RE: Hard Top for FBS
Wednesday 16th October 2002
Hard Top for FBS
New roof for winter motoring or just to deflect flak?
Discussion
Perhaps if they worked on making the car look half decent (And I have seen a couple of these up close) they might get a few orders.
In fact my girlfriend, who is pretty good with car knowledge, immediatley assumed the company had gone out of business already when i pointed the FBS out to her.
In fact my girlfriend, who is pretty good with car knowledge, immediatley assumed the company had gone out of business already when i pointed the FBS out to her.
My friend, who is a girl, actually liked the look of the FBS. She also liked the idea that it was so exclusive. So now I do believe there are some people out there who like this look - maybe its not just for motorheads like us? She also prefers the look of the new Elise to the old - again, the opposite of what I prefer. She is very fashion conscious, not automotively literate, so there is one data point about who your market is. Get your new PR agency (good idea by the way) to get you some coverage in women's fashion magazines ... maybe include the car in fashion photo shoots.
At the risk of opening the same old discussion, the car in question is (IMHO) capable and fun to drive, and while the styling might not be to everyones taste, it is, in my short exposure to it, a serious contender for a new convertable.
I don't want to end up with the lotus/tvr/bmw/etc. fight, but there are plenty of cars out there that I might not like the look of as a personal choice, but they still sell. I for one wish FBS all the best, and can honestly say that this car is on my short list, albeit a list that is being shaken by the employment market at the moment.
Just my 2c worth, but then again, we are all entitled to our opinions.
Opinions are like ar**holes. We all have one, but no one wants to hear someone elses.
I don't want to end up with the lotus/tvr/bmw/etc. fight, but there are plenty of cars out there that I might not like the look of as a personal choice, but they still sell. I for one wish FBS all the best, and can honestly say that this car is on my short list, albeit a list that is being shaken by the employment market at the moment.
Just my 2c worth, but then again, we are all entitled to our opinions.
Opinions are like ar**holes. We all have one, but no one wants to hear someone elses. 
I've found that the looks grow on you... and like it more than when I first saw it. I've also found Andrew Barber (Joe90 in GS) to be a top bloke who's striving very hard to produce a decent car.
Admit is guys - any of you lot reckon you have the engineering skill and ability to create a car from scratch? I for one could not, and for that reason alone I admire Andrew and what he has created.
Admit is guys - any of you lot reckon you have the engineering skill and ability to create a car from scratch? I for one could not, and for that reason alone I admire Andrew and what he has created.
I'd like to echo everything Podie just said - Andrew is a nice bloke who has followed his dream, put his money where his mouth is & has come up with a car that is excellent to drive, and isn't a clone of anything else. Before you slag it off, try driving it - Andrew will no doubt be happy to arrange a test drive for you....
Reminds me a bit of when the Impreza turbo first came to UK - everyone at work slagged me off for getting such an ugly company car. Then I took them out for a spin in it, and one by one they all shut up (fear probably
)
Sure, Imprezas are still ugly (new one more so), but people now focus on the image that has been built up by rallying & petrolheads that talk about them.
Reminds me a bit of when the Impreza turbo first came to UK - everyone at work slagged me off for getting such an ugly company car. Then I took them out for a spin in it, and one by one they all shut up (fear probably
) Sure, Imprezas are still ugly (new one more so), but people now focus on the image that has been built up by rallying & petrolheads that talk about them.
Just to confirm Craig's comments, we are always ready to give test drives (even to people who have already had one as we keep upgrading the demonstrator) and will even have a car available for tests at the Motor Show.
I'll go with Ted's comments on an earlier thread and not re-open the styling debate as I imagine we are all equally bored with it. That said I did re-check the PH vote on the styling and even in these critical circles we got a 22% approval. That was based on photo's and almost anyone who sees the car says it is better in life than in photo's.
Incidentally, the hard top is market driven (not I suspect by PH type people who are all too 'ard for hard tops!) as lots of people ask us when they can have one. To me it seems strange to want to buy a convertible and put a hard top on it but look how many mainstream convertibles drive around with them on.
Hope to see lots of you at the NEC.
Joe90
I'll go with Ted's comments on an earlier thread and not re-open the styling debate as I imagine we are all equally bored with it. That said I did re-check the PH vote on the styling and even in these critical circles we got a 22% approval. That was based on photo's and almost anyone who sees the car says it is better in life than in photo's.
Incidentally, the hard top is market driven (not I suspect by PH type people who are all too 'ard for hard tops!) as lots of people ask us when they can have one. To me it seems strange to want to buy a convertible and put a hard top on it but look how many mainstream convertibles drive around with them on.
Hope to see lots of you at the NEC.
Joe90
joe90 said:
That was based on photo's and almost anyone who sees the car says it is better in life than in photo's.
Joe90
I saw one in the flesh a few weeks back in sunny Warrington and was impressed. Striking and looks fun.
Wouldn't swap the Chimaera for it, though - everything about it looked scaled-down.
>> Edited by yum on Thursday 17th October 10:16
From the photo above I think the hard top highlights the imbalance between the rear and front overhangs. I thought I would photoshop the image and extend the rear a bit to help proportion it out.
Looks a bit more GTish now don't you think? I only changed the door panels and obviously extended the rear.
Looks a bit more GTish now don't you think? I only changed the door panels and obviously extended the rear.
I would just like to say that when Andrew came over to see me in the FBS in the Summer it drove fantastic and much better than I had imagined.
I stalled it more than once I seem to remember (as my driving is pretty dire at the best of times).
Looks much better in the silver than the yellow Andrew. Good luck with the projest.
I stalled it more than once I seem to remember (as my driving is pretty dire at the best of times).
Looks much better in the silver than the yellow Andrew. Good luck with the projest.
James, we've recently fitted a revised pedal box and significantly reduced the clutch effort, maybe that will help.
Ted, I'd love to go racing. Anyone out there got a budget? :-)
Also, (delete this bit if it's an advert, Ted) we have recently added a load of track orientated stuff to the price list which might suit PH people,
www.fbscars.co.uk/track_spec.htm
plus added some dual purpose road and track stuff to the normal price list
www.fbscars.co.uk/price.htm
Ted, I'd love to go racing. Anyone out there got a budget? :-)
Also, (delete this bit if it's an advert, Ted) we have recently added a load of track orientated stuff to the price list which might suit PH people,
www.fbscars.co.uk/track_spec.htm
plus added some dual purpose road and track stuff to the normal price list
www.fbscars.co.uk/price.htm
stevenrt said: My friend, who is a girl, actually liked the look of the FBS. She also liked the idea that it was so exclusive. So now I do believe there are some people out there who like this look - maybe its not just for motorheads like us? She also prefers the look of the new Elise to the old - again, the opposite of what I prefer. She is very fashion conscious, not automotively literate, so there is one data point about who your market is. Get your new PR agency (good idea by the way) to get you some coverage in women's fashion magazines ... maybe include the car in fashion photo shoots.
I actually think this is a pretty interesting point but possibly highlights the dichotomy that FBS face. My wife also liked the FBS design (especially the front end which I happen to dislike), but by her own admission, she wouldn't be able (or indeed interested) in discovering the limits of the car's handling - in other words, all the good work (based on the reviews here) that FBS have put into the dynamics, may not be a requirement of their target market. Does any of the market testing data to date highlight a male/female split in the approval of the styling?
Further, if women do prefer the styling over men perhaps its worth exploring what the decision making criteria are for that segment (servicing intervals/simplicity, lighter weighted steering, adjustable seat hieght etc.)
As I've said on previous threads on this topic, having 'built' a car at university I have a great deal of respect for the FBS team - so I'm not trying to snipe from the sidelines, merely offer potentially constructive ideas....
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