Mixing It With Mainstream Supercars
Discussion
Hi all, at the risk of being shouted down for promoting our own car here I thought this topic was worthwhile.
We are trying to bring new people into the kit car market with our advertising/promotion of the Murtaya and as such have been attending non kit car shows as well as the traditional 3 big kit events.
This is actually to try and raise the profile of the industry as a whole as well as to sell our own products as we believe that there has to be a market with the modified car brigade who spend fortunes of Supras and Saxos to end up with - Supras and Saxos! In addition many owners of the mega money supercars simply do not think that our industry produces cars to meet their needs, which in many respects it does. We are trying to open their eyes to the value for money performance available from the specialist manufacturers.
As part of this the Murtaya demonstrator attended the massive TRAX show at Silverstone last weekend (www.traxshows.co.uk).
The car completed several track sessions around the international circuit, and in the 0-60mph shoot out (not a place where there is anywhere to hide!!).
Pitted against the cream of the UK tuning world, along with various exotica from the Gumball 3000 Club (including Porsche GT3, Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari 355/360) the Murtaya finished an astonishing 2nd OVERALL on the day, recording consistent 3.5 second passes (independently timed and verified using state of the art equipment).
The winning car was a very special 550bhp Lancia Delta Integrale running with launch control, flat shift and anti lag, along with sticky race rubber.
The demonstrator Murtaya was in full road trim complete with hard top and electric windows, Toyo Proxes T1 tyres and in 340bhp specification. The gearbox, rear differential and all mechanical parts were standard road car equipment from a 1996 donor vehicle requiring a shift into 3rd before reaching the magic 60mph.
Further proof (if any were required) that the Murtaya delivers true supercar destroying performance and blistering point to point pace at family saloon prices.
Our car is far from alone in being able to deliver this performance in our industry and I think that we should all be doing all we can to get at a wider audience (we have already had two enquiries for very high specification cars as a result of Sunday).
Look forward to seeing lots of you at Donington in a two weeks time (visit our stand to see a display of Cosworth Power plants as well as the Murtaya/Toniq demo cars and a Murtaya kit).
Anyone got any thoughts on opening our market up to new people/buyers?
Neil.
We are trying to bring new people into the kit car market with our advertising/promotion of the Murtaya and as such have been attending non kit car shows as well as the traditional 3 big kit events.
This is actually to try and raise the profile of the industry as a whole as well as to sell our own products as we believe that there has to be a market with the modified car brigade who spend fortunes of Supras and Saxos to end up with - Supras and Saxos! In addition many owners of the mega money supercars simply do not think that our industry produces cars to meet their needs, which in many respects it does. We are trying to open their eyes to the value for money performance available from the specialist manufacturers.
As part of this the Murtaya demonstrator attended the massive TRAX show at Silverstone last weekend (www.traxshows.co.uk).
The car completed several track sessions around the international circuit, and in the 0-60mph shoot out (not a place where there is anywhere to hide!!).
Pitted against the cream of the UK tuning world, along with various exotica from the Gumball 3000 Club (including Porsche GT3, Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari 355/360) the Murtaya finished an astonishing 2nd OVERALL on the day, recording consistent 3.5 second passes (independently timed and verified using state of the art equipment).
The winning car was a very special 550bhp Lancia Delta Integrale running with launch control, flat shift and anti lag, along with sticky race rubber.
The demonstrator Murtaya was in full road trim complete with hard top and electric windows, Toyo Proxes T1 tyres and in 340bhp specification. The gearbox, rear differential and all mechanical parts were standard road car equipment from a 1996 donor vehicle requiring a shift into 3rd before reaching the magic 60mph.
Further proof (if any were required) that the Murtaya delivers true supercar destroying performance and blistering point to point pace at family saloon prices.
Our car is far from alone in being able to deliver this performance in our industry and I think that we should all be doing all we can to get at a wider audience (we have already had two enquiries for very high specification cars as a result of Sunday).
Look forward to seeing lots of you at Donington in a two weeks time (visit our stand to see a display of Cosworth Power plants as well as the Murtaya/Toniq demo cars and a Murtaya kit).
Anyone got any thoughts on opening our market up to new people/buyers?
Neil.
Neil,
This may be a slightly obvious question, but how do you buy a Murtaya?
I mean, for the average punter who'd quite happily take out a bank loan or go to a dealer and finance themselves up to the eyeballs - how can you sell them a car? Is it up to them to first off be interested, then work out ways they can afford it? Will you take my Mondeo and a chunk of someone else's cash?
I think they're typical questions that your average Joe will want answers to. And they might not even tell you thats their question if you know what I mean
Andy
This may be a slightly obvious question, but how do you buy a Murtaya?
I mean, for the average punter who'd quite happily take out a bank loan or go to a dealer and finance themselves up to the eyeballs - how can you sell them a car? Is it up to them to first off be interested, then work out ways they can afford it? Will you take my Mondeo and a chunk of someone else's cash?
I think they're typical questions that your average Joe will want answers to. And they might not even tell you thats their question if you know what I mean
Andy
Andy
I think by opening the option of a kit car to supercar buyers, you kinda bypass the 'how can I afford it?' question.
Neil
Well done. Great that you still have something to aim for next year too.
As for how to open the market up to the masses - ask Evo to test it in one of the large tests they do. It would be very interesting to see how the Murt fairs against some exotica when tested on track by the same drivers.
I think by opening the option of a kit car to supercar buyers, you kinda bypass the 'how can I afford it?' question.
Neil
Well done. Great that you still have something to aim for next year too.
As for how to open the market up to the masses - ask Evo to test it in one of the large tests they do. It would be very interesting to see how the Murt fairs against some exotica when tested on track by the same drivers.
Black5 said:
Andy
I think by opening the option of a kit car to supercar buyers, you kinda bypass the 'how can I afford it?' question.
Neil
Well done. Great that you still have something to aim for next year too.
As for how to open the market up to the masses - ask Evo to test it in one of the large tests they do. It would be very interesting to see how the Murt fairs against some exotica when tested on track by the same drivers.
I'm unsure on that, to quote the original postI think by opening the option of a kit car to supercar buyers, you kinda bypass the 'how can I afford it?' question.
Neil
Well done. Great that you still have something to aim for next year too.
As for how to open the market up to the masses - ask Evo to test it in one of the large tests they do. It would be very interesting to see how the Murt fairs against some exotica when tested on track by the same drivers.
neilrallying said:
we believe that there has to be a market with the modified car brigade who spend fortunes of Supras and Saxos to end up with - Supras and Saxos!
and to credit your pointneilrallying said:
In addition many owners of the mega money supercars simply do not think that our industry produces cars to meet their needs, which in many respects it does. We are trying to open their eyes to the value for money performance available from the specialist manufacturers.
My angle was more at the Saxo/Supra owners finances, which is more everyday money. I see loads of talk about how quick the Murtaya is, but no-one's showing me how easy it is to buy one, which was my original point
Hi Andy, interesting point.
In the past we have expected the customer to have the money sorted before getting to us, ie through a personal bank loan or having the money saved etc.
However we are just in the process of sorting out a finance deal for both fully built and kits which will allow people to buy from us using a finance deal through Adrenaline with one of the major banks.
This has been a big thing to set up as the lenders are very wary of our market and reluctant to support finance on non-mainstream vehicles. However we have overcome this.
As to part exchange deals, well we would consider them but as with any p/x the client would be better off selling the car privately first as the value will be higher than we would give.
Neil.
In the past we have expected the customer to have the money sorted before getting to us, ie through a personal bank loan or having the money saved etc.
However we are just in the process of sorting out a finance deal for both fully built and kits which will allow people to buy from us using a finance deal through Adrenaline with one of the major banks.
This has been a big thing to set up as the lenders are very wary of our market and reluctant to support finance on non-mainstream vehicles. However we have overcome this.
As to part exchange deals, well we would consider them but as with any p/x the client would be better off selling the car privately first as the value will be higher than we would give.
Neil.
Will you take my MK Indy, Ducati and M3 for one?
Seriously though I have always thought we needed to take the fight to the Max power lads (like it or not their world is a much bugger market that the kit world) and show them the light of lower investment for greater reward that kits offer..... and your car is definatelly the right one to do that.
keep up the good work.
Seriously though I have always thought we needed to take the fight to the Max power lads (like it or not their world is a much bugger market that the kit world) and show them the light of lower investment for greater reward that kits offer..... and your car is definatelly the right one to do that.
keep up the good work.
Good to hear that Neil
I would also hazard a guess that if you can tie up finance with a major, then looking into a lease contract on say 10 factory builds isnt out of the question either?
My point there - would it be accessible enough to tempt away someone who's thinking of say an S2000 or Elise via Lex or someone, to then say "I know, I'll go for a different one like a Murtaya" and make it affordable to them?
You sell it twice then dont you?!
I have the impression, rightly or wrongly that the Murtaya is more of your everyday car, can be used for anything and everything?
I was thinking about the comment made by Black5 on the Evo test - what that would say to me (if I read Evo) was that whatever you put through there was a track toy. If I had one, I wouldnt want to use it day to day, for fear of the value folding on it compared to others that go around a track once a month. Then it becomes an expensive weekend warrior, which is fine for those who have the cash to throw at something, but I think the numbers are pretty small compared to the everyday driver market
Just my thoughts...
Andy
I would also hazard a guess that if you can tie up finance with a major, then looking into a lease contract on say 10 factory builds isnt out of the question either?
My point there - would it be accessible enough to tempt away someone who's thinking of say an S2000 or Elise via Lex or someone, to then say "I know, I'll go for a different one like a Murtaya" and make it affordable to them?
You sell it twice then dont you?!
I have the impression, rightly or wrongly that the Murtaya is more of your everyday car, can be used for anything and everything?
I was thinking about the comment made by Black5 on the Evo test - what that would say to me (if I read Evo) was that whatever you put through there was a track toy. If I had one, I wouldnt want to use it day to day, for fear of the value folding on it compared to others that go around a track once a month. Then it becomes an expensive weekend warrior, which is fine for those who have the cash to throw at something, but I think the numbers are pretty small compared to the everyday driver market
Just my thoughts...
Andy
andy_quantum said:
My angle was more at the Saxo/Supra owners finances, which is more everyday money.
I see loads of talk about how quick the Murtaya is, but no-one's showing me how easy it is to buy one, which was my original point
Sorry Andy.I see loads of talk about how quick the Murtaya is, but no-one's showing me how easy it is to buy one, which was my original point
I was thinking more about the achievements at Trax.
I've always been amazed at how many 'Max Power' cars have cost in excess of £20k. It is not like it is any easier to get a bank loan to modify a car than it is to build one.
One advantage they do have over a kit builder is that they can use their car while carrying out many of the mods.
A significant reason why it has been difficult to finance a kit from a bank loan / finance co etc has been the lack of value in the assets. It is not like the vehicle is really worth anything until built. Then how do you put a value on a kit? There is not 'Glass's Guide'. Also, how many kits are sold yet never finished? It is a big gamble for the financier.
The way I see around this, is to make them easier to build. Sold in a modular form and financed in sections. This way you do not need to borrow all the money immediately. Probably more like a business loan, where you have to put up a good proportion of the money too.
The other way is to buy it 'turnkey', therefore having a tangible asset to borrow against.
Congratulations on your success at the Trax show Neil.
I think the kit car industry has always struggled to get taken seriously by mainstream types, but when you present them with that sort of performance it's a bit hard to ignore.
Nice to see you got some business out of it.
And no - I still can't afford one
I think the kit car industry has always struggled to get taken seriously by mainstream types, but when you present them with that sort of performance it's a bit hard to ignore.
Nice to see you got some business out of it.
And no - I still can't afford one
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