Veyron DEFEATED: The Official Fastest Car in the World belongs to...

[the Interceptor]

I'd even take a Mclaren F1 over a Veyron, easily...

You know what you pay for a used McLaren F1 nowadays? I remember seeing one with 20,000 miles on the clock for the price of a new Veyron, and I suppose they didn't get cheaper.

 

[Venari]

I'd still take the McLaren.

It has a purity of purpose and elegance of design that the Bugatti, simply, does not. It's like comparing a piano to a synthesiser - they play the same notes, but only one of them is ever going to be centre stage at the concert.

 

[Jim Prower]

It's nice, but I'll rather a high-downforce GT racer than a low-downforce top speed demon. The Molser MT900S with it's GT-like Aero might make me happier.

Because, seriously, how many of these cars will reach 200MPH on a road course other than an unchicaned Le Mans? Heck, at this price range, I might as well stick a muffler on a used Super GT NSX and call it a day.

 

[Alex.]

I always thought the SCC would beat the veyron, but it just seemed to take an age to finally record it.

 

[Philly]

It's nice, but I'll rather a high-downforce GT racer than a low-downforce top speed demon. The Molser MT900S with it's GT-like Aero might make me happier.

Does this have adjustable gearing? If so, how fast does it go when not in "top speed" mode? If not, how good is it on the track compared with something that is more useful off the track? Basically, does it do anything besides have a really fast top speed? How does it corner due to aerodynamics? Does gearing affect acceleration very badly?

 

[Dave A]

It's funny that a lot of people who delittled the Veyron for being a car "designed" to go as fast as it does, are praising this for beating it. Was this not "designed" to go faster than the Veyron. Besides that, the Veyron can go faster, it's just limited at a speed where the engineers deemed the tyres safe. Not to take away from this car, congratulations to SSC, though I still think it's one of the ugliest supercars out there.

-> I'm aware about the nimbleness of the Veyron. But in my personal opinion, the car will be "too expensive and fragile" to toss it around both street and track. The Koeniggsegg CCX, Saleen S7TT, SSC UATT, Zonda F, and MT900S, are the hyper cars that for me more conforting to toss it around the track or around the interstate. I'm not saying the 16.4 is a wuss of a hypercar, it just 'too luxurious' for my taste. That is just me.

And that is a fair point, but for me, it's the completeness of the Veyron that makes it more appealing. Besides that, I like the look of the Veyron too, I don't like the look of this.

 

[forza2.0]

had VAG set out to make a car with just one requirement of being to go as fast as possible in a straight line instead of having many then Im pretty sure the Veyron would easily be faster by around 40mph.

Its impressive for a small company, but its not exactly a big engineering feat like the veyron is.

 

[zoxxy]

I can't believe you're actually discussing the price tag of $10 million supercars. Forget about money. If you're into that, you might wanna look towards the local Suzuki dealer instead of arguing about Veyrons and McLarens.

 

[Famine]

It's nice, but I'll rather a high-downforce GT racer than a low-downforce top speed demon. The Molser MT900S with it's GT-like Aero might make me happier.

Because, seriously, how many of these cars will reach 200MPH on a road course other than an unchicaned Le Mans? Heck, at this price range, I might as well stick a muffler on a used Super GT NSX and call it a day.

A Bugatti Veyron will do 0-250mph in 55s. It'd need just about 4 miles to do this, and it'd need to be straight - or very shallow corners or banking - to do it, else the high-speed configuration would reset to standard when you backed out of the throttle. It'd be quite tough to reach on anything but a closed, banked, circular track.

On the other hand, it will do 0-200mph in 24s. That requires just about 2,300 yards (1.3 miles). It could nearly accomplish that on the main straight at Fuji.


Better yet, it'll do 250-0mph in 3,600 feet - an average deceleration of 1.2g.

And it'll do it without the driver having to hold the steering wheel.

 

[Kent]

Impressive. I'm glad to see a smaller company with big goals. 👍
As for the Veyron, I'll just say to look for my replies in the Top 25 cars of all time thread. I made my arguments about the Veyron in there and I don't see much of a need to do it again.
(I'll try to hunt down a link ) (here's a quote... )

I suppose throwing money and hp at any problem will make it an innovation, right? No.
The Veyron is an amazing car but it certainly isn't anything more innovative than the last super high power car... Heck, the number of batteries and radiators alone shows how dependant it is on old technology being pushed by money and power.

Really... Think about it and tell me if throwing 4 turbos and 10 radiators onto a car is in any way innovative (other than figuring out how to fit all that stuff under the hood).

(as uninformed and ignorant as it is, it's still a good impression of how I feel about the Veyron...)

The Veyron is amazing indeed but it certainly doesn't excite me the way so many other cars do.

 

[YSSMAN]

It's nice, but I'll rather a high-downforce GT racer than a low-downforce top speed demon. The Molser MT900S with it's GT-like Aero might make me happier.

Very much agreed!

The Mosler is just so freaking awesome around a track and around town that it really doesn't matter that I'm 80 MPH shy of the Bugatti or the SSC. Its incredibly fast, really a "value" for what it is, and best of all, they build 'em here (not to mention the Corvette bits and pieces...).

 

[Kent]

My last statement was somewhat out of context in the quoted material and so the message is lost...

The Veyron is an amazing car

That statement is absolutely true. 👍

Nearly the same, this SSC is amazing.

In either case though, I think my hotlap dream car would be something other than either of these (for reasons that would more than likely have little to do with performance figures).
(though would never turn down the chance to drive either )

 

[Aremburgkerve]

It was bound to happen, the speed record being broken, it was just a matter of when. These cars are both amazing, but where are you ever going to feel that extra 55mph it has over the stock supercar?? In fact, other than track days, where are you going to feel 100mph + speed???
I personally would buy a Lamborghini Gallardo over every one of these cars, it looks terrific, corners so effortlessly and is so much cheaper for just a small loss of top speed....yes this SSC is wonderful, but pretty pointless imo.

 

[Dave A]

had VAG set out to make a car with just one requirement of being to go as fast as possible in a straight line instead of having many then Im pretty sure the Veyron would easily be faster by around 40mph.

Its impressive for a small company, but its not exactly a big engineering feat like the veyron is.

It already is capable of going afster than it's limited top speed, that was never the issue. As for it going 40mph more, no it wouldn't. Not with good tyres anyway, because the only tyres that would cope with that speed would be cheater slicks which are only good in bone dry conditions.

 

[Famine]

It was bound to happen, the speed record being broken, it was just a matter of when. These cars are both amazing, but where are you ever going to feel that extra 55mph it has over the stock supercar?? In fact, other than track days, where are you going to feel 100mph + speed???

As I posted earlier, about 30 seconds afterwards.

 

[Aremburgkerve]

As I posted earlier, about 30 seconds afterwards.

No, I mean, how is the customer ever going to get the chance to drive on a banked oval track to get up to those speeds?? Yes, it is damn quick getting up to those speeds but even so, the person who is purchasing the car isn't ever going to feel what they are primarily buying the car for.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

No, I mean, how is the customer ever going to get the chance to drive on a banked oval track to get up to those speeds?? Yes, it is damn quick getting up to those speeds but even so, the person who is purchasing the car isn't ever going to feel what they are primarily buying the car for.

^ If I ever get the chance, anywhere that I see a nice stretch, like I-15 for example. I don't care if I'll get killed, I will die happy!

EDIT-> And although the U.S. is king of oval track in the world, the U.S. doesn't even have an oval long enough to reach into hypercar speeds. This proves it on its latest issue of Motor Trend when Danica Patrick tend to push the Lambo LP640 around the Ford's Arizona Proving Grounds. The LP640 didn't even touched 200 mph, and MT explained that the track wasn't long enough to reach 200 mph.

 

[McLaren]

It was bound to happen, the speed record being broken, it was just a matter of when. These cars are both amazing, but where are you ever going to feel that extra 55mph it has over the stock supercar?? In fact, other than track days, where are you going to feel 100mph + speed???

On open freeway. It's not right, but even I will admit, when I'm driving down the George Bush Turnpike or down I-30, and the traffic is clear for miles, I floor it because I like to take the chance to drive fast while keeping myself away from others.

Again, not right, but if I get that urge to do 110Mph in my BMW or TL, I can only imagine how fast I'd want to do let out a big V12 on open roads.

No, I mean, how is the customer ever going to get the chance to drive on a banked oval track to get up to those speeds?? Yes, it is damn quick getting up to those speeds but even so, the person who is purchasing the car isn't ever going to feel what they are primarily buying the car for.

FYI, most people buy these cars as status symbols. If you're going to be asking what's the point of making a supercar do 255Mph when you can't even drive that anywhere, then why aren't you questioning every manufacturer? Every manufacturer pretty much allows 120Mph minimum but what's the point? No one's actually doing that speed on the roads very often, and if they are, you only read about it or see it once every 3-5 months.

I'd rather have an F430 and a big house instead of a Veyron, IMO that car's far too overrated. I'd even take a Mclaren F1 over a Veyron, easily...

The McLaren F1's price tag has easily reached that of both those options.
We're talking $1.3 million just on the yellow one in California that was finally sold. Jay Leno's, I believe, is estimated around $2.2 million for being chassis #015 and of course, a celebrity vehicle.

 

[forza2.0]

Every manufacturer pretty much allows 120Mph minimum but what's the point? No one's actually doing that speed on the roads very often, and if they are, you only read about it or see it once every 3-5 months.

I dont know what its like in america but in europe people drive at 120mph all the time. Its pretty much quaranteed that if your on the motorway sitting at around 80mph (10mph above the limit is a norm) that you will have people every now and again flying past you.

 

[Venari]

I can only imagine how fast I'd want to do let out a big V12 on open roads.

About 160mph, once.

And my little V6 saw over 155 on the clock once too.

And anything over 100mph could get you a lost licence in th UK, so no, I don't do over 100mph much at all nowadays - on motorways.

And just for completeness:

UK Speed limits:
Residential 20 or 30mph
Urban built-up: 30 or 40mph
Other roads: 40 - 50 - 60mph as indicated.
Dual carriageways or motorways (unless otherwise indicated) 70mph.

I must say, I enjoyed driving in Germany recently. Engaging warp speed is a bit of a black art when one is driving a Mondeo Diesel Wagon.

 

[loulou221]

The speed limit is about 85 mph in Europe.
And i never saw anybody go over 120 mph.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Looks far better than the Bugatti also

 

[forza2.0]

The speed limit is about 85 mph in Europe.
And i never saw anybody go over 120 mph.

Driving through france once we were averaging about 110mph and there were plenty of cars that speed past us at much higher speeds. French roads are good for speeding and plenty of people do.

 

[McLaren]

I dont know what its like in america but in europe people drive at 120mph all the time. Its pretty much quaranteed that if your on the motorway sitting at around 80mph (10mph above the limit is a norm) that you will have people every now and again flying past you.

So they hit the bare minimum, good for them. What's the point of still making the average car hit 160Mph? I never see anyone do those speeds even at race tracks, and yet mnufacturers allow them.

 

[Robin]

Pity the Ultimate Aero looks super ugly compared to the Veyron... well in my opinion. The back looks like a mclaren F1 but thats 1993 style and the front looks like its too riced up...

I would choose style over the top speed, your not going to be able to max it anywhere anyway plus with manual gear shifting you will probably die trying!

Robin

 

[forza2.0]

So they hit the bare minimum, good for them. What's the point of still making the average car hit 160Mph? I never see anyone do those speeds even at race tracks, and yet mnufacturers allow them.

I suppose 160mph is overkill unless your country has no speed laws. It must be bragging rights or just a end result of making a very powerful car. A manufacturer would rather list their top speed as 180mph than 140mph.

 

[Philly]

So they hit the bare minimum, good for them. What's the point of still making the average car hit 160Mph? I never see anyone do those speeds even at race tracks, and yet mnufacturers allow them.

My guess is marketing. Somebody with that kind of money would probably be more likely to buy a car that goes faster than the car next to it because, well, it's more impressive. Besides, compared to many of these supercars, doesn't the 155 BMW, M-B and Audi limit their cars to seem kinda slow?

 

[YSSMAN]

It seems slow, but then again, quite a few of their newer cars have thrown that agreement out of the window. Didn't the S5 test-out above 170 MPH in C/D? I don't recall for certain...

Its when they limit cars like the S600 to 130 MPH that I get upset. I want to do an ungodly amount of speed in a car with power such as that...

 

[daan]

Just want to point out that the Veyron never had it to be defeated from, and the SSC doesn't have it yet as it's not been officially verified.

 

[Philly]

It seems slow, but then again, quite a few of their newer cars have thrown that agreement out of the window. Didn't the S5 test-out above 170 MPH in C/D? I don't recall for certain...

Its when they limit cars like the S600 to 130 MPH that I get upset. I want to do an ungodly amount of speed in a car with power such as that...

My guess is that the performance cars aren't bound to that rule. M cars all top out above that.

And with the S600, do you really want to go 155 mph in a 2.5 ton luxury sedan?