twin Turbo was being compared to the Hennessey Ford GT 1000 Twin Turbo on Battle of the Supercars. The Viper Venom GT 1000 Twin Turbo is playable in Blur.

Final Thoughts: John Hennessey is a genius for seeing the full potential of the Dodge Viper. By adding twin turbocharges, Hennessey doubled the horsepower and more than doubled the torque of the Dodge Viper. The Viper Venom 1000 is a cheaper, faster alternative to the Bugatti Veyron. Whoever gets one of the 24 Viper Venom 1000 is very lucky and will enjoy this Viper.

CarJunkie

Photo was taken from Motor Trend.

First Impression: Hennessey GT1000 Twin Turbo

The Ford GT has a supercharged 5.4L V8 and goes 205 mph. John Hennessey decided that he could get more out of the Ford GT by adding two turbochargers to an already supercharged engine. The result is a 1000 hp monster known as the Hennessey GT1000 Twin Turbo.

I saw the Hennessey GT1000 Twin Turbo at the January 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. Several Hennessey tuned cars were at the event because Hennessey was revealing his Venom GT. I walked by a GT with GT1000 decal on the side and my dad thought it was a replica of the Ford GT40. Other than the twin turbochargers and GT1000 on the side decal where it would normally say Ford GT, the GT1000 Twin Turbo looks just like the Ford GT.

The Hennessey GT1000 Twin Turbo is powered by a supercharged, twin turbocharged 5.4L V8, paired with a six-speed manual transmission, that produces 1000 hp and 865 lb-ft of torque. The GT1000 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 242 mph. Prices for the GT1000 start at $225,000. This is a very fast car, and it costs the same as a Ferrari 458 Italia.

The Hennessey GT1000 Twin Turbo was featured on Battle of the Supercars where it was being compared to a Hennessey Viper Venom 1000 Twin Turbo. It has not been featured in video games.

Final Thoughts: The Ford GT was a great car, and adding two turbochargers makes the GT one hell of a car. The Hennessey GT1000 Twin Turbo is in hypercar territory. The GT1000 is faster and quicker than the McLaren F1 and for the fraction of what the F1 costs. However, only a handful of Ford GTs would be tuned to the GT1000 Twin Turbo, so those who get the GT1000 Twin Turbo will be very lucky.

CarJunkie
Photo taken from albumok.hu

2011 Car Awards: Best Hypercar

Hypercars have been around since the 1990s, when the McLaren F1 was released. To be considered a hypercar, a car must be rare, expensive and hit a top speed of at least 240 mph. The F1 reached a top speed of 242 mph with the limiter off. 2011 saw a few cars that push the limits of what a car can do. My choice for 2011 Hypercar of the Year is:

Hennessey Venom GT

The Hennessey Venom GT is an incredible machine. Hennessey takes a Lotus Exige, extends the body, makes body panels except for the roof and doors out of carbon fiber, and puts a twin-turbocharged 6.2L V8 LS9 engine with 1,200 hp and 1,155 lb-ft of torque in it. The Venom GT goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds (same as a Bugatti Veyron SS and quicker than the Koenigsegg Agera) and can reach a top speed of 275 mph. There will be 29 Venom GTs built. Prices for the Venom GT start at $600,000. The Venom GT attracts large crowds wherever it is. People swarmed the Venom GT when cars like the Rossion Q1, Lamborghini 350GT, Porsche Carrera GT, and Lamborghini Aventador are near by. The car is extremely fast, rare, and a head turner and is my choice for 2011 Hypercar of the Year.

Other I considered:

Koenigsegg Agera/ Koenigsegg Agera R: The Koenigsegg Agera/ Agera R is a very quick car. But the Agera R only goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, 0.4 seconds slower than the Venom GT. Also, the Venom GT is cheaper than the Agera R, making the Venom GT a better value than the Agera R.

CarJunkie

Photo taken from a digital camera.

Check out more car articles at http://carjunkie713.blogspot.com, http://www.lordkat.com, or at http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/blogs/myblogs/blogger/listings/first-impression.
Follow me on Facebook.

If you see any CarJunkie articles on another website, it has been STOLEN!

Classic Car: McLaren F1

In 1992, the Jaguar XJ220 was the fastest street-legal production car reaching a speed of 217 mph. Also in 1992, British car manufacturer started production on a car that pushed the limits of what a car can do. From 1992 to 1998, McLaren produced the McLaren F1, which was designed by Gordon Murphy and Peter Stevens. Only 106 F1s were built. The car was limited to 231 mph. On March 31, 1998, the rev limiter was removed and the McLaren F1 reached a speed o 242.95 mph. What McLaren built was the first hypercar, a car that can reach speeds over 240 mph. Cars that followed the F1 were the SSC Ultimate Aero, Saleen S7, Bugatti Veyron, Hennessey Venom GT, and Koenigsegg CCX. The F1 is one of the most important cars in automotive history.

I recently saw the McLaren F1 at the April 2012 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. This car got a lot of attention. The F1 had a very unique design. The F1 was built with carbon-fiber, titanium, magnesium, kevlar, and gold. Gold foil was used as a heat shield in the gold compartment. The F1 had a unique seating arrangement. Most sports cars are two seaters, 2+2 seaters, or four seaters. The F1 is a three seater. The driver seat is located in the middle, not on the left-hand side or right-hand side of the car. There are two passenger seats located behind the driver seat. Also there are small luggage storage slots along the sides of the F1.  The F1 also has sleek lines for improved aerodynamics. There is no other car that looks like the McLaren F1.

The McLaren F1 is powered by a naturally aspirated BMW 6.1L V12 engine, paired with a six speed manual transmission, that produces 618 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. The F1 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 231 mph with the rev limiter on and 242.96 mph with the rev limiter off. When the F1 was being produced, it cost around $970,000. At a RM auction in 2009, a McLaren F1 went for over $4 million. This car is expensive, but it is very rare and is a very important car in automotive history.

The F1 has been featured on Jay Leno's Garage. Jay Leno told the story when he had two undercover cops in his McLaren F1 when he was the celebrity guess on Top Gear. The F1 has also been featured on both the original version and the revamp version of Top Gear. The McLaren F1 has also been featured in Bugs, The Greatest Ever, Clarkson: Supercar Showdown, Johnson Family Vacation, Love The Beast, Clarkson: Duel, Beyond Tomorrow, RTL Autowereld. The McLaren F1 is playable in Need For Speed: The Run, Midnight GT: Primary Racer, Burnout Revenge, Viper Racing, Cruis'n World, Cruis'n Exotica, Test Drive Unlimited, Test Drive 5, Choro Q HG, Supercar Challenge, Drag Racer, Drag Racer 3, GT Racing '97, Twisted Metal 4, vDream Racing, Mad Race, Ridge Racer V, Auto Club Revolution, Ridge Racer 2, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, Automobil Lamborghini, London Racer, Europe Racer, Need For Speed II, Need For Speed: Pro Street, San Francisco Rush 2049, Death Rally, Need For Speed: Undercover, Need For Speed: Shit, Gran Turismo 5, Wheels and Fire, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Forza Motorsport 2, Forza Motorsport 3, Forza Motorsport 4,Shit 2: Unleashed, Car Town, Super GT 24h, and Driver: San Francisco.

The McLaren F1 is the original hypercar. It took the automotive world by storm in the 1990s. The Ferrari F40 was the first car to reach speeds over 200 mph. It was very lightweight and had a powerful engine. The McLaren F1 took the Ferrari F40 formula and brought it to the next level. The McLaren F1 was the first car to reach speed over 230 mph. It is a very sought after car. To get one, you have to have deep pockets. If you can afford to pay over $4 million for a car, get the McLaren F1. It is very rare and very fast. This is a must own for any high end car collector.


CarJunkie
Photo was taken by a digital camera.
To see more car related articles, check out http://carjunkie713.blogspot.com/.
Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/CarJunkies-Car-Review/120292601386720.
Follow me on Twitter @CarJunkie713.

First Impression: Ferrari FXX

To date, I have done 99 First Impression . I have also done 19 articles about Ferraris. The 100th First Impression Review need to cover a special car. This is First Impression: Ferrari FXX. The FXX is such an amazing car that it is not even street legal.

From 2002 to 2004, Ferrari made 400 Enzos, the fastest street legal car Ferrari has ever made. In 2005, Ferrari started production on a high performance race car prototype for track day usage that is based on the Enzo. This car is known as the Ferrari FXX. From 2005 to 2007, 29 Ferrari FXXs were produced. This car is not street legal, yet customers have to pay $1.8 million and the customers do not even get to keep the car. Instead, the customers are paying for a program that includes driving the FXX on Ferrari approved track days. As part of the FXX program, customers also get to participate in Ferrari's testing and developmental programs. The FXX program allows customers access to Ferrari's most up-to-date technology and Ferrari uses the customers' input in future development of future models. Also, Ferrari maintains all FXX. All services for the FXX are provided by Ferrari.

I have seen the Ferrari FXX on two occasions. The Ferrari FXX attracted a lot of attention at the June 2012 Houston Cars and Coffee event. The FXX had its  own roped of area at the 2012 Houston Ferrari Festival. The FXX has a similar styling to the Enzo. The FXX has exhaust tips located where the Enzo rear lights are located. The FXX has a rear wing. The FXX has an engine that based on the Enzo. The FXX uses a 6.3L V12. The Enzo uses a 6.0L V12 that produces 651 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque.

The FXX is powered by a 6.3L V12 engine, paired with six-speed sequential transmission that shifts in less than 100 ms, that produces 790 hp and 506 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 243 mph. That is incredible performance. This is hypercar performance. The car costs $1.8 million and can only be driven on Ferrari approved track days. This car is so good that it is not even street legal.

The Ferrari FXX was featured on Top Gear during Series 13, Episode 1. Michael Schumacher, disguised as the Stig, drove the FXX around the Top Gear test track in 1 minute and 10.7 seconds. However, the time was taken off the power lap board because the lap was done with slick racing tires, which are not road legal, and the FXX is not street legal. The FXX has also been featured in Mischief: Joyride and Fatal. The FXX is playable in Ridge Racer, Ferrari GT 3: World Track, Ferrari Challenge, Trofeo Pirelli, Forza Motorsport 2, Project Gotham Racing 4, Test Drive Unlimited 2, Supercar Challenge, Forza Motorsport 3, Need For Speed: Shift, Cargasm, Ferrari: The Race Experience, Forza Motorsport 4, Space Highway, Asphalt 7: Heat, Forza Horizon, Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legend, GT Racing: Motor Academy, vDream Racing, and Car Town.

Final Thoughts: The Ferrari FXX is an amazing car, even if it is not street legal or the fact that Ferrari will not let you park the car in your own garage. $1.8 million is a steep price to pay for a car that you can only drive on Ferrari approved track days. But the services included in the FXX package. FXX customers get to participate in testing and developmental programs. Ferrari will use the feedback for development of future cars. FXX customers get the chance to influence future Ferrari models, like the Ferrari F70. I really like the Enzo. The FXX is an Enzo on steroids. The FXX is a fast and rare hypercar.

CarJunkie
Photos were taken by a digital camera.

To see more car related articles, check out http://carjunkie713.blogspot.com/.

Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/CarJunkies-Car-Review/120292601386720.

Follow me on Twitter @CarJunkie713.

2012 Car Awards: Best Hypercar

Hypercars are unique. They are the highest performing cars, having top speeds of 240 mph and above. With that said, the best hypercar to come out in 2012 is....

SSC Tuatara

This should be a surprise to no one. This car is just amazing. It looks like nothing else on the road. This car looks amazing. The previous SSC hypercar, the SSC Ultimate Aero, had a generic styling. That is not the case with the Tuatara. Credit Jason Castriota for the Tuatara's design. He previously worked for Ferrari, Pininfarina, Bertone, and Rolls-Royce. Powering this American made hypercar is twin-turbocharged 6.9L V8 that has a rev redline of 9,200 rpm and produces 1,350 hp at 6,800 rpm and 1,042 lb-ft of torque at 6,800. The Tuatara goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and has an estimated top speed of 275 mph. Amazing looks, amazing power, and amazing performance earns my award for Best Hypercar of 2012.

If you agree with my choice or think that another car that came out in 2012 deserves this award, please let me know in the comments below.

CarJunkie
Photo was taken www.autoblog.com.

To see more car related articles, check out http://carjunkie713.blogspot.com/.

Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/CarJunkies-Car-Review/120292601386720.

Follow me on Twitter @CarJunkie713.