Florida Man Selling Bugatti Veyron for $125,000; It's Actually an '02 Cougar

Photo credit: Craigslist Orlando
Photo credit: Craigslist Orlando

From Popular Mechanics

  • A Florida man is listing a 2012 Bugatti Veyron for sale on Craigslist Orlando for a mere $125,000—a bargain for a $2.5 million supercar.

  • A closer inspection shows that it's actually a 2002 Mercury Cougar modified to look like the Bugatti, which the seller cheerfully admits.

  • If the looks don't fool passersby, neither will the 170-hp stock V-6 engine from the Cougar.


Just when you didn't think that the online car-sales world could get any wilder, the good old Florida man proves you're wrong by offering up a Bugatti Veyron for $125,000. The only catch is that the car isn’t actually a Veyron, but a heavily modified 2002 Mercury Cougar.

The anonymous Floridian's impressive mock Veyron looks almost exactly like the real thing from the outside; the headlights, vents, grilles, and bodywork are like a carbon copy. It even features a retractable rear wing, just like a real Veyron. The only things that seem to be amiss with the exterior are the wheels and lack of carbon fiber.

At a standstill, just sitting in a parking lot, this fake Veyron might play the part well enough that passersby would need to examine each minute detail to be sure that this isn't in fact a real Bugatti. The interior is impressive as well, but doesn't look like it's from a car that supposed to be worth around $2.5 million. The seats, dash, and headliner were all customized by the seller and look the part, but the switchgear, door latches, and steering wheel give up the act.

Photo credit: Craigslist Orlando
Photo credit: Craigslist Orlando
Photo credit: Craigslist Orlando
Photo credit: Craigslist Orlando
Photo credit: Craigslist Orlando
Photo credit: Craigslist Orlando

Unfortunately, the performance doesn't imitate the real Veyron's in any way. For starters, the fake still has the stock Mercury Cougar engine, a 2.5-liter V-6 that pumps out a weak 170 horsepower. The real Veyron is powered by a 1200-hp quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W-16; that's seven times more horsepower than the Mercury engine.

If the thought of owning a fake Bugatti is appealing to you, head over to Craigslist Orlando or Car Export America, where it has been listed for sale by owner. Speaking of the owner, he (just a guess) is pretty self-aware and modest, listing the car as a "REPLICA," clearly describing its provenance, and commenting: "I have been sent the nicest text messages ever. And uplifting. And some very weird and sickening."

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