RE: Phantom Vortex GTR
Discussion
annodomini2 said:
Thought they were changing these to turnkey only?
Different engine, Duratec v6 if i remember correctly?
That was indeed the plan at one point - but the best laid plans etc...
Last time I spoke to them (ages ago) I think they'd decided to keep kit versions available purely out of economic necessity.
ElCamino said:
Sorry to kick an old topic, but I am very interested in this kit, but I can't seem to find from which year the donor car needs to be... The site also mentions the Honda Legend as a suitable car (it has the same engine offcourse). Does anyone know from which modelyear the donor has to be? Does anyone here has experience building this kit, or know a good site with something like a build-diary?
Hi ElCamino
Donor cars can be any year 827's I think they were about 86 to 91, you can't use the 820 Vitesse. Can use the 2.7 Legend however the 3.2 needs considerable modifications for the shafts and brakes.
No build diaries exist as only two customer cars are finished at present with most owners being more spanner than keyboard (yes that means me).
There is a very tired owners support group that seems to consist of me and ....................well just me actually
If you need any specific info or want to see a car drop me a line, a few more cars should surface this year if builds go to plan!
HTH
Nick
At present there are no LHD kits available, there have been a number of enquiries from people wanting a number of such kits but AFAIK they have not come up with the cash to fund development (i.e. a number of firm orders). As the number of parts required from the donor is quite low it would make little difference tha the donr was LHD (not Gospel!), all the relevant LHD parts that would be needed are those supplied as new with the kit or purchased new by the builder.
Anyway, driving a RHD would be just that little bit more "exotic"
HTH Nick
Anyway, driving a RHD would be just that little bit more "exotic"
HTH Nick
jpf said:
Poking around looking for updated information on this car and could find nothing--any news regarding a website, status of the car, etc.?
Thought it had losts of potential...
Situation when I spoke to them at the Stoneleigh show in May was that they still couldn't get orders so don't really have the money to do any more.
The car is still available, but I think it's now rather on the backburner.
Am hoping to speak to the designer later today for update on situation.
aprisa said:
I'm shopping for a new camera in New York
Bloody long way to go for a camera Nick!
jpf - I've now spoken to Chris, the Phantom's designer, and while they are working on a customer car at the moment he confirmed that things are very very quiet.
Pity because it's a great car that really deserves success.
IMHO it is a bit of a Catch 22 position.
The kit is expensive (by its nature and I'm not saying it's bad value) this means it has a smaller market to start with. The factory has always been short of money and more to the point skilled labour for builds and development work. Factory cars have never quite been finished to a level that would put them up against the mainstream cars.
Fewer sales means less revenue, less revenue means slower development and no spare cash to make a splash at the shows. This together withe the distraction of producing a turn-key Ford based car at a heavy loss means only two Owner built cars on the road!
Three moves for the factory in four years doesn't help the image either.
It's a beautiful car, very well made and thought out kit, but as with other semi-exotic projects that have been brought to the market I think a huge injection of cash would be needed to lift it out of the doldrums.
On a positive note, what else could I afford that would leave me as the driver of one of only five cars worldwide
Nick
The kit is expensive (by its nature and I'm not saying it's bad value) this means it has a smaller market to start with. The factory has always been short of money and more to the point skilled labour for builds and development work. Factory cars have never quite been finished to a level that would put them up against the mainstream cars.
Fewer sales means less revenue, less revenue means slower development and no spare cash to make a splash at the shows. This together withe the distraction of producing a turn-key Ford based car at a heavy loss means only two Owner built cars on the road!
Three moves for the factory in four years doesn't help the image either.
It's a beautiful car, very well made and thought out kit, but as with other semi-exotic projects that have been brought to the market I think a huge injection of cash would be needed to lift it out of the doldrums.
On a positive note, what else could I afford that would leave me as the driver of one of only five cars worldwide
Nick
That's a shame to hear that there's not as much interest in the Phantom as I thought there would be.
Personally, I think that a Phantom with a slightly different front end (I don't much like the vents in the bonnet) and a Duratec V6 (or better still a Noble Motorsport twin turbo V6) would be a fabulous GT car.
Personally, I think that a Phantom with a slightly different front end (I don't much like the vents in the bonnet) and a Duratec V6 (or better still a Noble Motorsport twin turbo V6) would be a fabulous GT car.
LexSport said:
That's a shame to hear that there's not as much interest in the Phantom as I thought there would be.
Personally, I think that a Phantom with a slightly different front end (I don't much like the vents in the bonnet) and a Duratec V6 (or better still a Noble Motorsport twin turbo V6) would be a fabulous GT car.
Lex
One of the other silent directors of Phantom has a lovely black car sans engine that has had all the vents removed front and back, one large radiator vent in the middle at the front, xenon lights and different side vents. Looks amazing (mirror paint job). Will probably take ages to get on the road though as it is just tinkered with a bit at a time. Great shame.
Nick
Looks stunning in black! This is my current backdrop, I photoshoped the red car.
I think as a kit it is just too expensive. It is not like ultma that is a hardcore race type car, with a reputation all of its own.
It's not like the libra or 5exi that are both cheaper and compete with the Elise. Track toys.
It is almost more like a Porsche. Trouble is that market doesn’t tend to build their own cars.
The car is aimed at being a sole use car, it is brilliant and stunning, but too expensive for Joe bloggs and not well enough known about for rest.
Some good marketing, a 5k price drop and the final developments is about what the car needs.
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