Man builds his own million dollar Bugatti supercar by hand

JiveTurkey · 07-15-2011, 07:47 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technolo...211223675.html

The Bugatti Veyron is a modern automotive legend. The sleek speedster from Volkswagen boasts a top speed of over 260mph, making it the fastest road-legal car in the world, and it has a stunningly large $1.5 million price tag to match. Because of this astronomical cost of entry, only a few hundred of the vehicles have ever been built, meaning your chances of owning one are rather slim. That is, unless you're Mike Duff, an ambitious 25-year-old from Florida who decided to build his very own Bugatti with his bare hands.
Starting with a complete 2002 Mercury Cougar coupe, Duff set to work transforming the vehicle's entire exterior into that of a world-class supercar. He used fiberglass and composite material to create the Veyron's iconic lines, and laid it all over a tubular steel frame. After a professional paint job and plenty of buffing, the car was ready for the showroom, but Duff wasn't done yet. He then took to the Cougar's interior, covering everything from the seats to the dashboard in genuine leather. When we spoke with him, he said the project took him a full 9 months from start to finish.
The detailed doppelgänger even sports usable back seats, which is something the real million-dollar ride completely lacks. Speaking of price, that's another area where this fantastic fake beats out its original counterpart. Duff currently has the vehicle up for sale with a price of $89,000 — less than 1/10th the price of a genuine Veyron.
Unfortunately, while that price will buy you the looks of a barely-legal race car, it doesn't buy you the performance. Under its gorgeous exterior, the "Cougatti" is still distinctly pedestrian, and remains equipped with its original 2.5-liter V6 engine that produces roughly 170 horsepower. This is in stark contrast to the 8-liter 16-cylinder powerplant of the real car, which produces a neck-snapping 1,000 horses.
Still, for the price of a Porsche, there's not much you can complain about when the car is a nearly indistinguishable replica of the fastest road car in the world. Not to mention the fact that some other Bugatti tributes can cost an order of magnitude more, and are never meant to leave your office.

Bugatti replica from the rear

Bugatti replica side shot

TK-421 · 07-15-2011, 07:53 PM

It's a great effort, especially for a lone 25 year old. The only things that first* caught my eye were the tail lights and the bumper fitment line thing

miiipilot · 07-15-2011, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TK-421

It's a great effort

Agreed

...but why? Who has money to do this? And who has money to spend on this?

"The car has a nice reliable 2.5 L V6 motor and Ice cold AC."

miiipilot

pmeloche · 07-15-2011, 09:51 PM

A for effort but I wonder how much money he sinked in this. Who is vain enough to fork out $90K on a Mercury Cougar that looks like a Veyron? If you are more interested in the container than the content then that's a good deal I suppose.

Seminole · 07-15-2011, 09:54 PM

Holy balls. He even redid the interior to look like the Veyron. That's something most replica cars don't even bother trying to do:

Davin · 07-15-2011, 09:57 PM

Truly a great effort!!

MisterSkiMask · 07-15-2011, 10:15 PM

I just saw this as I was cruzing eBay, what a waste of time... that is the nicest thing I can say

Sniz · 07-15-2011, 10:18 PM

you've got to be kidding me, he did all that and left a turd of an engine in it?

fail city

BillLee · 07-15-2011, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sniz

you've got to be kidding me, he did all that and left a turd of an engine in it?

fail city

he probably doesn't care about speed. some people just go for the looks.

I think he did a pretty good job.

TK-421 · 07-15-2011, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillLee

he probably doesn't care about speed. some people just go for the looks.

I think he did a pretty good job.

Agreed, especially after seeing that interior.

hks786 · 07-16-2011, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sniz

you've got to be kidding me, he did all that and left a turd of an engine in it?

fail city

+1 if I was going to do the project and spend 90k then I would do an engine swap too. However, that said, what a great job overall. He has skills.

SchlauCow · 07-16-2011, 10:38 AM

kid is talented for sure.

ptack · 07-16-2011, 06:02 PM

I'd rather see him put his talent towards making something original than doing a tribute car.

UAxDEATH(NYC) · 07-16-2011, 10:29 PM

cmon guys, everybody has to have a first step, - that was one.

and INSANE WORK

07-15-2011, 07:47 PM	#1
JiveTurkey JiveTurkey 23 Rep 128 Posts Drives: BMW 135I SGM Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: In a Bush iTrader: (0)	Man builds his own million dollar Bugatti supercar by hand http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technolo...211223675.html The Bugatti Veyron is a modern automotive legend. The sleek speedster from Volkswagen boasts a top speed of over 260mph, making it the fastest road-legal car in the world, and it has a stunningly large $1.5 million price tag to match. Because of this astronomical cost of entry, only a few hundred of the vehicles have ever been built, meaning your chances of owning one are rather slim. That is, unless you're Mike Duff, an ambitious 25-year-old from Florida who decided to build his very own Bugatti with his bare hands. Starting with a complete 2002 Mercury Cougar coupe, Duff set to work transforming the vehicle's entire exterior into that of a world-class supercar. He used fiberglass and composite material to create the Veyron's iconic lines, and laid it all over a tubular steel frame. After a professional paint job and plenty of buffing, the car was ready for the showroom, but Duff wasn't done yet. He then took to the Cougar's interior, covering everything from the seats to the dashboard in genuine leather. When we spoke with him, he said the project took him a full 9 months from start to finish. The detailed doppelgänger even sports usable back seats, which is something the real million-dollar ride completely lacks. Speaking of price, that's another area where this fantastic fake beats out its original counterpart. Duff currently has the vehicle up for sale with a price of $89,000 — less than 1/10th the price of a genuine Veyron. Unfortunately, while that price will buy you the looks of a barely-legal race car, it doesn't buy you the performance. Under its gorgeous exterior, the "Cougatti" is still distinctly pedestrian, and remains equipped with its original 2.5-liter V6 engine that produces roughly 170 horsepower. This is in stark contrast to the 8-liter 16-cylinder powerplant of the real car, which produces a neck-snapping 1,000 horses. Still, for the price of a Porsche, there's not much you can complain about when the car is a nearly indistinguishable replica of the fastest road car in the world. Not to mention the fact that some other Bugatti tributes can cost an order of magnitude more, and are never meant to leave your office. Bugatti replica from the rear Bugatti replica side shot __________________ Every model the Bavarian brand produces is an engineering masterwork, manna for driving enthusiast, an internal-combustion mallet for pummeling comparison-test rivals into humiliated awe - Arthur St. Antoine
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07-15-2011, 07:53 PM	#2
TK-421 Registered Sex Offender 573 Rep 4,759 Posts Drives: E46 M3 \| 1JZ S13 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tampa, FL iTrader: (0)	It's a great effort, especially for a lone 25 year old. The only things that first* caught my eye were the tail lights and the bumper fitment line thing
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07-15-2011, 09:51 PM	#4
pmeloche Lieutenant Colonel 24 Rep 1,604 Posts Drives: 2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Montréal, Canada iTrader: (0)	A for effort but I wonder how much money he sinked in this. Who is vain enough to fork out $90K on a Mercury Cougar that looks like a Veyron? If you are more interested in the container than the content then that's a good deal I suppose. __________________ Patrice 2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i Vermillion Red
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07-15-2011, 09:54 PM	#5
Seminole Colonel 448 Rep 2,032 Posts Drives: Red Flyer Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: 38.8977° N, 77.0366° W iTrader: (2) Garage List 2008 E90 328i [7.00]	Holy balls. He even redid the interior to look like the Veyron. That's something most replica cars don't even bother trying to do: __________________
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07-15-2011, 09:57 PM	#6
Davin Lieutenant Colonel 54 Rep 1,721 Posts Drives: Yes Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Trinidad & Tobago / NYC iTrader: (0)	Truly a great effort!!
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07-15-2011, 10:15 PM	#7
MisterSkiMask Banned 147 Rep 2,014 Posts Drives: I Can not say Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: you must not know iTrader: (0)	I just saw this as I was cruzing eBay, what a waste of time... that is the nicest thing I can say
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07-15-2011, 10:18 PM	#8
Sniz Lieutenant General 654 Rep 10,587 Posts Drives: e92 335 - gone // e36 M3 turbo Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ellicott City, MD iTrader: (1)	you've got to be kidding me, he did all that and left a turd of an engine in it? fail city __________________
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07-16-2011, 10:38 AM	#12
SchlauCow ****** 137 Rep 337 Posts Drives: Honda M6 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Radiance iTrader: (4)	kid is talented for sure. __________________ You will never be as complex as the strand of hair sitting on top of your head.
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07-16-2011, 06:02 PM	#13
ptack Brigadier General 269 Rep 4,470 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: May 2008 Location: NJ iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 135i [6.50]	I'd rather see him put his talent towards making something original than doing a tribute car. __________________ 135i, SGM, Coral, Sport Package, Auto, Premium Hifi, USB/ipod, Apex EC-7s, PPK Stage II
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07-16-2011, 10:29 PM	#14
UAxDEATH(NYC) Second Lieutenant 34 Rep 278 Posts Drives: BMW X6M 2016 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Brooklyn NY iTrader: (0)	cmon guys, everybody has to have a first step, - that was one. and INSANE WORK
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