Thursday 19th September 2013

9ff files for insolvency

Even a 1,000hp 9ff can't outrun the financial realities hitting the German tuning industry

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It seems that a month can no longer pass without another small manufacturer going bust. Following the demise of Wiesmann and Gumpert recently, Porsche tuners 9ff have now filed for insolvency.

CR-42 was a 195mph Cayman

Our most recent experience of a 9ff product was the mad GT9 of 2008. The 1,000hp 997-based car hit 300km/h (186mph) in 17.6 seconds, just 13 seconds after hitting sixty. According to 9ff's boss Jan Fatthauer, it was created to 'give my customers a little fight, a little special plaything for the weekends'.

The GT9 was due to become the 1,120hp GT9 R, with a convertible planned also. We also had news of Panamera-based cars without any further direct experience.

Given the fantastic base presented by the new Cayman, it seems a shame that 9ff (probably) won't be around to enhance the package even further. PH was extremely impressed by the 4.1-litre CR-42 back in 2007, taking the 987 Cayman S to a proper supercar (with a price tag to match).

But perhaps the popularity of such conversions has proved 9ff's undoing. There are plenty of companies involved with tuning Porsches (speedART has just gone under also), so maybe 9ff didn't offer sufficient uniqueness in a busy marketplace.

Moreover, there's the issue of standard Porsche products too and their unrelenting competence. Who in reality is likely to jump out of a 991 Turbo and think 'hmm, this is nice, but it could do with being a bit faster'? That's why the Cayman remains a relevant tuning base, but Porsche's Turbo S products cater for all but the most power-crazed of customers now.

[louismchuge]

4.6 to 60? Am I being thick here?

[Contigo]

Seems slow really for that good 187 time but these cars move alot once over 60 really.

[Mojocvh]

Limited in the lower gears?

[monthefish]

Shame.

I remember first reading about this company when they modd'd a 996 GT2 in an early Evo magazine..

[Ikemi]

Such a shame; 9ff turned out some nice looking cars, considering they were heavily modified. Any chance of another company buying them out? Perhaps a bigger tuning house?

[PascalBuyens]

louismchuge said:

4.6 to 60? Am I being thick here?

Official quoted time for the 9ff 0-60mph is 2.9 seconds... So something doesn't add up

[NDNDNDND]

Very sad to hear of 9ff's demise, and also Wiesmann and Gumpert. They seemed to cater to genuine enthusiasts in an increasingly push-button, computer-driven car world.

Still, I couldn't afford 'em, so I guess my vote doesn't count.

I think the slow(ish) 0-60 was due to two-wheel drive and the struggle to get the power down, although I'm sure there are other 2wd drive cars that can do 0-60 faster...

[soad]

Lack of sales? Never see these, only Kahn Range Rovers.

[NDNDNDND]

Very sad to hear of 9ff's demise, and also Wiesmann and Gumpert. They seemed to cater to genuine enthusiasts in an increasingly push-button, computer-driven car world.

Still, I couldn't afford 'em, so I guess my vote doesn't count.

I think the slow(ish) 0-60 was due to two-wheel drive and the struggle to get the power down, although I'm sure there are other 2wd drive cars that can do 0-60 faster...

[don logan]

soad said:

Lack of sales? Never see these, only Kahn Range Rovers.

And I see that Clive Sutton`s place in St Johns Wood in London is in the middle of becoming an Overfinch dealership (who I also thought went bankrupt last year?)

[m444ttb]

That's a real shame. I wasn't aware Wiesmann and Gumpert had gone under either. Of the three I particularly liked Weismann's products. They seemed to have a go at producing the BMW sports cars BMW themselves couldn't be bothered to do. I always thought Gumpert wouldn't last but it's still a shame.

[TimJMS]

don logan said:

And I see that Clive Sutton`s place in St Johns Wood in London is in the middle of becoming an Overfinch dealership (who I also thought went bankrupt last year?)

IIRC Kahn bought Overfinch. The name at least.

[menoy]

Such a shame.. especially so soon after this nice write-up on Speedhunters..

http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/09/9ff-gt9-clubsp...

[don logan]

TimJMS said:

don logan said:

And I see that Clive Sutton`s place in St Johns Wood in London is in the middle of becoming an Overfinch dealership (who I also thought went bankrupt last year?)

IIRC Kahn bought Overfinch. The name at least.

Oooof!

When I was a kid I used to get very excited about the word Overfinch because it meant Chevy engines, suspension and brake upgrades that nobody could spot that easily, now I cringe!

[Fetchez la vache]

Article said:

Following the demise of Wiesmann....

NOOOOOOOOOOO!

[GranCab]

don logan said:

TimJMS said:

don logan said:

And I see that Clive Sutton`s place in St Johns Wood in London is in the middle of becoming an Overfinch dealership (who I also thought went bankrupt last year?)

IIRC Kahn bought Overfinch. The name at least.

Oooof!

When I was a kid I used to get very excited about the word Overfinch because it meant Chevy engines, suspension and brake upgrades that nobody could spot that easily, now I cringe!

O.T.

Overfinch was bought out of administration by AutoBrokers of Birstall - as far as I am aware - nowt to do with Kahn.

[trackdemon]

Fetchez la vache said:

Article said:

Following the demise of Wiesmann....

NOOOOOOOOOOO!

I understand there may be some more positive news in the next few weeks. Fingers crossed it's so...

[Wanta996Gotta]

I noticed this coming a few years ago when Porsches standard cars seemed almost as quick upto 150mph as these tuned cars but cost 20-30k less. PDK and launch control along with other gizmo's first seem in the GTR made Porsche up there game and match these tuning companies performance figures. Also dont tend to like there styling. Great big spoilers and lips have went out of fashion IMO.

[PowerfullyBuilt]

trackdemon said:

I understand there may be some more positive news in the next few weeks. Fingers crossed it's so...

Bizarrely, having never seen a Weismann outside a motor show, and within minutes of reading on here the sad news of their demise, I saw a lovely black MF5 outside my house. Real presence and what a noise as he hooned it away!


ETA the correct speeeeling of Weismann!

[pilchardthecat]

Fetchez la vache said:

Article said:

Following the demise of Wiesmann....

NOOOOOOOOOOO!

+1

Did i miss something?

The only reason i keep turning up at work is in the futile hope that one day i might be able to go to the lovely lizard-shaped showroom/factory and get one

I may have to kill myself