Time for another peek into the “Lifestyles of the Rich… and Cranky.”
Yes, the rich have more money than you and me, but they also have special problems that we don’t face.
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For example, where to drive their Bugotti Veyrons. The Bugotti, has 16 cylinders, 1001 horsepower, and 10 radiators – as well as a sticker price of $1.8 million. Of course they could drive it to the office or the mall, just as you might drive, say, a Chrysler minivan. But I’m talking about really driving it.
You see, the Bugotti is made to roar, not commute. It’ll go from zero to 60 in 2.3 seconds, and it’s geared to top 250 miles an hour. So, where to turn this baby lose?
The Monticello Motor Club in New York is one answer. It’s one of several, members-only, private autobahns that have sprung up around the country to accommodate the super-wealthy who have a Mario Andretti complex and an exotic car. It costs $125,000 just to join, but the average net worth of these Monitcellorians is $20 million, so as one club official notes, “One hundred and twenty five thousand is just not a lot of money to them.”
That’s good, because it also costs a pretty penny to run the Bugotti. Goose it up to top speed, and the gas tank drains in only 12 minutes, while the tires last only 15 minutes. See – you thought your car was a problem.
Meanwhile, for the true fanatics in this big-bucks, supercharged world, the Monticello developers are planning to build upscale condos with views of the main straightaway, where top speeds are reached. This will let the enthusiasts zoom their Bugottis every day, watch others drive and literally live with their cars. “Imagine a 4-to-12-car garage with living space over it,” says a club official.
Yeah, imagine.
“Behind the wheel at a Club With a $125,000 Entry Fee but No Speeding Tickets,” The New York Times, July 27, 2008.
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