The End of the Westfield Eleven
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It seem to have quietly dissappeared from Westfield's website, so I'd assumed they'd killed it off in the face of IVA (it needed some very dodgy tactics to get it through SVA, like presenting it it for the test with no doors or windscreen and with temporary 'frogeye' headlamp pods fitted - I get the impression that IVA has clamped down a bit on such obvious subterfuge?).To answer my own question - I got an e-mail announcement from the US distributor last night:
...that's assuming you feel brave enough to take the gamble of getting it through IVA?
I said:
MKnight702 said:
Why not go for an eleven!!!!
Anybody know if the Eleven is actually still available? It seem to have quietly dissappeared from Westfield's website, so I'd assumed they'd killed it off in the face of IVA (it needed some very dodgy tactics to get it through SVA, like presenting it it for the test with no doors or windscreen and with temporary 'frogeye' headlamp pods fitted - I get the impression that IVA has clamped down a bit on such obvious subterfuge?).
Manik Technology said:
The factory has just announced that after a very successful reintroduction and 5 year production run of the XI, they will be taking final orders up until December 31, 2010 for component versions of the XI. Collection dates for the kits will be in March, 2010, and no further orders for XIs will be taken.
Spare and replacement parts for the XI will remain available indefinitely though.
So if you missed your opportunity the first time around...
Given the very high resale values that have been maintained even while the car was available in production, it's got to have the best investment potential of anything in the kit car market at the moment?Spare and replacement parts for the XI will remain available indefinitely though.
So if you missed your opportunity the first time around...
...that's assuming you feel brave enough to take the gamble of getting it through IVA?
Very sad to see the car pulled but it was a struggle to get the car through an SVA let alone the IVA. The majority of the issues are to do with headlamp height or lack of to be precise. How height of headlamp above ground is of cause for concern I'm not sure, surely if they point the correct way and are at each side of the car it should be sufficient but no, some bureaucrat sat somewhere has, at the stroke of a pen, killed a wonderful car.
Still, looking on the bright side, mine isn't going to depreciate anytime soon!
Still, looking on the bright side, mine isn't going to depreciate anytime soon!
Thats a shame, I remember speaking to their bodywork guys at Stoneleigh about how much effort they put into the moulds etc.
There are still a few originals out there doing well on the track, I see quite a few racing in France, I guess as a replica it does not do well up against modern counterparts on the track.
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There are still a few originals out there doing well on the track, I see quite a few racing in France, I guess as a replica it does not do well up against modern counterparts on the track.
.
Tiger racing do a similar 60's racer rep, and the Fury / Phoenix are a slightly twisted vein of a 60's concept. Such a shame those cars do not sell in volumes any more, I can only assume the Westfield XI was let down by it's percieved performance with an A-Series? I'd love one personally, and I also cannot see how IVA could be refused if you temporarily drilled Caterham 7 headlights to the top of the wing? will look crap but only for the test. Until they stop retrospective changes ie: pretty much all IVA'd kits I cannot see a problem. Maybe they just want a rush of sales!?
Furyblade_Lee said:
Tiger racing do a similar 60's racer rep, and the Fury / Phoenix are a slightly twisted vein of a 60's concept. Such a shame those cars do not sell in volumes any more, I can only assume the Westfield XI was let down by it's percieved performance with an A-Series? I'd love one personally, and I also cannot see how IVA could be refused if you temporarily drilled Caterham 7 headlights to the top of the wing? will look crap but only for the test. Until they stop retrospective changes ie: pretty much all IVA'd kits I cannot see a problem. Maybe they just want a rush of sales!?
Stupid question but can you still not have a daylight only option or how abot solving the headlights issue in a similar fashion to the Brooke MEgroomi said:
Really? Any pics/info/links? Wasn't aware of that. 
I can't find any links (it was marketed as the Westfield Sports, so you just get thousands of links to other Westfield related stuff), but it would have been early '90's. The car used an SEi chassis and CVH engine (in the demonstrator) with a slightly enlarged 'Eleven' style body (which looked a bit 'jelly mould' and had GRP instead of alloy sills, which probably accounts for its lack of success - it didn't look particularly 'authentic').It isn't even listed in any of the marque histories, but I think I've still got a brochure somewhere.
Furyblade_Lee said:
I can only assume the Westfield XI was let down by it's percieved performance with an A-Series?
Sure, the A Series is unlikely to win any pub bragging contests, and the current preoccupation with ever higher BHP numbers will count against the car. However, when I was building mine the XI came well placed in the EVO Car of the Year, and in the blurb they mentioned that out of all the cars on test, the little Westfield did by far the most track miles as everyone loved driving it. Driver enjoyment should count for far more than pub bragging rights but there you go.Last Sunday I was at Mallory supporting a friend racing in his XI. He may only have half the power of the closest competitor, but he had a good fight with a Kougar running a 4.2l (an engine 3 times the size) since his cornering is much better.
Sam_68 said:
I can't find any links (it was marketed as the Westfield Sports, so you just get thousands of links to other Westfield related stuff), but it would have been early '90's. The car used an SEi chassis and CVH engine (in the demonstrator) with a slightly enlarged 'Eleven' style body (which looked a bit 'jelly mould' and had GRP instead of alloy sills, which probably accounts for its lack of success - it didn't look particularly 'authentic').
It isn't even listed in any of the marque histories, but I think I've still got a brochure somewhere.
The original Westfield 'replica' of a Lotus Eleven was called the 'Westfield Sports'...It isn't even listed in any of the marque histories, but I think I've still got a brochure somewhere.
ferg said:
original Westfield 'replica' of a Lotus Eleven was called the 'Westfield Sports'...
Yes, it was indeed; neither the number 11 nor the name Lotus were never mentioned by Westfield themselves at the time, presumably for fear of litigation.And of course there was the Sports 2000 and the current car engined SEi models are also marketed as various denominations of 'Westfield Sport'.
But the 'jellymould' second generation (SEi-based) XI was a distinct and separate model from the original Midget-based 'Westfield Sports' XI.
Sam_68 said:
ferg said:
original Westfield 'replica' of a Lotus Eleven was called the 'Westfield Sports'...
Yes, it was indeed; neither the number 11 nor the name Lotus were never mentioned by Westfield themselves at the time, presumably for fear of litigation.And of course there was the Sports 2000 and the current car engined SEi models are also marketed as various denominations of 'Westfield Sport'.
But the 'jellymould' second generation (SEi-based) XI was a distinct and separate model from the original Midget-based 'Westfield Sports' XI.
the brochure shows GRP sides, but the options list offers 'Aluminium pontoons'
They offer the 'Complete vehicle' (that's inc donor stuff) for £3950 + VAT!
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