Ask your grandparents about anything. They will tell you everything was better in their day, and the newer stuff just tends to complicate what really matters. When discussing these two supercars however it is probably a good thing that your grandparents aren’t here right now, because the numbers involved here get very big and also very complicated quick.
Let’s begin with the McLaren F1. Conceived by Gordon Murray it began life in 1992, has a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds, a limited top speed of 231mph (rev limiter removed 243mph ), and a price tag of $1,000,000 not adjusted for inflation.
The Bugatti Veyron, who’s chief designer was Harmut Warkuss was born in 2005, has a 0-60 time of 2.5 seconds, and a top speed of 253mph (Super Sport Edition will take you to 267mph), and a price tag of $2,600,000.
Now that you have read the Cliffsnotes version of the brochure lets go deeper for a moment. The Veyron has all the amenities of a new modern luxury car, launch control, sat nav, ABS and the list just goes on and on. Everything you would expect a car that cost so much to have, it has it. Not to mention it comes standard with the acceleration of a Saturn 5 rocket. So with the McLaren sporting an equally large price sticker, what goodies do you get? It does have a radio and CD player but that’s it.
So what gives? On the outside the Veyron destroys the McLaren in every aspect in every way. But you have to dive even deeper. The McLaren was built around the concept of making the perfect street legal racing car. Gordon Murray didn’t want to add ABS brakes because it added weight to the car. His stance was that an adequately trained driver wouldn’t need ABS brakes to properly stop the car. This attitude was taken throughout the entire car. Every piece has a purpose. Nothing is wasted. The one superfluous item, the radio, was even forced to make concessions. Kenwood built a special radio and CD changer that weighed half as much as a normal stereo.
The engine and transmission was designed to perform on the track as well as the street. The Bugatti Veyron has four turbo chargers where as the McLaren has non due to Murray’s intent to make the car as reliable as possible and everyone knows that boosted motors complicate things. I guess our grandparents were right.
When you look at a Veyron one can truly be awed at what a piece of work it is. It is a no-expense spared automobile that has set a new standard. But when you look at a McLaren F1, you are looking at a masterpiece of engineering and design. It set the bar and still does in many ways. Murray’s design is an all encompassing achievement for making the world greatest street legal race car. When the Bugatti is only mindboggling in a straight line. However I think the case is made for itself by the fact that people are even comparing a car that is almost 20 years old utilizing 20 year old technology to the goliath that is the Veyron.
In my opinion, the McLaren F1 wins hands down, but does fall short at the dragstrip, landing strip or any 5 mile stretch of road . But racing in a straight line was hardly what the McLaren was intended to do.
Let’s just hope that is doesn’t take another 20 years for us to see a third entrant into the race of the greatest supercars of all time.
Sources:
“The McLaren F1” Road & Track Dec 1997
McLaren F1 Wiki
Bugatti Veyron Wiki
