You could...push it across the finish line. Or tow it.
Hey, we only paid a running Honda Nighthawk 750 for it (very pretty bike). It was a good deal.
Sounds like any typical FFV - you lose some mpg, but its cheaper than premium or ultra (usually dramatically so), so unless you need maximum range it shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully it doesn't have issues down the line because of the E85. lol @ "will it get stolen" - sure, high profile custom cars may be targets, but like you said, where are they gonna hide a one-off like that? Just call into the local news station and give them a picture of the car and say it was stolen; good luck hiding it now!
Pics. Lots of them.
There shouldn't be any problems, the EFI system is designed for flex fuels. They didn't certify it because while running E85 it goes below their target efficiency to avoid the gas-guzzler tax (16 vs 18mpg average) and to stay within EU specs (they'd have to fork over large penalties due to not being compliant). I don't believe them for a moment when they say they haven't fully tested it, it simply doesn't meet the specification so they don't mention it. The same holds true for the new Merc S class (which uses the same system). I have confidence it'll be fine, and it doesn't void the warranty, so it's all good. What's astounding is that it drives better (more smoothly and comfortably) than any other car I own, any other I've ever driven. The 458, its main competition, is a good ride, very nice compared to other sports cars, but in comparison it feels like a hay wagon. I have a feeling that car is going to have a
whole lot of miles on it, before all is said and done.
I think it's interesting that you seem more excited by the car that was essentially an afterthought from the Saleen deal falling through. You seem more excited about the SuperBee than you were about the McLaren!
I dunno about that, I was going nuts for the Mac, there just wasn't a hell of a lot I could do about it. You order and you wait, and wait, and wait... The GT is intriguing because of the raw power, and the mythology around it, I'd never before been in a car that boasts such numbers. The Saleen was just an investment. Though I like the styling, it's never been a real object of desire for me. Despite its numbers, which are great, it isn't any faster than the Mac, and it's a lot more fragile and fussy, by all accounts.
Which gets to the meat of this. There's no other way to say it, so I'll spit it out, it broke the dyno. We were in the 3rd set of runs (run a few tests and then 3 runs and figure an average) when there was a really loud bang. I thought an axle had broken, but it was the dyno torque shaft.
The machine is supposed to be able to handle 1000ft/lbs (the car was making 855lbs when this happened), but it's almost 8 years old. It can be fixed, at least, the tech is coming by to assess and repair it. Although it wasn't my fault, I feel responsible. It has broken before however, while testing an 850hp Chevelle SS (blown 454), but not as spectacularly (there was shrapnel scattered under the grate). At least my car wasn't damaged.
The car itself is wild, (Red=100oct, Green=93, and Blue is valet), WHP:
The valet mode actually works, and it not only works, it's efficient too. The on-board system is saying it's getting just shy of 24MPG, and since the car is so light and aerodynamic, 380hp is pretty strong (the 5k RPM limiter isn't an issue when poking around town, either). I didn't get to drive it much, out and about, but what little I did was nice. Comfy, very responsive, and when dialed in it's scary. The fit/finish and ride are outstanding (however entry and egress aren't as easy as with other butterfly setups), every bit as good as the 458. Also, with just casual testing on a clear stretch, 0-60 time is 2.5sec without really trying. More thoughts when I get more time with it.