RE: David Brown Speedback GT: Review
Discussion
Erudite geezer said:
pSyCoSiS said:
Good effort, but £600k?!
That puts it in Ferrari F40 price territory. If I had £600,000 to spend on a vehicle (and I most certainly do not) I would choose the red, shouty, firey mid-engined Italian.
I'm going to stand against the crowd and say I don't find it completely hideous as some seem to do. There's definitely some slightly awkward exterior detailing (mirrors, profile of tyres) but I think the rest of it looks ok along the lines of new Mini's/500's/Beetles stood next to their original models.
The interior seems strangely compromised in that although undoubtedly exceptionally well finished, there's no disguising its origins.
I'm sure he will have no problem shifting 10-12 to the worlds super rich. The price is completely irrelevant when selling at this level. For the people who can afford such a machine, there's no decision to be made between this and something else - the customer will just buy both. It's not exactly like Joe Bloggs studying the brochure for a Focus and a Golf and picking one of the two. People don't do compromise at this level, they just buy whatever the hell they like with scant regard for cost and residual values. For the people this is aimed at, £600k is akin to me walking into Aldi and exchanging a £1 coin for a bag of bananas.
The interior seems strangely compromised in that although undoubtedly exceptionally well finished, there's no disguising its origins.
I'm sure he will have no problem shifting 10-12 to the worlds super rich. The price is completely irrelevant when selling at this level. For the people who can afford such a machine, there's no decision to be made between this and something else - the customer will just buy both. It's not exactly like Joe Bloggs studying the brochure for a Focus and a Golf and picking one of the two. People don't do compromise at this level, they just buy whatever the hell they like with scant regard for cost and residual values. For the people this is aimed at, £600k is akin to me walking into Aldi and exchanging a £1 coin for a bag of bananas.
After reading the first 6 pages of this I started to wonder if the were any real Pistonheads left! Here is a small company, set up by a self made man with an engineering background using real old fashioned coachbuilding technique,to make an exclusive product in a world increasingly dominated by platform sharing copies (Aston Martin, Porsche, Jaguar etc),and all people can do is to slag it off? How sad. Its not an updated DB5 and neither is it trying to be. It's styled to hark back to classic GT's and has elements of many. Personally, I think it owes much to Italian styling houses of the late 50's and early 60's. Using an XK base means is sold enough to make a a convertible and has had most of the heavy development work done. The interior is the same. This is proven technology. Look at how many other small car makers made their own switchgear which had myriad problems. It's not comparable to a Singer or an Eagle as they are just updated versions of old cars. Beautiful yes, but not unique.
We should be giving credit to a man/company who has had the balls to do something he is passionate about and I wish him all the best of luck. After all, didn't Rolls, Lamborghini, Pagani,Bentley and Aston start the same way?
We should be giving credit to a man/company who has had the balls to do something he is passionate about and I wish him all the best of luck. After all, didn't Rolls, Lamborghini, Pagani,Bentley and Aston start the same way?
Oh, and I also think it owes a lot to the AC Aceca. But I must agree that the wheels aren't it best feature. http://www.cartype.com/pics/5864/full/ac_aceca_sf1...
R400TVR said:
After reading the first 6 pages of this I started to wonder if the were any real Pistonheads left! Here is a small company, set up by a self made man with an engineering background using real old fashioned coachbuilding technique,to make an exclusive product in a world increasingly dominated by platform sharing copies (Aston Martin, Porsche, Jaguar etc),and all people can do is to slag it off? How sad. Its not an updated DB5 and neither is it trying to be. It's styled to hark back to classic GT's and has elements of many. Personally, I think it owes much to Italian styling houses of the late 50's and early 60's. Using an XK base means is sold enough to make a a convertible and has had most of the heavy development work done. The interior is the same. This is proven technology. Look at how many other small car makers made their own switchgear which had myriad problems. It's not comparable to a Singer or an Eagle as they are just updated versions of old cars. Beautiful yes, but not unique.
We should be giving credit to a man/company who has had the balls to do something he is passionate about and I wish him all the best of luck. After all, didn't Rolls, Lamborghini, Pagani,Bentley and Aston start the same way?
I agree , I wouldn't buy it but I love the fact that it exists. We should be giving credit to a man/company who has had the balls to do something he is passionate about and I wish him all the best of luck. After all, didn't Rolls, Lamborghini, Pagani,Bentley and Aston start the same way?
For how long it does so is quite another matter though,I can't see a commercial logic but then I've not spent the years delivering the dream that Mr Brown has.
At least its prettier than a Bristol Beaufighter
Saw this in the metal at Prescott VSCC weekend yesterday...
Just.No. Sorry, great idea but from so many angles the reality is quite awkward / gauche. And that was before I read the asking price!
ETA: as far as last poster's comment - I'd far, far rather have a Bristol, would love one in fact.
Just.No. Sorry, great idea but from so many angles the reality is quite awkward / gauche. And that was before I read the asking price!
ETA: as far as last poster's comment - I'd far, far rather have a Bristol, would love one in fact.
Edited by Huff on Monday 4th August 20:59
2.5pi said:
R400TVR said:
After reading the first 6 pages of this I started to wonder if the were any real Pistonheads left! Here is a small company, set up by a self made man with an engineering background using real old fashioned coachbuilding technique,to make an exclusive product in a world increasingly dominated by platform sharing copies (Aston Martin, Porsche, Jaguar etc),and all people can do is to slag it off? How sad. Its not an updated DB5 and neither is it trying to be. It's styled to hark back to classic GT's and has elements of many. Personally, I think it owes much to Italian styling houses of the late 50's and early 60's. Using an XK base means is sold enough to make a a convertible and has had most of the heavy development work done. The interior is the same. This is proven technology. Look at how many other small car makers made their own switchgear which had myriad problems. It's not comparable to a Singer or an Eagle as they are just updated versions of old cars. Beautiful yes, but not unique.
We should be giving credit to a man/company who has had the balls to do something he is passionate about and I wish him all the best of luck. After all, didn't Rolls, Lamborghini, Pagani,Bentley and Aston start the same way?
I agree , I wouldn't buy it but I love the fact that it exists. We should be giving credit to a man/company who has had the balls to do something he is passionate about and I wish him all the best of luck. After all, didn't Rolls, Lamborghini, Pagani,Bentley and Aston start the same way?
For how long it does so is quite another matter though,I can't see a commercial logic but then I've not spent the years delivering the dream that Mr Brown has.
At least its prettier than a Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol comparison is an interesting one - it should work brilliantly based on all the ingredients, however the result is a bit of a mess.
I'm OK with the exterior - I wish they'd tried to make it a little less Aston, maybe widened their range of influences a bit. But I do think David Brown is on the money in his reasoning - which is that no-one's trying to make pretty cars nowadays. Aston and Ferrari GTs are all styled very aggressively, taking styling cues from mid-engined cars that look like a UFO being humped by a tropical fish. Even Maserati have lost it, with the discreet, pretty lines of the 3200GT-GranSport being replaced by the shouty Gran Tourismo.
Perhaps that's the anachronism - the smart, dapper man-about-town (or the chap from the Stella Cidre advert) just doesn't fit with a more modern, aggressive world. But fair dos for David Brown for trying to find something for that man. It's telling that Cidre Man drives an E-type; yes, the classic option is there but cars have gotten better in the last 50 years, something GT man is unable to take advantage of.
As for the underpinnings - yes, the XK is relatively humble given the very high price of the car. But let's not forget that the Bentley Continental/Flying Spur is (or certainly used to be) a tarted-up VW Phaeton, and the RR Wraith is at heart a BMW 7-series. Platform sharing is not unheard of at this end of the market. I do wish they'd made more of an effort on the interior though, for the price I'd expect something a bit more bespoke.
Finally, is it worth the price? I'd say no. I am aware that there is a small but vigorous market for £600k cars, though this might be the only unashamed GT trying to mix it with the P1 and the like. But aside from having to value the exclusivity of an unknown and untested badge, this is too far removed from obvious competition (Astons, Ferrari FF etc). At about half the price I think it could have made a better case for itself.
Perhaps that's the anachronism - the smart, dapper man-about-town (or the chap from the Stella Cidre advert) just doesn't fit with a more modern, aggressive world. But fair dos for David Brown for trying to find something for that man. It's telling that Cidre Man drives an E-type; yes, the classic option is there but cars have gotten better in the last 50 years, something GT man is unable to take advantage of.
As for the underpinnings - yes, the XK is relatively humble given the very high price of the car. But let's not forget that the Bentley Continental/Flying Spur is (or certainly used to be) a tarted-up VW Phaeton, and the RR Wraith is at heart a BMW 7-series. Platform sharing is not unheard of at this end of the market. I do wish they'd made more of an effort on the interior though, for the price I'd expect something a bit more bespoke.
Finally, is it worth the price? I'd say no. I am aware that there is a small but vigorous market for £600k cars, though this might be the only unashamed GT trying to mix it with the P1 and the like. But aside from having to value the exclusivity of an unknown and untested badge, this is too far removed from obvious competition (Astons, Ferrari FF etc). At about half the price I think it could have made a better case for itself.
R400TVR said:
After reading the first 6 pages of this I started to wonder if the were any real Pistonheads left! Here is a small company, set up by a self made man with an engineering background using real old fashioned coachbuilding technique,to make an exclusive product in a world increasingly dominated by platform sharing copies (Aston Martin, Porsche, Jaguar etc),and all people can do is to slag it off? How sad. Its not an updated DB5 and neither is it trying to be. It's styled to hark back to classic GT's and has elements of many. Personally, I think it owes much to Italian styling houses of the late 50's and early 60's. Using an XK base means is sold enough to make a a convertible and has had most of the heavy development work done. The interior is the same. This is proven technology. Look at how many other small car makers made their own switchgear which had myriad problems. It's not comparable to a Singer or an Eagle as they are just updated versions of old cars. Beautiful yes, but not unique.
We should be giving credit to a man/company who has had the balls to do something he is passionate about and I wish him all the best of luck. After all, didn't Rolls, Lamborghini, Pagani,Bentley and Aston start the same way?
I love the irony of your criticising Aston Martin, Porsche and Jaguar for platform-sharing, when this is a tarted up Jaguar XK (yes, a tarted up XK; just look at the horrific interior - XK with bling chrome everywhere).We should be giving credit to a man/company who has had the balls to do something he is passionate about and I wish him all the best of luck. After all, didn't Rolls, Lamborghini, Pagani,Bentley and Aston start the same way?
I quite like it. In the end, it is just a bit too pastiche and some of the details are a bit off here and there.
I like the idea of modern interpretations of classics: the Stratos "reimagining", the Muira "reboot", etc. I like modern conveniences and I like the look of old cars.
At a very, very different price point (say £150k), I'd seriously consider it.
I like the idea of modern interpretations of classics: the Stratos "reimagining", the Muira "reboot", etc. I like modern conveniences and I like the look of old cars.
At a very, very different price point (say £150k), I'd seriously consider it.
I am honestly staggered at much this car is....Really, really don't get it. Maybe at £200k it might have had a chance (if you like the styling) but it's the wrong price by a multiple. Fair play to Mr Brown for giving it a go but I can't see this ending well...at least if the idea is to make money. He'll do well to make double digits in sales.
Ultimately there are just so many better ways to spend £500 or £600k. You could probably have an Eagle E-type and a Singer 911 for that money.
Ultimately there are just so many better ways to spend £500 or £600k. You could probably have an Eagle E-type and a Singer 911 for that money.
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