Last Call: Enough with the multi million dollar car trims

Colby Buchanan

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Comments

Something that’s been bothering me lately is all these hypercars making a new trim essentially every couple of months. For an extra half a million you get a little better handling and faster 0-60? They’re acting like this is your run of the mill car that anyone would just buy all the trims for. You already have the base, Sport, SuperSport, the Divo, the la Voiture Noire, and now the Pur Sport, it’s a page right out of the Porsche handbook.

I mean, you could just get a normal Chiron plus and an Aventador instead of one of these. But maybe this is just me and the multimillionaires want something new to collect, I have no idea. Or maybe it bothers me because it’s Pur, not Pure so it looks like it would be pronounced purr as in a cat purr. Do you agree or am I just a cranky old man already?

Last Call indicates the end of Hooniverse’s broadcast day. It’s meant to be an open forum for anyone and anything. Thread jacking is not only accepted, but it’s also encouraged.

About

Colby Buchanan

Colby Buchanan

My name is Colby Buchanan and I love all things car-related all the way from rusted 240sx’s to McLaren Senna’s and of course I have a soft spot for American Muscle. You can spot me in my bone stock ’06 350z named MackenZ.

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23 responses to “Last Call: Enough with the multi million dollar car trims”

  1. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    It’s time to start pontificating with egregious pomposity on the relative merits of Teslamino builds. Because there’s at least two now, and it’s our burden as the commentariat to quibble over trivialities to hide our own inadequacies.

    Back in April Inside EVs had a write-up of this Model S modified to haul Alta Redshift (RIP) electric dirtbikes.

    https://insideevs.com/news/345819/teslamino-is-a-short-cut-to-an-electric-pickup-truck/

    And just yesterday while I was flagrantly violating the SIP order I saw one in the wild, based on a Model 3? I’ll abstain from judging, as I’m biased towards this one.
    EDIT: Evidently these builds were nearly simultaneous, as the one I saw yesterday hit the internet in June
    https://thenextweb.com/plugged/2019/06/18/genius-inventor-turns-her-tesla-model-3-into-a-pickup-truck/

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b3b3afe625c39820ee825d45f2fede4efef4767469ca5fc2342f1c7f81ee92a1.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d4d32f9680f1056d7ea68f1eff7aaa1795a5703ab5b1594be6bf77eafdd5a1a6.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9e7ce94cc6778d03ee97eab0bf588c4b579dc5a72254bb16834f51ece6770653.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/08d8198cfdc84730e9470ba67ff2e56b76a9000b90b6dcd8cec1a84a2d0ba318.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/42cd8a9a22461c7aeb728fdc81b3a76a26d86b70fbecc0fa316743d4a654c4d9.jpg

    Reply
    1. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      The model 3 used an ugly donor vehicle and the added pipe rack isn’t going to win it any beauty contests, either. It does appear to have a functional tailgate (or maybe it’s fixed in place to keep crap from sliding out the back), and finished cab, and the unnecessary door handles have been removed.

      The Model S started with a better looking donor model, and better yet, it was already heading to a date with the scrapyard when the Sawzall interfered. Homemade trucks are supposed to show off the redneck engineering technologies that went into the build. It’s the clear winner in this matchup.

      The so-called -aminoization of electric cars presents a bit of a quandary. I’m a purist, in that I think anything with an -amino suffix needs some GM content. Grand Natiomino, sure. Caddimino, bring it on (I am very disappointed in myself for not going back to get pictures of the 6-wheel 79-85 Eldomino I spotted in a service bay of a shop near my neighborhood several years back). But if it never wore the Mark of Excellence, call it something else. Fords, of course, should be -cheros, but this is not a Ford. The other member of the Big Three, Dodge, made the remaining car-truck, but those were all FWD and didn’t sell enough to matter, so I’m willing to let Teslas share that name: Rampage. But change it up a little to avoid confusion.

      From now on, when somebody cuts a pickup bed into a Tesla, the result should be called an Ampage.

      Reply
      1. Batshitbox Avatar
        Batshitbox

        The builder of the red one calls it the “Truckla” and it’s well worth watching the phony car advert she made for it.

        +1 for “Ampage”

        Reply
      2. outback_ute Avatar
        outback_ute

        I suppose you could liken it to any scandal having the word ‘gate’ added to it, and the Elky being the best-known ute in the US.

        I can’t see the Truckla tailgate folding down but I don’t think the usage necessarily requires it, as in it’s not a hardcore pickup. I saw the build video and it was interesting, but could have used input from someone with autobody experience.

        Reply
        1. 0A5599 Avatar
          0A5599

          I found the Rich Rebuilds video of the build. His version shows the tailgate being constructed, and it does indeed fold down.

          Reply
          1. outback_ute Avatar
            outback_ute

            Thanks, don’t think I watched that one at the time but looks like it has a pretty trick hinge mechanism

  2. roguetoaster Avatar
    roguetoaster

    The truly wealthy won’t buy that sort of stuff, they understand the value of their assets and are very happy to drive an E class. If only wealth didn’t begat wealth so easily a fool and their large amounts of money would actually be parted. Oh well.

    Reply
    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      I’m not sure if this is OG Top Gear’s fault or if I am just another flavour of cranky old man, but I don’t get the relevance of these vehicles.

      As a sociologist and economist, I see these as a symptom of the liquidity crisis that seems to have hit pause last week. Over-liquidity, too much money concentrated in too few hands, quantitative easing, lack of investment opportunities followed by a crazy bananas* stock market, stock buybacks and schnapdupling* of collectible items, LVMH-products and superduperhypercars all lead to almost ironically idiotic “special editions” like this. I want to laugh them off, but they are a symptom of a nasty problem.

      Technologically, it’s more relevant to talk about it here. But…Bugatti, Bentley, and all the fæncy, spectacular machines they make are receiving more than their fair share of representation and there’s only so much to say about machines that can catapult the wealthy to unheard-of speeds in unheard-of short amounts of time.

      *not ECON101, that’s late-in-the-masters-terms

      /rant

      Reply
    2. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      I’m not sure if this is OG Top Gear’s fault or if I am just another flavour of cranky old man, but I don’t get the relevance of these vehicles.

      As a sociologist and economist, I see these as a symptom of the liquidity crisis that seems to have hit pause last week. Over-liquidity, too much money concentrated in too few hands, quantitative easing, lack of investment opportunities followed by a crazy bananas* stock market, stock buybacks and schnapdupling* of collectible items, LVMH-products and superduperhypercars all lead to almost ironically idiotic “special editions” like this. I want to laugh them off, but they are a symptom of a nasty problem.

      Technologically, it’s more relevant to talk about it here. But…Bugatti, Bentley, and all the fæncy, spectacular machines they make are receiving more than their fair share of representation and there’s only so much to say about machines that can catapult the wealthy to unheard-of speeds in unheard-of short amounts of time.

      *not ECON101, that’s late-in-the-masters-terms

      /rant

      Reply
    3. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      Ralph Lauren grew up poor and is a self-made multibillionaire. He bought a Veyron when those came out, and a few years later, the ashtrays got dirty and he upped the ante with a Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse.

      That still isn’t his best Bugatti.
      https://robbreportedit.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/ralph-lauren-2.jpg

      Reply
    4. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      I’m not sure if this is OG Top Gear’s fault or if I am just another flavour of cranky old man, but I don’t get the relevance of these vehicles.

      As a sociologist and economist, I see these as a symptom of the liquidity crisis that seems to have hit pause last week. Over-liquidity, too much money concentrated in too few hands, quantitative easing, lack of investment opportunities followed by a crazy bananas* stock market, stock buybacks and schnapdupling* of collectible items, LVMH-products and superduperhypercars all lead to almost ironically idiotic “special editions” like this. I want to laugh them off, but they are a symptom of a nasty problem.

      Technologically, it’s more relevant to talk about it here. But…Bugatti, Bentley, and all the fæncy, spectacular machines they make are receiving more than their fair share of representation and there’s only so much to say about machines that can catapult the wealthy to unheard-of speeds in unheard-of short amounts of time.

      *not ECON101, that’s late-in-the-masters-terms

      /rant

      Reply
      1. neight428 Avatar
        neight428

        Indeed, their rarity is their function. I only had 4 semesters of proper economics instruction in college, but this definitely smacks of people that literally can not increase their standard of living in anything but psychological terms, and they find that in having interesting conversation pieces to discuss with their peers on the helicopter flight back to the beach compound after downhill skiing. The brand managers are just giving them what they want because the margins are, or were, crazy bananas.

        Reply
        1. Maymar Avatar
          Maymar

          Are the margins actually that good on the Bugattis? I know it was thrown around that the Veyron lost money for VAG, and it was probably Ferdinand Piech’s ego trip that kept the project going. Mind you, with the Chrion being twice the price, they might have realized they could build a healthy margin in.

          Reply
          1. neight428 Avatar
            neight428

            Good question, but I have to think the steep cost of the “trim” cuts into the loss substantially. All of the specialty geegaws on the base model that are replaced by more special geegaws on the updated version can’t be too much cheaper to produce or procure.

      2. crank_case Avatar
        crank_case

        This is exactly it, cars are a product of societies. The bubble era in Japan gave us loads of wonderfully frivilous and off the wall cars, the 80s Yuppie era in Europe where living standards in the UK and pre-unification west Germany were high gave us the MK2 Golf GTi, E30 325i and countless hot hatches/compact sporting execs that reflected the “go-getter” nature of the time. The current trend of SUVs reflects general existential paranoia, that we no longer trust each other as drivers and that countries aren’t spending enough on road infrastructure.

        You’ve absolutel hit the nail on the head – low interest rates have made money cheap, which favors the wealthy who leverage their existing wealth to acquire more and more physical assets increasing their overall wealth.

        Reply
        1. Sjalabais Avatar
          Sjalabais

          Excellent examples – just a quick and dirty follow-up. By accident, I received my neighbour’s boating magazine. It struck me like lightning how our different realities yield different associations: The “SUV”-moniker here is certainly not a positive for you and me…

          https://i.ibb.co/WppmdbP/IMG-20200320-164122.jpg

          (not to mention the impending heart attack for Colby, X and number and name and all)

          Reply
        2. Sjalabais Avatar
          Sjalabais

          Excellent examples – just a quick and dirty follow-up. By accident, I received my neighbour’s boating magazine. It struck me like lightning how our different realities yield different associations: The “SUV”-moniker here is certainly not a positive for you and me…

          https://i.ibb.co/WppmdbP/IMG-20200320-164122.jpg

          (not to mention the impending heart attack for Colby, X and number and name and all)

          Reply
          1. nanoop Avatar
            nanoop

            “By accident, I received your neighbor’s boating magazine” sure… and he got you helicopter mag instead? 😛

          2. Sjalabais Avatar
            Sjalabais

            Now that you say it…I am missing my “Tasteful Excess Money Mag”, might get myself some Bugatti special edition. 😛

      3. Vairship Avatar
        Vairship

        Yes, with the increasing concentration of wealth the top 0.1% have both more money than they know what to do with AND are bored out of their minds. So they collect Bugattis they’ll never drive just like “poor” people collect sneakers they’ll never wear.

        Reply
  3. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    Hmm not sure, think I’ll wait for the next version, hopefully it will hit 60 in 2.2 seconds. Time is money you know.

    Reply
    1. crank_case Avatar
      crank_case

      But if space and time are part of the same thing essentially, bent by gravity. What does this make space?

      *penny drops*

      Now rising property prices make sense..

      Reply
      1. outback_ute Avatar
        outback_ute

        To take it a step further for a laugh…

        Using the old maxim location, location, location we could get to the theory of realestativity (with apologies to Einstein who was most definitely not involved):
        E = mc3
        E = price
        m = space, and
        c = location

        Reply