RE: Spied: Aspira F620 Supercar

[stigmundfreud]

because the lsx engine is just about as light as you can get for a cheap reliable large capacity v8 powerplant.

[Boosted LS1]

The lexus has better internals then the chevy and is a better engine in some respects but isn't it a smaller capacity? Also, it won't have the huge american aftermarket tuning might behind it. It's a jewel of an engine but not really that popular for some reason. Also the lsx just keeps on evolving to become better and better.

[Rotary Madness]

It is a good engine though. I swear ive read somewhere that the top fuel dragsters use modified lexus v8 blocks, and not the chevy v8's like i thought, but thats not the point.

The point i was trying to make is, whats so special about this car? Its a kit car, althought an expensive one, yet i really dont see how its standing out from the crowd. An ultima GTR is half the price and i bet it wouldnt have too much trouble keeping up with one of those. If you wanted a more track day orientated car, go get something mad from radical thats basically a race car with numberplates.

Kit cars these days seem to be either a rip off of the lotus 7 design with a different bodyshell, with 4pots in different states of tune, or biggers mid engined chevy v8 things. Wheres the enginuety and originality?

[dudleybloke]

i like it.
any idea of the total weight when its completed?

[peteO]

northo said:

Sorry to ruin the fun, but the cockpit, windscreen and roofline are all wrong. As is the price.

and thats why your a multi millionaire car designer right?

[B Oeuf]

peteO said:

northo said:

Sorry to ruin the fun, but the cockpit, windscreen and roofline are all wrong. As is the price.

and thats why your a multi millionaire car designer right?

er, northo knows his stuff mate

[peteO]

B Oeuf said:

peteO said:

northo said:

Sorry to ruin the fun, but the cockpit, windscreen and roofline are all wrong. As is the price.

and thats why your a multi millionaire car designer right?

er, northo knows his stuff mate

who are you? his girlfried and/or PR manager?...

I just hate people who totally write off a car becaue it isnt to their taste. At least that company is attempting to do what people like you only dream of!

[mrpink]

peteO said:

B Oeuf said:

peteO said:

northo said:

Sorry to ruin the fun, but the cockpit, windscreen and roofline are all wrong. As is the price.

and thats why your a multi millionaire car designer right?

er, northo knows his stuff mate

who are you? his girlfried and/or PR manager?...

I just hate people who totally write off a car becaue it isnt to their taste. At least that company is attempting to do what people like you only dream of!

Could it be that Northo not happy that his company has not been involved with the car?

seriously though I really think the car needs to be seen in the flesh as photos do not do it justice - just my opinion.

[J111]

I'm a bit at a loss as to why anyone would publicise such a dire situation with the manufacturer, then try to develop and launch a new product on the back of it

[NorWitch69]

ahhhh what a small world.. seen this car at RapidGB with mark a few months ago while ""waiting"" for some tuning to be done. Great looking car, engineering and potential but in parts particularly the rear looked a mess...not finished.

im sure i had uploaded mobile phone pics to the computer if i can find them..

thanks
N


with the new pics in this column, the back end now looks amazing.

Edited by NorWitch69 on Sunday 4th October 16:15

[hairykrishna]

I like it. Unfortunately it's my guess that the number of people willing to shell out 100k for one is pretty small...

[i remember]

Syclone777 said:

Rotary Madness said:

I know ill probably get shot down for saying this, but is anyone else getting a bit bored of "small kitcar makers build a supercar" when its just a mid engined kit car with a chevy v8 thrown in.

Everyone uses a bloody chevy v8 these days, and its hardly ground breaking or pushing the boundaries. Unless its putting out some silly power like 1000bhp ish, then its nothing special. There are loads of engines out there to chose from, why pick something everyone else has done? If it has to be a v8, why not an audi/bmw/lexus v8 that sound less like a muscle car and more like a screaming racer. Or how about a v10/12 from merc/bmw/audi like pagani have done, itll sound much better and feel more special.

I just think if youre going to make a low production volume kit car with a big price, atleast be bold and different, instead of following the safe pattern of RWD/chevy v8/mid engine that everyone does.

Nothing wrong with Chevrolet engine, just o ne of the greatest engines ever.
Why use a lexus? talk about devaluing.
Nothing sounds as good as American and Aus V8's, Pantera?

I think what his arguement is more towards the higher revving jap/german v8's which tbf are very very good engines as they can be tuned to the same extent that a chevy v8 can , its just a different type of engine

[northo]

mrpink said:

peteO said:

B Oeuf said:

peteO said:

northo said:

Sorry to ruin the fun, but the cockpit, windscreen and roofline are all wrong. As is the price.

and thats why your a multi millionaire car designer right?

er, northo knows his stuff mate

who are you? his girlfried and/or PR manager?...

I just hate people who totally write off a car becaue it isnt to their taste. At least that company is attempting to do what people like you only dream of!

Could it be that Northo not happy that his company has not been involved with the car?

seriously though I really think the car needs to be seen in the flesh as photos do not do it justice - just my opinion.

Just my opinion - I don't remember writing the car off though. The car is being pitched into a very competitive market place where heritage and the brand, build quality, and residual values will have as much to do with the buying decision as looks and performance. I like the bottom of the car, however I don't like the roofline which looks way to high IMHO - it's rather like the Ascari Ecosse, which I would level the same criticism at. That's why I asked where the aero was done earlier in the thread, although there hasn't been an answer yet. As a ten units a year hand build the business plan will make someone money, provided people buy it, but there are plenty of powerful, good looking and unusual low production cars to choose from at that money. I'm no design expert, but I reckon I know what people want to buy - and there are some pretty extraordinary cars due over the next 18 months. Good luck to Aspira though - where would the British motor industry be without the niche sports car manufacturer?

Nothing to do with me, but I wonder how these guys are doing?

New British supercar

[mrpink]

northo said:

mrpink said:

peteO said:

B Oeuf said:

peteO said:

northo said:

Sorry to ruin the fun, but the cockpit, windscreen and roofline are all wrong. As is the price.

and thats why your a multi millionaire car designer right?

er, northo knows his stuff mate

who are you? his girlfried and/or PR manager?...

I just hate people who totally write off a car becaue it isnt to their taste. At least that company is attempting to do what people like you only dream of!

Could it be that Northo not happy that his company has not been involved with the car?

seriously though I really think the car needs to be seen in the flesh as photos do not do it justice - just my opinion.

Just my opinion - I don't remember writing the car off though. The car is being pitched into a very competitive market place where heritage and the brand, build quality, and residual values will have as much to do with the buying decision as looks and performance. I like the bottom of the car, however I don't like the roofline which looks way to high IMHO - it's rather like the Ascari Ecosse, which I would level the same criticism at. That's why I asked where the aero was done earlier in the thread, although there hasn't been an answer yet. As a ten units a year hand build the business plan will make someone money, provided people buy it, but there are plenty of powerful, good looking and unusual low production cars to choose from at that money. I'm no design expert, but I reckon I know what people want to buy - and there are some pretty extraordinary cars due over the next 18 months. Good luck to Aspira though - where would the British motor industry be without the niche sports car manufacturer?

Nothing to do with me, but I wonder how these guys are doing?

New British supercar

I hope the powers to be see through your pathetic little attempt to hijack this thread and promote the keating!!! after all that's what you do isn't it??

Edited by mrpink on Sunday 4th October 22:24

[odyssey2200]

Who the fk designed the arse end of the keating?

Stevie Wonder, ably assisted by Ray Charles?

[northo]

Mr Pink, like I said, I have nothing to do with Keating - it was just an example of an American engined, British built, low volume sports car. The powers that be know that I have nothing to do with it, as will many PH'ers. There seems to be an element of hostilty in your posts - why so, and what is your relationship with Aspira?

[seve7]

I like this car. It is priced reasonable, and was not designed as production car, so it is going to have some teething problems. If anyone here has built a kit car, the all require an immense amount of final fitting and finishing by the owner. I am in the middle of helping my cousin with a Everett Morrison Cobra which is about as nice as a cobra kit gets and its like pulling teeth putting everything together, every piece has to be modified just a little bit to fit. You have to understand how low volume manufacturing something off a jig works and tolerances. Stuff is close but it still has to be fitted.

Rotary Madness said:

Everyone uses a bloody chevy v8 these days, and its hardly ground breaking or pushing the boundaries. Unless its putting out some silly power like 1000bhp ish, then its nothing special. There are loads of engines out there to chose from, why pick something everyone else has done? If it has to be a v8, why not an audi/bmw/lexus v8 that sound less like a muscle car and more like a screaming racer. Or how about a v10/12 from merc/bmw/audi like pagani have done, itll sound much better and feel more special.

In a setup like this the aluminum small block chevy's weigh around 360lbs complete. Thats light, very light. In comparison to v8 engines that are DOHC its about 50-70lbs, just in the heads, not to mention the polymer intake which saves another 15-25lbs, and the aluminum block usually about 80lbs lighter than a comparable iron block. You cant make more power with less mass, period. Put it this way, I just swapped a 2nd Gen RX7 Turbo II to an LS1 with a T-56 6 speed trans and the car lost 5 pounds keeping all the accessories. Thats just how light this engine is. As far not sounding good, check this video out. Same small block chevy, albeit far upgraded, but no major changes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dIb3znjvws&fmt...
When comparing engines you cant just compare the volumetric efficiency of the 2 engines, or the brake specific fuel consumption. Its better expressed by (Power @ Peak RPM )/ (Peak Power RPM x Displacement) / (Engine Mass)

And knocking them for not being able to pick another engine, they do pick other engines, its customer preference for their powertrain. The first one RCR built I believe it had a V8 lexus engine. They can also fit your trans of choice so if you want an sequential 6spd the options are as deep as your wallet goes.

ArosaMike said:

Those wishbones are just simply not engineered at all and the rod ends screwed into them are just plain scary for a car with that much power. It's scary to think that can drive round in the Sates.

Theres nothing weak about those suspension peices. I'll trust CNC billet pieces over cast aluminum or welded tube chromo any day. With the forged rod ends, there is not a way to build a stronger suspension. If you know how, let me know so I can do it on the next suspension I build.

Rotary Madness said:

It is a good engine though. I swear ive read somewhere that the top fuel dragsters use modified lexus v8 blocks, and not the chevy v8's like i thought, but thats not the point.

The actually use billet Chrysler Hemi blocks, not the new hemi but the circa 1964 style Hemi's There is not a stronger block design ever made.(well at least for passenger car automotive use) Toyota does use modified lexus blocks in nascar though.

Edited by seve7 on Monday 5th October 08:56

[B Oeuf]

peteO said:

B Oeuf said:

peteO said:

northo said:

Sorry to ruin the fun, but the cockpit, windscreen and roofline are all wrong. As is the price.

and thats why your a multi millionaire car designer right?

er, northo knows his stuff mate

who are you? his girlfried and/or PR manager?...

I just hate people who totally write off a car becaue it isnt to their taste. At least that company is attempting to do what people like you only dream of!

No you idiot, as someone who knows northo and what he does I feel he has adequate credentials to offer his opinion without any agenda, as does anyone frankly, after all it's what a forum is about. I think the real question is what is your agenda and why are you getting so hot under the collar about someones opinion

[pilbeam_mp62]

seve7 said:

I like this car. It is priced reasonable, and was not designed as production car, so it is going to have some teething problems. If anyone here has built a kit car, the all require an immense amount of final fitting and finishing by the owner. I am in the middle of helping my cousin with a Everett Morrison Cobra which is about as nice as a cobra kit gets and its like pulling teeth putting everything together, every piece has to be modified just a little bit to fit. You have to understand how low volume manufacturing something off a jig works and tolerances. Stuff is close but it still has to be fitted.

I have just finished building an Ultima, which is probably more of a competitor to the Aspira/SLC car (which is the subject of this thread) than your Cobra is.

I can tell you that the Ultima does not require "an immense amount of final fitting and finishing by the owner" - the reason I went with this kit is because I was confident that it would all fit together with minimal grief - and it did.

I respectfully suggest that your comments may apply to your Everett Cobra, and perhaps to some other kit cars as well, but that has not been my experience with the Ultima.

Regards

[seve7]

o, no, i wasn't comparing the everett kit to this. my only point i was trying to make with that comparison was basically the lower the volume, usually more fitting is needed. I'm going to venture out and say RCR has probably built no more than 5 SLC chassis. If you want me to find an actual number, I know someone that works there so I can ask if you'd like. But, being there program is so new on this car, I'd imagine some teething problems. Ultima has been building their GTR in some form or another for over a decade now, and probably has sold near a thousand cars, with those kind of production numbers a lot of the manufacturing quirks have worked themself out I'd imagine. At this point in time, I say everett cobra probably makes less than 5 cars a year, the only have 1 employee to answer the phone while the actual owners hold down day jobs.