The Most Expensive Car in the World!

The rear view of The Venom. The only view most of us will ever see! 

My previous blog dealt with President Barack Obama's cool wheels, "The Beast" which carries Mr. Obama himself with four guests, plus the driver and chief of security. The cost for the super cool Beast was $1,500,000. He has two.

This blog I want to focus on the most costly car anywhere in the world. This is a car so over the top that most zillionaires wouldn't even covet one. That is just as well as only four have ever been built: one in all black for the museum, (that is called Car Zero) and three for sale. One is all red; one is white, and the remaining one is green, although in reality they should be seen as all green because that is what you need a lot of to pay for each one.

The sales price was 3,120,000 euros, which is just about $4million at today's exchange rate.

So, what's so special about this model of car? It was built by Lamborghini who created the Aventador to celebrate their 50th anniversary on which the Veneno (The Venom) is designed. They took a really great sports car in the form of The Aventador and refined it to the ultimate degree and gave the world the Venom.

The specs of The Venom are as follows:
It has a 6,498 cc engine
It develops maximum 740 bhp at 8,250 rpms.
Fuel consumption is a surprising 17.2 litres per 100 kilometres.
The engine is a 6.5 litres V-12
0 to 62mph is achieved in 2.9 secs, but equally important it will go from 60 to 0 in 100 feet.
Top speed is set at 354mph.
It carries one driver and one passenger and only two overnight bags.

There is not much else that can be said about this car except you and I can't have one, and if I had one I have no idea what I would do with it. They have all been sold. The interesting thing is one was bought as a gift to one very lucky recipient.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

See it and weep! The Lamborghini Veneno.

The Presidential Beast

The Fabulous Beast!

The Inside story of The Beast

As cars go, this has to be one of the coolest on the planet. President Obama may be preoccupied with matters of State for most of his days, but when he steps into the Beast he has to be suitably impressed with his wheels. Other countries can afford to provide their heads of state with cars of this caliber but it seems that only the U.S. president has at his disposal transport along these lines.

The FactFile notes the various features, but the only person I can think of who possibly needs all that protection is the U.S. president himself. But why? Politics is a contentious issue but other leaders seem to get along with so much less. I suspect that the high level of protection is against his fellow Americans who many are totally mesmerized by the need to hold and rely on guns to solve their percieved problems.

Be that as it may, when the President travels by road he presents a formiable show. There is the Beast, and a substitute Beast, (is this necessary?), plus an entourage that could include up to 45 vehicles. Wow!

There are no two ways about it. You definately know when the leader of the largest free-nation is in town. This is Shock and Awe at its best. Price tag:$1,500,000 each.

However............

Sometimes, even the Beast needs a lift as a result of mechanical problems. This time, in spite of the best maintenance program that any car could wish for, this Beast could go no farther on its own because of a very basic mistake: gasoline was used to fill the tank, but this is a diesal motor car. Many people make this mistake, but you wouldn't expect such a security concious group to fall prey to something so basic.

Now I don't feel so bad when my Jag gets hoisted on the tow truck.

This may be impressive, but don't get me started on the President's travel by air.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene  Carmichael

  

Modifications to the Speed Limits!

Slowing Down!

The DGT of Spain have asked that the present speed limit code should be modified, but the only thing the press headlines blared was that the limit was likely to be raised from a maximum of 120 to 130. My immediate reaction was, please leave things as they are. The death toll has been steadily falling over many years, so why would anyone want to mess with that?

In fact, once we get past those headlines we see that in fact some real thought has gone into the proposed changes. Yes, there is a proposal that an increase be made, but only on the motorway, and even then only along selected straights. For the most part proposals will actually lower speeds along many roadways that are becoming too crowded for present limits.

Secondary roads that at present allow travel at 100kph would be lowered to 90, and along other roads we could find ourselves moving at 70, 50, and even 20kph. However, it is human nature to feel bottled up from time to time, so, as is the case on Germany's autobahn, drivers are given stretches of road to blow off steam. Bear in mind that 120 oftens means 140, so 130 will mean 150 when road and weather conditions allow.

I personally don't like speed. Too much of it is always present in crashes, even though the car may be moving at a fairly slow pace. By lowering the limits along places where the legal limit is too high we stand a chance of dropping the death toll even more. We simply have to be careful of not overdoing things on those areas where we are given our reward for otherwise obeying the law.

I often hear people say that they drive fast, but with skill, care, and safety in mind. They really do need to add the element of very good luck to that. I think it's better to drive within the legal limits, with all those other things as well. I also have to add the element of good luck.

Let's keep up the good work and continue to drive with care and caution.

Copyright (c) 2013    Eugene Carmichael

Crazy Time is Here, at Last!

The Mascletá in Full Roar!

There is no way you could hope to drive through this mob. 

Alcohol and driving don't mix, and neither does Fallas and driving. They are things to be avoided, and Fallas and parking is worse, so leave your cars at home, or well outside the city, and try to enjoy a break in the monotony of austerity cuts and Angela Merkel breathing down our necks. I know, she's right, but gimme a break.

Spain is considering raising the speed limit to 130, just when the numbers of deaths on the roads is falling close to "only" 1000, so I guess the authorities see driving as a way to thin the herd, but I don't feel like getting heavy now because the mood is light, the sun has actually put in an appearence today, so I will leave that for another time.

We have visitors for Fallas so I am going to go out and entertain them to our way of doing things because I want to see how many times they drop their mouths open.

If you are here, I hope you enjoy the events, and if you are not, I firmly suggest that you make it one of the things on your "Bucket List."

Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael

It's Fallas time in Valencia again. What's new?

The daily 2pm mascletá. All sound and tremendous fury that has to be heard to be believed!

It has been a year of difficult austerity that has moved things from bad to worse. How on earth did this country get itself in such a bind? When we first came here things were more or less standing still. The image of a restaurant in the north advertising for one waiter, that attracted a line of hopefuls stretching all the way to the south was popular. Then came the change from pesatas to the euro and all the secret savings came out from under the mattress and was converted into building projects that became out of control.

It's a real shame that normal steps were not exercised to control new building starts instead of concentrating all of Spain's new buildings for the next 20 years over a very short period of time. Now we are finding the country's wealth is tied up in unwanted and unused buildings that can't be sold.

Banks that financed the projects no longer have money to lend, and the government that overspent on many of the projects no longer have cash flow to support very basic social programmes. However, we Spanish are social creatures and somethings are sacred, such as fiestas. We have to party and that means the show must go on.

Somehow the city of Valencia are finding the money to stage the daily mascletá at 2pm in the plaza, and the monuments will take their places in the many crossroads that will effectively close some 600 streets. You have to be a real glutton for punishment to drive into Valencia between the 14th and 20th of March while the monuments are in place.

There are some changes this year from the 'ealf 'n safety crowd. No longer will small children be allowed to walk about with a lighter setting off crackers and blowing off fingers. In addition, children between the ages of eight and twelve have to carry with them an official copy of parental permission  to handle fireworks. Perhaps most important of all is that restrictions have been placed on where the setting off of fireworks can take place.

In the past the mischievious would throw loud crackers close to the elderly, or under the chairs of ladies sitting having a cup of coffee to see their reaction. The size and effect of the large boomers compare favourably with munitions on the war front. That was never funny, so now they must use the dry riverbed or approved park areas. About time!

The thing to remember is that Valencia becomes a very unfriendly place for cars. It's time to wear comfortable shoes and to pack your sense of humour, unless the crisis has killed it.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael