The Red Monkey

By Ben Wojdyla, 5:15 PM on Fri Aug 28 2009, 3,080 views (Edit, to draft, Slurp)

Barry Zekelman paid the full $1.55 million price up front on a 2009 Bugatti Veyron, but days after Bugatti told him they weren’t building one, he demanded a refund. Eight months later he’s filing suit to get his money back

After placing his deposit of $427,935 on the $1.55 million vehicle, he paid in full last December. A few days later he was sent an email by the selling agent in Troy, Michigan he would not be receiving his 2009 Bugatti Veyron in Italian red, ever, they weren’t making any more. To add insult to injury, Bugatti offered a 2008 model in place of his ordered 2009. At this point Zekelman decided he’d had enough and demanded his money back, and has gone on demanding for eight months with no satisfaction. He’s had to file a lawsuit naming Bugatti, who’s kept his cash in their coffers for the entire time, and is seeking a complete refund and all court and lawyer fees. This isn’t the kind of thing you ever expect to hear about the buying process of the most exclusive supercar in the world. [Courthourse News (PDF) via TopSpeed]

Mr. Bean to make first ‘live’ appearance at Goodwood Revival to honor Mini turning 50

by Jonny Lieberman (RSS feed) on Aug 28th 2009 at 5:30PM

You like Minis? Comedy? All things British? Well mark your calendars for September 18-20, as comedian Rowan Atkinson will be appearing in character as the bungling Mr. Bean during the UK’s Goodwood Revival. Not only that, but to celebrate 50 years of Mini, Mr. Bean will be driving his pea-green and black-hooded Issigonis-penned Mini around the Goodwood Motor Circuit each day of the festival – sitting on the roof! Turns out it’s a well known Mr. Bean gag. Ahem.

Atkinson, a well known car buff (and McLaren F1 owner), will also be bringing his Jaguar Mk IV to help celebrate 80 years of Sir Stirling Moss. One more thing, Atkinson will field a 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S during an all-Mini St Mary’s Trophy saloon car race. We wish him the best of luck with that last one, despite our blood-boiling jealousy. Full press release after the jump.

[Source: Goodwood | Image: Max Nash/AFP/Getty]

PRESS RELEASE:

MR BEAN TO MAKE HIS ‘LIVE’ WORLD DEBUT AT THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL

(18-20 September)

* Goodwood Revival regular Rowan Atkinson to make his first ever live public appearance in character as Mr Bean
* Mr Bean’s live appearance will be part of Goodwood’s celebration of 50 years of the Mini – Britain’s best-loved car – plus 20 years since the Mr Bean character was created
* Mr Bean to drive from the roof of his famous pea green and black Mini around the legendary Goodwood Motor Circuit on all three days of the Revival, re-enacting a popular sketch from his hit TV comedy series
* Rowan Atkinson also to compete in an original 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S in an all-Mini St Mary’s Trophy saloon car race at the Revival, plus demonstrate his Jaguar Mk VI as part of the 80th birthday tribute to Sir Stirling Moss

Mr Bean – one of the world’s most popular comedy character creations over the last 20 years – will be making his first ever live public appearance at the 2009 Goodwood Revival, from 18-20 September.

Rowan Atkinson will drive around the Goodwood Motor Circuit in character as Mr Bean each day as part of a huge parade of Minis to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this iconic British car at the Revival. Mr Bean will be driving his distinctive pea green and black Mini sitting in a comfy armchair attached to the roof of the car, using a mop and string to operate the pedals and steering. Atkinson will recreate this hilarious scene from the Mr Bean television series when the character bought various items in a famous department store sale, including a large arm chair, and then realised that it would not fit in his diminutive Mini, leading to him strapping the chair to the car roof and driving it home from his unconventional but lofty perch.

Rowan Atkinson is a regular and enthusiastic participant at both of Goodwood’s annual leading motor sport events; the Festival of Speed, and the Revival, which takes place in just over three weeks time. As well as appearing at the Revival as Mr Bean, Atkinson will also be racing an authentic 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S in the St Mary’s Trophy saloon car race, which this year is dedicated to Minis-only, recreating the all-Mini races that took place at Goodwood in the early 1960s. He will also participate in a large 80th birthday tribute to motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss with his Jaguar Mk VI.

The Goodwood Revival is the largest and most successful motor race meeting in the world and the only one of its kind to take place entirely to a period theme.

Marking the 50th anniversary of the Mini car will be just one of the highlights of this year’s Revival. Goodwood will also be celebrating the 80th birthday of ‘Mr Goodwood’ himself, Sir Stirling Moss, with 80 of the 96 vehicles he campaigned during his racing career being displayed at the event. The Revival will also see a celebration of the mini skirt, with female visitors being encouraged to wear theirs and stroll along a recreation of Carnaby Street in the Swinging 60s, especially on the Revival Ladies Day, being held on Saturday 19 September.

Rowan Atkinson will be joined at the Goodwood Revival by a host of other famous faces, including 1969 moon walking astronaut Buzz Aldrin who will be a judge in the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation concours for classic aircraft. In addition the Revival will have the finest wheel-to-wheel racing with top drivers, riders, cars and motorcycles, plus breath-taking air displays, live music, the Revival market and pre-1966 car show, plus the BGC Earls Court motor show, recalling the great motoring exhibitions of the post-War era. Add in Mr Bean’s live appearance, and the Revival truly promises to be a spectacle not to be missed.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Hatchback, MINI, UK, Celebrities, Event Alert

Tags: Goodwood Revival, GoodwoodRevival, Jaguar Mk VI, JaguarMkVi, Mini, Mr. Bean, Mr. Bean Mini, Mr.Bean, Mr.BeanMini, Rowan Atkinson, RowanAtkinson, Stirling Moss, StirlingMoss

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• Comments (4)

This is great news. One of the best episodes was when he strapped his recliner to the roof of his mini since it would not fit in it and he drove with a broom stick for the brake and throttle and a rope on the steering wheel.

This is over a year old and poorly recorded but it was a great show.