The Grim Reaper of Exotic Cars
There is a weird, almost pornographic subculture that has grown up around pictures of high-level sports cars that have been horribly wrecked, usually at high speeds by a wealthy and usually reckless owner. Wrecked Exotics.com is at the epicenter of this curious phenomenon; it features photos of trashed versions of the world's finest automobiles--everything from Bugatti Veyrons to Ferrari Enzos to Qvale Mangustas.
This isn't usually my cup of tea--wrecked cars are a bit macabre for my tastes--but a recent story at Wrecked Exotics caught my eye. Evidently one 73-year-old Florida businessman has destroyed 10 high-profile and exotic cars over the last three years, several in fairly comprehensive fashion.
There's very little detail in the story, and I can't personally vouch for its accuracy, but if it's true ... well, I think it's pretty impressive. Why is it impressive? Well ...
- This gentleman apparently has pretty good taste in cars. To own and drive an array of cars that includes a classic Ferrari Dino, a Bugatti EB110, a Yenko Camaro, and even a Model T is pretty impressive and shows a nice appreciation of a variety of cars. Okay, sure, he wrecked them, but still.
- This gentleman apparently can afford to keep driving these cars even has he writes them off every few months. That's impressive.
- This gentleman apparently doesn't just drive his mega-buck exotics; he drives them in a very spirited manner, which, given their expense and his age, is pretty impressive. One could perhaps substitute a more negative word for "spirited" there as well.
- This gentleman has apparently survived what look to be some pretty powerful impacts. That's impressive in its own right.
This isn't our usual expression of Car Lust, but I'd say he has some mutated strain of the Car Lust disease.
--Chris H.
That Car Guy on November 11, 2009 at 02:09 PM
I guess I'll be the first to say it... "Who in blazes would insure somebody with his driving record?" Oh, I get it... he must OWN the insurance company!
Mike S on November 11, 2009 at 04:43 PM
I can understand "spirited driving" but if this is true that is pretty ridiculous. Of course given his age I guess I can understand how this sort of thing could happen. It would be cool if they did some kind of interview with him.
jjd241 on November 11, 2009 at 06:32 PM
I bet the crashes aren't because he was pushing his machines to their limits. It's more likely that at his age he was going 35 in the fast lane with his left blinker on and his seat belt dragging on the ground (head barely visible as he looks under the top of the steering wheel).
Jim Bussell on November 11, 2009 at 09:12 PM
I just read this article over at wreckedexotics.com. This guy is awesome.
Dentists Gainesville on November 11, 2009 at 11:30 PM
I agree, this guy is awesome! I just read the article too...
Andy Webb on November 12, 2009 at 05:10 AM
Chris,
Just a quick note to express my appreciation for your writing. You're very good. Love your thought process and use of language. I just stumbled upon this blog and will keep stumbling back.
Andy
Ronnie Schreiber on November 12, 2009 at 10:16 AM
I'm sorry, but even with "spirited" driving on the street, it takes some bonehead moves to put cars that can pull .9g+ on the skid pad into fixed objects like palm trees and water fountains. Also, one of his wrecks involved street racing, when he hit a F-250 pickup while racing who was driving a Lambo.
A number of his wrecks were on the track, so I presume he has at least a clue about vehicle dynamics and maybe has even taken a performance driving course like Bonderant, but I still don't understand how you can wreck a street driven car with the road handling capabilities of a Ferrari 360 unless you're driving either badly or in an inappropriate manner.
I hate calling folks who drive expensive cars douchebags, but this guy strikes me as being a jerk.
I wonder what Jack Baruth thinks of this guy.
John B on November 12, 2009 at 11:20 AM
At the very least it sounds like the guy is a slow learner.
You'd think after wrecking one of two high powered sports cars he'd learn...
-How to drive a high powered sports car.
-NOT to drive a high powered sports car.
If he was racing anyone on a public street the guy's a menace and needs to grow up.
He may be a car enthuiast, but by his record its clear he doesn't respect them...for their performance, value, or beauty.
he sounds like a 7th grader with too much money and not enough maturity.
If I were on the street and he hit my car and injured me, I'd hire the toughest, meanest personal injury shyster I could find and do my best to make sure he's be driving only Cobalts in the future...and I'd have his Ferrari money.
Chris Meirose on November 12, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Man distracted by low-flying pelican drives luxury sports car Bugatti into saltwater lagoon - http://tinyurl.com/y9rmblp
LA MARQUE, Texas - A bird was blamed for distracting the driver of a luxury sports car who then drove his Bugatti Veyron into the drink. La Marque police said the French-built supercar ended up in a lagoon, coming to rest in about 2 feet of saltwater. Police said the man, whose name was not immediately released, was not injured in Wednesday afternoon's accident.
Police said the man had been looking at real estate in the Galveston area when he was distracted by a low-flying pelican near Omega Bay.
A tow truck was summoned to extract the rare production vehicle from the muddy pond.
A 2006 Bugatti Veyron was recently offered for sale in Jonesboro, Ark., for $1.25 million.
ERIC D on November 12, 2009 at 09:27 PM
ive been a fan of wreckedexotics for 8 years now. i have a thing for smashed cars, i cringe when they are exeptionally rare, though.
its really hard for me to believe he wrecked some of these and continues to drive REALLY rare cars. :/ kinda selfish. heh i dont care too much.
and yes i too stumbled upon Chris' writing and got seriously addicted to this site. ive read every post.
Steaming Pile on November 16, 2009 at 05:16 AM
He's not the guy who drove his Bugatti Veyron into a lake, is he?
http://jalopnik.com/5404403/exclusive-video-of-bugatti-veyron-actually-crashing-into-texas-lake