I give up. There are so many top ten car lists, and they’re arriving at such a frentic pace, that I couldn’t even assemble a top ten top ten car list. Of course, TTAC’s “Ten Worst” awards– coming to a monitor near you soon– would make the grade. As would Wreckedexotics.com’s “10 Most Expensive Crashes Ever.” I love wreckedexotics (WE) in general, especially now that they’ve eliminated some of the most ridiculous pop-up ads since Lexus’ 3D RX RX. As the former owner of a fully restored XK150 that wiped out a small English village, and a Ferrari F355 that punted a Honda CBR1000 into the middle of a roundabout, I believe that any website that shows that there’s a downside to owning expensive cars should be encouraged and supported. And then, of course, there’s the whole schaudenfrade thing. (You know, class warfare for pistonheads.) Anyway, while I think the title of this hit parade is slightly misleading– it’s more accurately described as the “10 Most Expensive Cars That Have Crashed”– please click over to wreckedexotics for ALL the pics and the proprietor’s comments. Meanwhile, here’s my take.
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Wow… as I always say: More money than brains…
Surely Eddie Griffin’s pathetic parking lot smash-up of his “friend’s” Enzo should have been mentioned. Not nearly as epic as Fat Steven’s but at least as stupid.
In my English class this year we had to present an argument through 16 pictures. I got my pictures from wreckedexotics. My argument? Some people have more money than brains, and some of those have an especially off balance… balance.
Somebody wrecked a 250 GTO? That makes me sad in the pants.
The GTO was probably used in historic racing. I don’t know if they can insure a car, worth some 20 million dollars, for racing purposes, as the chance of getting it wrecked seems quite high. But then again, those cars were built to race, and kudos to those owners who does. I mean, why else buy a GTO? To have it standing in a corner?
No Schadenfreude. I am distraught about the Ferraris and the Gullwing. Don’t care about the fake Bugattis.
I love that the most expensive were crashed racing. That’s what a car’s for. $1000 or $10 mil… appreciating it is driving it. I would feel a lot worse losing a collector’s car in a hurricane than from driving it. At least driving it you are getting what you paid for.
Whats the story behind the ferrari vs the cbr1000?
Robstar :
On the road towards Slough from Windsor. A CBR was revving its engine next to me at the Windsor roundabout. Sounded like a hydro-electric dam. OK, here we go…
Oh MAN did I love the sound of the F355 wound-out past 7000 rpm. It starts off like the four horseman of the apocalypse galloping on your temporal lobe, and gets crazy from there.
As I accelerate onto the bypass thingie (a sweeping two lane road peeling off to the left, then over the road towards a roundabout) we’re neck and neck, with the CBR gaining fast (well it IS a sports bike).
I look in my side mirror. The CBR’s gonna take me. BUT– the roundabout is fast approaching. There is NO WAY on God’s green Earth Mr. Motorcycle’s going to overtake me at that speed and THEN brake in time to not die at the roundabout.
Is this my problem? No it is not. I’ve got my own problems, and they involve full anchors.
I brake HARD. BOOM! The CBR tags my left rear flank and heads for the center of the roundabout. Again, I’ve got my own issues.
I brake in plenty of time (i.e. three feet over the stop line). The CBR goes flying in front of me– sideways– mid-air– into the roundabout. A splash of green as the bike excavates turf.
I pull over. He’s OK. I kick him in the ribs, ’cause I know that this is going to keep me out of my car for AT LEAST a month and bury me in paper work. Eventually, I learn Biker Boy doesn’t have any insurance. Figures.
Stupid mother fucker.
Great story, RF. It’s always great to have 4 wide contact patches.
So what was the deal with the XK150?
I have a strong suspicion that two of the Ferrari 250s shown are replicas… as the saying goes “Thirty-nine were built, but only three thousand and twenty-four survive.”
As for the 300sl, I beg to differ on your assessment of their driving dynamics. I’ve logged about 1200 miles in one, including a number of laps on a road course. It is one of the most docile and predictably handling cars ever. I will agree about the planning for braking bit though… which is true for ANY drum-braked car for somebody used to discs.
As somebody who has driven quite a few vintage Jaguars and lived in the UK as well, I’d love to hear the story of the XK 150.
–chuck
Mr Farago> Was this in the US? If so I imagine he got quite a ticket for no insurance.
I know the roundabouts here i can go “straight” through them without turning as they have to be wide enough for GMC’s.
yankinwaoz:
I think it’s a bit unfair to assume the driver was at fault or unable to control the vehicle which caused the accident. While some are obvious like this, shit happens even when the driver is being responsible and not a cock.