Spyker to buy Midland F1

[mal]

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?

[Bob U]

Here it is

http://www.spykercars.com/?pag=50&jaar=&nid=195

Not a lot apart from rumours so far

[Andy Zarse]

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?

In the dustbin, with any luck.

I ceased being a fan of Spyker when they came out with that utterly ghastly 4X4 last year.  What a blatant cash-in on the SUV market - $$ Kerrr-ching! How to destroy your core brand values and integrity in one easy lesson. And even to contemplate F1 is an abomination....

[Pieter]

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.

And the SUV is utterly ugly of course, but so is the Porsche Cayenne and they did pretty good selling it anyway.

[Nordic]

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.

[Andy Zarse]

And the SUV is utterly ugly of course, but so is the Porsche Cayenne and they did pretty good selling it anyway.

Words cannot adequately describe what I think about that particular abomination on wheels. It proved to me, along with the fact that Porsche have not themselves created a racing car of note for over ten years, that the current management care only about money and nothing for their integrity or adding to their considerable heritage. And the styling is even more laughable than the Spyker and that must take some doing. Morphing a 911 into an SUV and pretending it's based on a late '80s Paris Dakar raid car is nearly as risible as the deluded fools who pay top dollar for it. God I hate it so.

[Matt Harper]

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?

The misguided leading the incompetent.

I feel that Spykers sportscar forays are laudible, though eccentric. Bit like a Dutch Morgan. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, of course, but I feel that the Spyker sports car (not seen an SUV version) looks like something a schoolboy designed.
Porsche Cayenne is a sell-out, per Zarse's comments. VW Toureg half the price - half the derisive laughter

[Pieter]

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.

[wishy]

The Spyker as a road car is impressive......but the most notable thing about the Spyker last weekend ....call me an anorak if you like....is the flames out of the exhaust on overrun going into the old hairpin .....awesome.....a real car!!!!!!!


Wishy

[Paddy_NL]

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.
We have a third 'famous' Mol, who tends to bore Dutch F1-viewers to sleep with his commentary

[Matt Harper]

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.

That's stretching it a bit, isn't it, Pieter? I thought the only thing that Spyker cars shared with the original Spyker company was the right to use the name. Is that not so?

[DelBoy]

We have a third 'famous' Mol, who tends to bore Dutch F1-viewers to sleep with his commentary

You don't need a boring commentator to fall asleep watching F1 !!

Del

[Paddy_NL]

Hmm yeah, I see your point

[Fax]

Perhaps there's Egg Foo money in this, he may have finally found a way to buy his way back into F1
They may be tryng to sell Spykers in China, Malaysia, Bahrain, etc.  After all there are not going to many Euro venues left, I see Imola and the mini-Ring have been dumped for next season.
Fax

[knetter]

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.

Different MOL! John de Mol, not Michel Mol.

Did not see Paddy comment before posting, so a bit redundant. Spijker are probably not putting to much money in to the project, since they have none and are expected to not make a profit in the near future selling their cars. Also if sharerholders don't agree, their will be no involvement at all. As far as exposure of the brand goes, F1 is the better strategic move since it is viewed by millions of people, only a few million race fans follow the lemans series, alms and Le Mans itself, note the difference I make between people and race fans!

Will just have to wait and see what happens!