*That* Flooded Bugatti Veyron Is Finally Almost Back On The Road

“I’m pretty sure that’s a Lambo, dude” has been etched into our minds ever since *that* video of a Bugatti Veyron ploughing into a lake first appeared in 2009.  Finally, 14 years later, the story of its rebuild is concluding - with the car almost back on the road. 

Houston Crosta, who acquired the car in 2021, came close to selling the Veyron to Tavarish shortly after taking the keys with the damage ended up being significantly beyond initial expectations but decided he “didn’t want to give up”. Fair play, considering just how much of a headache watching some of the problems arrive is giving us.

Now though, the car is so very close to being back on the road. In the latest video covering the rebuild, we get to the bit we’ve been eagerly waiting for - the engine to work again.

Although, we’re not yet sure if the original engine or a replacement is in the car - with the video ending on a cliffhanger. Crosta toys with the idea of buying a new engine should the original not work, at this point left with a Bugatti service centre, before we get a clip of the car running and then a cut to black. Perhaps one final update is coming.

Not content with just fixing the car though, a purple respray has been undertaken and the Veyron is now sporting black badges. We’re getting serious Saints Row vibes - it just needs more yellow.

The last time couple of times we covered Crosta’s rebuild of the Veyron, we touched upon just how expensive some of the parts can be. For example, Bugatti wanted $16,000 for a Ricardo-built gearbox ECU. His solution? Leave a broken unit with a local computer repair shop and hope for the best.

Not just the expense, but also how tricky, Crosta has discovered finding the parts can be.  In the case of the exhaust manifold gaskets, Bugatti said they were unable to supply Crosta with them and an attempt to go to the supplier directly bore no fruit. Fortunately for the rebuild, Bugatti relented and was able to supply them with the new turbos.

Granted, it added to a pretty hefty parts bill. Crosta hasn’t stated the exact cost but says his order was “the largest order a Bugatti dealer has ever seen” and stresses he’s keen to avoid adding to it as it “almost becomes not feasible” to rebuild the Veyron.

In case you’re too young to remember or have been living under a rock for the last 20 years, let’s rewind back to 2009 for the tale of the Bugatti. As the story goes, the viral video sees the Bugatti gently peel off the road before ploughing into a lake. Then-owner Andy House claimed he was trying to avoid a low-flying pelican, though it turned out the whole thing was an insurance scam.

It was reported House could serve up to 20 years in prison for the stunt, although he ended up only serving just nine months.

For the Veyron though, it was a much longer sentence in purgatory. A dealer had originally taken advantage of the car’s clean title, secured a $1,000,000 loan and bought it - however, he went bankrupt with the Veyron then repossessed by the bank.

It emerged again in 2019, listed for $300,000 in a disassembled state, eventually winding up in the hands of Crosta. The plan from the start was to rebuild the car, but it’s taken a long time to get to this point.