There is a press release issued by Spyker that they are in neotiations to buy Midland F1 - if true where would this leave the le mans effort?
And the SUV is utterly ugly of course, but so is the Porsche Cayenne and they did pretty good selling it anyway.
There is a press release issued by Spyker that they are in neotiations to buy Midland F1 - if true where would this leave the le mans effort?
Still what do you expect from someone who created Big Brother.Small correction, that's another Mol. This Mol runs Lost Boys, the other one does television. But they both have a lot of money.
Actually, Spyker aren't that far of their roots with the SUV. In 1903 they built the first car with permanent 4WD. They were first to install a six cylinder as well, but that's a different matter. ;)
We have a third 'famous' Mol, who tends to bore Dutch F1-viewers to sleep with his commentary :-\
I guess trolling around at the back of the grid with a couple of rent-a-drivers being lapped 3 times while sucking up to the great and the good is better value, than racing a car that is based on one that is available for sale and being competitive against Porsche and ferrari in GT2 a class that performs in at least 3 series around the world including two of the greatest races, Sebring and Le Mans.
Still what do you expect from someone who created Big Brother.
It makes sense to so. The F1 project won't be financed from current Spyker funds, I presume. But both road and track cars will benefit from F1 expertise and wind tunnel. Marketingwise it'll provide them a bigger audience worldwide and more credibility among prospects who value F1. Beside that, costs are decreasing and income is increasing for the teams in F1.Spyker would do well to read the Nielsen report on the audience for ALMS (see the ALMS website) which suggests that the audience for endurance racing is one of the richest in all sports - I doubt wheter F1 can say the same. If racing's about marketing their road-going cars then they should stick where they are. The audience may be bigger but is it the right audience? I guess they've done their homework but I suspect it's just another case of giant egos at the top of the company wanting to be involved in the "glamour" of F1. Puke.
Also, being in F1 doesn't mean backing out of endurance racing. ;)Let's hope not but tell that to BMW.
Also, being in F1 doesn't mean backing out of endurance racing. ;)Let's hope not but tell that to BMW.
The reach of F1 has little to do with people who attend the races, that's only a small part. F1 has the advantage of being televised worldwide on an open net and is being watched by people from all walks of life and therefore also by those who can afford a Spyker.Sorry Pieter but niche brands need niche audiences. Blanket coverage is fine for fmcgs (fast-moving consumer goods) and large-scale-production companies but it's just overkill for a company in Spyker's section of the market and a huge waste of money. The audience may be huge but that's the point, it's just big and comes with an astronomical price-tag which BMW and Toyota et al may be able to sustain but I would doubt if Spyker will be able to. It is not properly targeted. Corvette sales in Europe have rocketed since their LM successes and Aston are undoubtedly beginning to find the same. These companies are not dumb! In Corvettes case the roadgoing version of their car is not great but their targetting of their audience has been absolutely spot-on. Sorry to go on about this but I really hate the idea of them disappearing down the F1 drain. It didn't take Midland long (but it undoubtedly took quite a few quids) to see the light, did it?
And although the percentage may be lower than at endurance racing, cumulative figures will probably exceed them by far. Endurance racing just doesn't offer enough reach to build brand awareness.
In Corvettes case the roadgoing version of their car is not great but their targetting of their audience has been absolutely spot-on.
Actually, Matt, personally I love them and do covert one! Those looks, that noise, the pricetag. But I know many people on the forum "poo-poo" American muscle cars and no doubt Mr Zarse for one would engage in a lively slanging match (sorry, debate) on this subject.
At risk of opening this all up again, when it was pretty well hammered flat - Andrew Zarse's reference (codswallop that it is) would suggest - and presumably the eponymous Mr Zee agrees, since he brought this up, that the Viper SRT-10 is therefore a finer car than:
Porsche 911 Turbo and Carrera S
BMW Z8 and M3
Aston Martin DB7 GT and Vanquish
Benzo CL65 and AMG SL55
Ferrari 575
Audi S4
Now, let's compare price tags again, shall we? How much is a SL55 or a 911T - it's just slipped my mind
Andrew, have a word with yourself, old bean. Yet again, I call bollox on ya!
As do we all. ;D
I love our little chats.
The only cars on that list that I wouldn't want before a Viper are:-
BMW Z8 (I don't want to look like a hairdresser)
BMW M3 (Just buy the M5 and get a really good car!)
So my order from the list would be:-
Aston Martin Vanquish
Aston Martin DB7 GT
Benzo SL55
Benzo CL65
Ferrari 575
Porsche 911 Turbo
Porsche Carrera S
Audi S4
VIPER SRT-10
Will never buy though:-
BMW M3
BMW Z8Go on Zarse have go if you think your hard enough!
A minor adjuct to all this.... it's Labor Day weekend here in the land of the free (or is it brave?) I just got back from the boozer - the venerable Fish on Fire, on Lonesome Corner (known to a couple of last year's Sebringwallers).
Well there's this dude who drinks there, kinda regular like, who looks the spit of Richard Petty, who goes by the name of Turbo. Now, Turbo's a regular Florida cracker type - likes Jimmy Buffet, got a big coon hound named Daphne and who's regular ride is a Ford F350, all jacked-up to hell like a monster truck.
He's been telling me for months that he's got a '70 Challenger in the shop, that he blowed the motor all to smitherines and has been working on since before Pontius was a pilot. I have always nodded politely, figuring he was full of it.
Well tonight he showed up at the FoF in that ol' Dodge.
It has been my good fortune to own/drive a fair selection of American muscle in my time, so when he offered me a spin (initially shotgun, but then at the helm) I figured I'd got it all figured out.
Uh, huh. No way Jose. Not never , no how.
This old bruiser flattened my eyeballs. I didn't drive it, I hung on for dear life and cried like a schoolgirl.
383ci stroker - Crane roller-rocker/Moroso long-tubes/Holley Dominator, 3500 high-stall, Dana spool - the forking works. They don't make 'em like thi Mopar Monster anymore (well, untill 2007 anyway).
The graphic on the trunk deck said it all - "Does not play well with others".
Viper - Schmiper, those Cuda's n' challengers are and were the sh*t.
I want one.
What's that on the cover?
Win a Dax Cobra worth £1,000???????
Anyway, I guess this is all a bit subjective, but here's my opinion on the cars you mention :
Hang on a second, Andy - this lot was your point of reference, not mine. In fairness, it was you who drew our attention to this supposedly authoritive league table. All I have done is highlight some bloody nice cars that rank lower in YOUR reference than the Viper - so I'd say my point is quite clear.
By your logic, the SRT-10 is a more accomplished car than a Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG - and a Porsche 911 Turbo - your list , not mine.
I think the price comparison may be slighly irrelevant - and I only have access to US pricing, without getting all anal about it and searching UK sites, which I frankly can't be arsed to do.
Finally, love 'em or loathe 'em (and I do neither) the Viper is hand built by Chrysler SRT division - it's not a Benzo, granted - but it ain't a Stratus or a Charger either.
Let it lie.
Have a read of the whole article Rick, goes on for about ten pages.
The Dodge has a singular and sole purpose in life: to go down the road as fast as possible. The other cars mainly have other purposes/compromises, i.e. to comfortably waft four people around Europe, have room for a dog in the back, etc etc. To my mind the Viper fails comprehensively in the one thing it sets out to acheive.
As for "Let it lie"... see Matt's contiguous post.
At risk of opening this all up again, when it was pretty well hammered flat - Andrew Zarse's reference (codswallop that it is) would suggest - and presumably the eponymous Mr Zee agrees, since he brought this up, that the Viper SRT-10 is therefore a finer car than:
Porsche 911 Turbo and Carrera S
BMW Z8 and M3
Aston Martin DB7 GT and Vanquish
Benzo CL65 and AMG SL55
Ferrari 575
Audi S4
Now, let's compare price tags again, shall we? How much is a SL55 or a 911T - it's just slipped my mind
Andrew, have a word with yourself, old bean. Yet again, I call bollox on ya!