Altralto

Even the rich have their problems when it comes time to showing off their super cars.  Just when you thought Toyota had it bad with their multi-million number of recalls last winter, Bentley has just completed a recall of all its models, and now Ferrari has to do the same with all Italia 458 models.  Shit, this must mean that a bunch of millionaires will have to bring their cars to the dealer for some repairs.  Who’d ever think that a safety recall could be issues by either Bentley or Ferrari?  Aren’t these companies that pride themselves with small, hand-made production runs every year, with an impeccable safety history?  How could this happen?  What’s going on in the factories?  The Ferrari recall revolves around a couple of Ferraris that caught fire!  The Bentley recall revolves around a safety concern with their “B” logo.  Now go figure

The Bentley Recall

Talk about mundane, the Bentley recall revolves around the possibility that the Bentley logo may corrode.  The famous “B” framed by a pair of wings that adorn the hood of the luxury car brand

Bentley could have a defect in the mechanism that drives and enables it to smear “It is possible that the mechanism of retraction of the hood emblem corrode,” said an automotive safety board in its reminder. If the badge does not retract as it should, and that the car struck a pedestrian, “the risk of injury increases” the agency said.

Please God let me be hit by a Bentley logo so I may sue and eventually afford to own one myself (I’ve got my eyes on a Continental GT by the way).  Then again, what would I do with a Continental GT in during Montreal winters anyway?  I would sell it to maximize my RRSP (401K for our American friends).

Bentley stressed however that this situation had, to their knowledge, not yet occurred and no injuries have been reported.

Imagine the 911 call, “Hello, 911?

“Yes, what seems to be the trouble?…”

“I just witnessed an accident!!!!….”

“Are you ok?  Who was in the accident?”

“Some unlucky bystander was standing on the sidewalk admiring the gorgeous Bentley when all of a sudden the logo blew off like an airbag deployment, hitting the guy in the sternum and rust sprayed all in his eyes.  He’s bleeding profusely now and he’s semiconscious..”

“Very well, we’re dispatching an ambulance right now…”

“Fuck the ambulance, send the news reporter from the Onion Network….”

The recall involves about 600 vehicles, according to the NHTSA, specifically on the Arnage, RL Arnage, Azure and Brooklands models, that left the factory between 2007 and 2009.  Bentley is committed to make repairs in dealerships in late September, for free.  I should hope so.

Ferrari 458 Italia Recall

Ferrari 458 Italia on Fire

The Ferrari group recalled its Italia Ferrari 458 after opening an investigation following some serious fires.  Yeah we all know that a Ferrari is a potential fireball, but not literally!  Several 458s have indeed caught fire due to a lack of thermal protection on the back of the fireball.  1248 owners are involved in the world.  Ok, is the fireball located anywhere near the flux capacitor like the one in Back to the Future’s Delorean?

The Ferrari Italia 458 sparked automotiveindustry when it was introduced.  Why wouldn’t it with its Ferrari-typical V8 4.5 litre engine (hence the name 458), 570 horse power, pushing 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and top speed 325 km/h. .. This is a goddam spaceship that could take on most motorcycles!  The base model (no options) sold for 163,000 euros or about $226,000 USD.  There are 1248 owners worldwide.

Ferrari, however, had apparently issued a disclaimer: Do not ride when it gets too hot and don’t “push” the motor too had.  Otherwise the rear-mounted engine would catch fire (no pun intended to our Ferrari owners/readers”.  This has reportedly occurred with owners in California, Paris, Switzerland and China.   The Prancing Horse headquarters over in Maranello, Italy took the fires seriously and began an investigation.  We’re pleased to report that none of the prestigious owners have been injured, except of course for their pride and utter expectation that this could never happen except to a 40 year old Lada in Cuba.

Ferrari confirmed the six cases of car fires is manufacturing related and that drivers aren’t too blame.  The prestige associated to the car maker whose logo is represented by a proud prancing horses is now relegated to the same level as competitors now known for their massive recalls, like Toyota, Ford, GM or Nissan.

The problem is related to thermal protection at the rear passage of the wheels and a combination of hot outside temperature, which can cause a deformation, says a Ferrari spokesman.  In reality, the 458 Italia “problem on the fixation with glue, thermal protection to the rear at the passage of the wheels,” says a spokesman for Ferrari. ”The strong outside temperatures and heavy use of the vehicle can cause a deformation at this level and the car could catch fire,” he says.

Not surprisingly, Ferrari has recalled all vehicles of this model, sold for nearly a year, and delivered since mid-January.  The recall involves replacing the thermal protection and fix only mechanically and without glue. 458 Italia owners are advised to visit their dealers for the free, half-day fix.

Seems almost like something out of a NASCAR race gone wrong or what happens in a Formula 1 wet race collision between Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.

My heart goes out to Ferrari and Bentley owners while Pakistan reels from its earthquake and as we continue to combat cancer and famine in the world, as well as global tuna stocks.  No but seriously.

I don’t think I’ll see any of these in Montreal anytime soon.  I am used to seeing the occasional Lambo, Ferrari, and Bentley – but the Veyron?  Here’s something we found this morning on Autoblog.

There are frightening bills, horrific bills, and Bugatti Veyron bills. The legendarily expensive to buy, it seems that the Veyron is equally expensive to keep running, with some pegging yearly running costs at $300,000. It’s so expensive, in fact, that Autocar says there’s an owner who trailers his car to a particular driving route, then follows behind in a private jet. 

Let’s just take the tires, for example: in the U.S., the Michelin Pilot Sport 2s fashioned with the Veyron’s unique compound cost about $30,000; in the UK they’re £23,500 ($38,216 U.S.). Bugatti recommends you change them every 4,000 kilometers, or 2,500 miles, and at every ten thousand miles the company recommends changing the wheels and tires, which runs north of $50,000.

In between those wheel changes will be things like routine maintenance, with a major annual service setting you back about $20,000. None of this is particularly unexpected so long as you remember the Veyron is more a roadgoing Space Shuttle than a car. And we won’t even begin to talk about how expensive pelican insurance has become…