RE: Driven: Noble M600 (Production Version)

[fatbutt]

joust said:

Confirmed as a vanity project then because the maths relly don't work on that basis.

To me this is game over really and confirms everything we naysayers have been harping on about. There is no business case here, just bragging rights. Knowing this I have no problem with the pricing strategy and the styling - in a world of 6 million people, there are at least 12 people who can be made to part with the cash per year for the next 2 or 3 years (i.e. until the novelty wears off).

This isn't a going concern, just a hobby, in which case fair enough. Whatever wings your ding Mr Dyson.

[Daisy Duke]

joust said:

Daisy, sounds like they are taking customers seriously, but to do otherwise would be real suicide. Unsure what the Red car is then (the LHD) as it was cited some months ago as being a customer car No. 5. Seems the information flow is a bit erratic and not clear then on the forums here.

Whilst production issues can explain the lateness, not sure about the 5 times reduction in build volumes, unless they got something very wrong when they announced the cars. More likely I am sure they have aligned their market with the production. I've always said they would have a market in the very low numbers for it, after all you can find 10's of people to buy almost anything it would appear - Ascari and Arash have proved that previously, Lexus more recently.

The red LHD car is a demonstrator and IIRC the car being delivered next month is car no.5. Whilst another problem caused the initial delay, the ongoing issue with production seems to revolve around the fact that only four people build each car and they can't do it any quicker to the high standards they've set themselves. I presume that to increase the rate of production would require more staff and enlarged facilities, something Noble are wary of considering at this early stage. I don't think getting the orders is a problem (one chap wants at least six, maybe as many as ten!), but fulfilling them in an acceptable timeframe may be. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see, unfortunately I don't think many will be UK registered cars though.

Interesting that you mentioned the LFA though, we were asked if we wanted to order one. Phil said he thought that all 500 had been sold, and was then told that yes they had, but we could have one within seven months. He pointed out that the original buyers probably wouldn't be too impressed to know that they were continuing to produce them. The salesperson seemed unconcerned with the significance of this and said they weren't going to produce that many more. So much for the limited number production run then!

joust said:

However, still unsure why Peter didn't want to say hello at TGBW at Le Mans, but perhaps he was more engrossed in talking to my friends?
J

I wonder if Peter has trouble recognising people as you're not the first to mention that they've been ignored by him until they're pointed out to him - or maybe in your case you have more interesting friends?

[joust]

Daisy Duke said:

I wonder if Peter has trouble recognising people as you're not the first to mention that they've been ignored by him until they're pointed out to him - or maybe in your case you have more interesting friends?

Peter knows exactly what I look like - he spent hours in my comlany before the M600 was announced and at one point I was apparently in his magic circle, asking me to 'leak' stuff on here.

However, when I asked for my deposit back, the reaction was rather different, but that's old ground.

I admire your positive spin on each step backwards and the lovely stories you seemingly come up with as explanations, but you sure you haven't got some rather nicely tinted specs? After all, if people really did want 50 a year, then employing more people isn't a retrograde step back as the fixed costs are the same. Anyone in business knows that variable labour costs are not what kills you.

[Daisy Duke]

joust said:

Daisy Duke said:

I wonder if Peter has trouble recognising people as you're not the first to mention that they've been ignored by him until they're pointed out to him - or maybe in your case you have more interesting friends?

Peter knows exactly what I look like - he spent hours in my comlany before the M600 was announced and at one point I was apparently in his magic circle, asking me to 'leak' stuff on here.

He's spent many hours in Phil's too but still didn't seem to immediately recognise him on Friday either, even though he knew he'd be saying 'Hello' at some point. I wouldn't take it personally if I were you.

joust said:

I admire your positive spin on each step backwards and the lovely stories you seemingly come up with as explanations, but you sure you haven't got some rather nicely tinted specs? After all, if people really did want 50 a year, then employing more people isn't a retrograde step back as the fixed costs are the same. Anyone in business knows that variable labour costs are not what kills you.

I'm not spinning - I'm just trying to pass on what I know, or have been told, in as unbiased manner as possible. I assure you I don't have tinted specs on (are you sure your view isn't coloured by your previous dealings with Peter?), but I don't see the point in constantly trying to see the negatives either. In this particular case, I was simply putting forward a hypothesis that it was the cost (and hassle) of enlarging the facilities and procuring and training more staff, not the actual labour cost itself, that was the limiting factor on production numbers. Of course I'm well aware that Peter could be lying about the number of orders, but he could just say nothing if he wanted to, and I could of course keep any future information I get to myself as it seems it's not appreciated.