| Author | Message | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 743 Registered: 11-2002 |
I used to term 'pretend' possibly unjustly because the car is a copy of the F360 ... blatently so. Thus if I went home and made a kit car that looked like a Ferrari, I would get side long glances and the motoring community would not even be interested ... this company builds a copy of the F360 ... even with a production based v8 and ALL of a sudden we have another serious supercar manufacturer. Sorry I do not think so. Even Lotus does not get treated seriously (or as much respect as it deserves IMO) because nearly all their cars have engines based on Fords, Isuzu or Vauxhall ... so lets see what happens, but they would have been better and more professional if they had showed some originality and not just copied Ferrari IMO. In the end you might as well buy the real thing ... as then you get the BADGE as well  Pete | ||
| Justin (Justin)
New member Username: Justin Post Number: 9 Registered: 4-2003 |
Faisal, Thanks for the input on the Radical. It seems you have done FAR more research than I. I'll PM you and perhaps you'd be kind enough to discuss it more off-line. The question is, when are YOU placing the order?! ;) Justin | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 541 Registered: 3-2003 |
Adrian, basically, it's a bureaucratic nightmare. I could write reams and reams and we would be just scratching the surface. Email me with your situation or general questions, or send me your phone number via email and I will be happy to call. Best, Faisal. | ||
| adrian low (Audionut)
Member Username: Audionut Post Number: 288 Registered: 4-2003 |
Faisal, would love to know some of your experiences re importing such cars. Please enlighten. If you prefer, email me off line [email protected] Thanks | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 540 Registered: 3-2003 |
Andrew, yes, please do dig it up. I would appreciate any details. Thanks! Justin, there is a solution to all of your "issues" so you should just buy one. Contact me if you need help importing it. I know all the ins and outs, and might even be able to help you register it for the street here. First things first, you mention talking to a guy going from Cerbie to Radical...was it someone named Danny? Very cool guy. OK, now for your problems: You don't need a massive trailer. You can get trailers that fold up or store on their side, and they would be big enough to carry it. You can also get a trailer that lays flat when you remove the springs, wheel and axles and just store it on your garage floor. A small ramp should allow your car to roll up on it. It takes about 30 minutes to reassemble, but it's very doable. If you have a two-car garage, you can store the Radical on the trailer. Or you can store the whole combo in any storage facility for $50 a month or so. They have 24-hour access through an electric gate and keypad. There's one in San Jose. Just get a covered, secure trailer if you go this route. The car is very simple. When you buy it, they will walk you through the whole maintenance process. Nothing compares to experience, so just take the plunge. And there's a gazillion race shops who can set the car up for you if you want a black-box approach (insert money at one end, get running car out the other). So, when are you placing the order???!!!! | ||
| Justin (Justin)
New member Username: Justin Post Number: 6 Registered: 4-2003 |
Funny you mention that about people replacing Cerbie's with Radicals. I was at a track event in May and one of the guys I was talking with was trading his Cerberra in for a fully spec'd Radical SuperSport as a his track car and one guy was trading it in for a GT3 Club Sport. Both said they had a blast in their TVR's, but that they'd had a few too many close calls on track ;) Ultima over Radical SR3? Bah, where's the question in that? Fuly spec'd Radical with the 1500cc 250hp motor is the only choice! I've been in love with the Radical since getting a couple of laps in one a few months ago. I also have thought of getting a Radical here as a fully-dedicated track car, but there's a couple of problems. 1) Where do I store it and the massive trailer that would go with it, as well as the truck to take it to the track? I don't have room for that. 2) I am not qualified to maintain it and would therefore need to hire a mechanic to go to the track with me, etc. Otherwise, it would be the perfect choice for a dedicated track car. Justin | ||
| Andrew-Phillip Goalen (Andrewg)
Junior Member Username: Andrewg Post Number: 189 Registered: 9-2002 |
Faisal the Mclaren gathering is being done by the same people who did the GTO aniversary thing this year, if you want details there was an add in the FOC news do you want me to dig it out? | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 535 Registered: 3-2003 |
Agree entirely. A lot of my Cerbie-owning friends have replaced them with Radicals. I was considering getting one here, actually. Toss-up between that and an Ultima, though. Will keep you posted on the McLaren gathering. | ||
| Justin (Justin)
New member Username: Justin Post Number: 5 Registered: 4-2003 |
Ahhh yes, the TVR's....forgot about that. Definetly the show then. I'm a big fan of TVR, although addmitedly I've never driven one. I have, however, seen many driving around England, have been in a Cerberra once and have been with a few on track...what a sound. My only observation is that they seem a bit squirrely going around a circuit, but then that's where part of the fun is, isn't it! Goodwood or British Auto Show? If it's a question of one or the other, surely Goodwood is the place to be! Sadly, I don't know if I'll be able to make either this year, but I would love to try and make it to Goodwood. I know a couple of people driving this year, so it'd be fun to watch. A McLaren gathering in France you say?! I'd love the details on that one as I'll probably be in the South of France some time around then. If you find out any more about it please let me know. On the Ascari issue...it might be a rip-off style wise, it might not be anything ultra-impressive, etc. but I have to say I like the fact that there are small companies that keep cropping up who are trying to make "supercars" and proper driver's cars. Sure most won't suceed, just as many haven't in the past, but don't forget that companies like Pagani, TVR, Noble, Koenigsegg etc. are also little companies that started off as someone's pet project. Look at where they are now. You also have companies like Radical. I mean, could you ask for a better track car for the money? However, when they first started on that project, to go after the Caterham market, people thought they were crazy. Now they are considered the fastest, most fun, most affordable track car in the world that can lap Nurburgring faster than almost every production car ever made. And in England, they're road legal ;) Anyways, those are my thoughts on projects like Ascari. Justin | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 534 Registered: 3-2003 |
Yes, that was the show. I saw the Carrera GT there for the first time too. Real reason I had trekked over was that TVR introduced 2 new models and a special edition: T440R, Tamora, and the limited edition Griffith (last 100 they were to make). Peugeot also had some very interesting concept cars, and Jeep had a stunning off-roader that was a slightly stretched Wrangler. Looked fantastic. I can't believe it didn't make it into production. I have a ticket...so I am going this year again, unless I use it for the Goodwood Revival. There's also rumours of a McLaren gathering in France in September. :-) Just reread the article on the Ascari KZ1. June 2003 issue of EVO. Dave Minter is behind the engineering, it's had a lot of Lotus development, uses the stock M5 powerplant, and it's well-funded by a Dutch fellow who seems to be quite a visionary. They only plan to make 50 of this model, and the price has gone up to 200k GBP. Seems quite special, but is still a little ways off from completion. Handling is good, with understeer initially, and progressive oversteer at the limit. The author says it can be caught even at quite extreme angles. Sounds nice enough...where can I practice? Best, Faisal. | ||
| Justin (Justin)
New member Username: Justin Post Number: 4 Registered: 4-2003 |
Faisal, You know, I think I went to that show. If I'm thinking of the right one, I went back to England to visit family in the fall and went to the International Motor Show going on at the time. Don't remember that car though. I do remember the Exige. That was the first time I'd seen one in person. Yummmmmmm........ Also I think there was a Carrera GT. Going this year? Justin | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 532 Registered: 3-2003 |
The rear is virtually identical to a 360. I went up to their stand at the Birmingham auto show in 2000 and complimented them on their great 360 copy. They were quite embarrassed and mumbled something about how it was quite different. But they were nice enough, and allowed me to sit inside and poke around. They quoted 120k GBP at the time. There was a writeup in EVO a couple of issues back. Apparently it's quite loud inside. Looked pretty good in black. | ||
| Andre Vieira (Goggles_pisano)
Junior Member Username: Goggles_pisano Post Number: 108 Registered: 5-2002 |
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| Ronny Jones (Ronny)
New member Username: Ronny Post Number: 20 Registered: 6-2003 |
I hope it's successful, although my initial concern is that the build quality will be poor. However, it is cars like this ( including the Elise ) which help keep the established manufactures honest ! | ||
| Lucas Taratus (Karmavore)
Member Username: Karmavore Post Number: 274 Registered: 12-2002 |
The noble is ugly, but this takes the cake. It looks the an Elise crashed into the back of a 360. Luke. | ||
| Ira Schwartz (Iraschwartz)
New member Username: Iraschwartz Post Number: 9 Registered: 5-2003 |
I saw this car in Monaco during the GP and, while the styling is debateable, it was very nicely finished. Having had some weird British cars in my teens/twenties (Marcos, TVR, etc.) I'm sympathetic, but skeptical. | ||
| Andrew-Phillip Goalen (Andrewg)
Junior Member Username: Andrewg Post Number: 186 Registered: 9-2002 |
550 bhp isnt pretending, its more than most Ferraris!! and if the Ascari has a light body chassis then it'll be just as fast, please don't forget that Enzo Ferrari's first car made after he left Afla was based on a fiat, and Ferrucio Lamborghini made tractors, we all have to start somewhere, if the Ascari does well great if not... but at least they tried | ||
| thomas daniels (Castex)
New member Username: Castex Post Number: 42 Registered: 6-2003 |
Why 'pretend supercar'? At least give them a chance before you write them off! Variety is always good, and these Brit. have-a-go-heroes are trying to cut a swathe through some of the humdrum, me-too mundanity on offer elsewhere. Good luck to 'em, I say. | ||
| James Lee (Aventino)
New member Username: Aventino Post Number: 31 Registered: 6-2003 |
Nope, it was a TVR in the movie. And I agree about the extra horsepower claim, I think they claimed they bumped up the rev limit by another 500 or so too. I'll see if I can find the article. | ||
| Drstranglove (Drstranglove)
Member Username: Drstranglove Post Number: 684 Registered: 4-2003 |
Isn't that the car from SwordFish???? But in a hard top? DrS | ||
| Dan (Bobafett)
Intermediate Member Username: Bobafett Post Number: 1027 Registered: 9-2002 |
I would be *very* impressed if they got an extra 100bhp from the M5 engine a) without it blowing up and b) w/o extensive work on the engine (ecu / exhaust is not what I'm talking about). My take from that artcle and some other info is actually pretty ho-hum. Overpriced by 3x, and really nothing that makes you go WOAH! Shape is pretty uninspiring (rip-off) --Dan | ||
| James Lee (Aventino)
New member Username: Aventino Post Number: 30 Registered: 6-2003 |
Think it was in EVO mag a litle while ago. Brainchild of some guy in his mid-20's who's family owns a large medical supplies business (well large enough to throw a few million a year into this) so money doesn't sound like it's a problem unless they start wanting a return on investment. Runs the M5 motor and extracts another 100 hp or so through exhaust and software mods, claims they leave the internals alone but that might have changed. Noble (coming to the USA shortly) do a pretty good take on this approach but these attempts seem to sprout up all the time in the UK. | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 733 Registered: 11-2002 |
Thanks. Very flash web site ... must have cost a packet. Hope there is some money left for developing the car Pete | ||
| Kenny Herman (Kennyh)
Intermediate Member Username: Kennyh Post Number: 1091 Registered: 8-2001 |
You can't go wrong with 520hp... Very nice site by the way. | ||
| Tyson Hall (Trhall)
Junior Member Username: Trhall Post Number: 142 Registered: 6-2003 |
http://www.ascari.net/site.php | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 732 Registered: 11-2002 |
Have you guys seen this car. It is one of the latest mags. A rip off of the F360 to me with a F355 style air inlet. Man they could atleast try and design something original. It is designed to use a BMW motor, guess the v8 but don't know. Looks well made an all ... but cannot see this project lasting, but I could be wrong Pete |