Any other Qvale owners on here??

I just picked up my Qvale & I'm having great fun with it. I wanted to see if there are any other owners that might be here, for eventual advice or info. I don't really have any problems or questions right now. Down the road I might get some new wheels, so I'm a little curious on the proper fitment specs. I might change the sound system out, if I do, it would be nice if someone could tell me how to get the radio out of the console(without breaking things ).

 

I don't really have any good pics yet. Here is just a snap I took for my insurance co., I left the top up/on for their benefit. I went to take some pics last weekend, but it was too late in the day, not enough light. I'll be taking some good pics soon.

Prices are seeming to run high 20's on up, depending on mileage/condition. I think they are a great value at this point, & I would not be surprised to see them go up somewhat in the future, & have a hard time believing that they will come down much further.
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Here's a good start: http://www.qvaleauto.com/

& From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Qvale

Qvale (pronounced "kah-vah-lee") was an independent Italian car manufacturer founded in 2000 by the American Kjell Qvale's son, Bruce Qvale. Qvale's sole product was the Mangusta, originally the De Tomaso Biguà.

Alejandro de Tomaso, an Italian car manufacturer with Argentinean roots, had chosen the Biguà to revive his brand. The car was designed by Marcello Gandini, a designer for Lamborghini and Maserati. The Biguà was shown for the first time in 1996, in Geneva.

Financial troubles forced De Tomaso to look for a business partner whom he found in the American Bruce Qvale, an importer and distributor of a number of exclusive cars in the United States. The De Tomaso Biguà was renamed the Mangusta, a historic name (see De Tomaso Mangusta).

As the first cars were about to be delivered, Qvale and De Tomaso parted ways. Qvale took over the factory and the car's production. De Tomaso, however, refused to allow the use of his name. The first Mangustas were delivered to their customers with De Tomaso badges, which subsequently had to be exchanged at the dealers for the now-official Qvale logos.

Between 2000 and 2002, Qvale built 270 cars (or 272, depending on which source is to be believed), the majority of which were exported to the USA. The lack of a well-known brand name, the slowing economy, and the unusual design made marketing the car difficult. In 2003, Qvale sold the rights to the Mangusta to Britain's MG Rover Group.

In 2004, MG launched the MG SV and SVR. Designed by MSGR, the racing division of the MG Rover Group, the SV was based on the structure, suspension, engine and gearbox of the Mangusta. The car was built largely in Italy, with some fitting and pre-delivery customisation in the UK.

 

Anyways, I guess there aren't any fellow QM owners here. I finally took some pics last Sunday after the France/Italy show. Here's one pic, you can see a few more at: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2940888
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So far, it's a very good car overall. It's comfortable, handles well, is reasonably fast, & draws a lot of attention. My biggest complaints are the clutch pedal is pretty stiff, & when I have the top on, it rattles a bit. There may be ways to improve on those things, I'll look into it as time goes on. It's really a well made & engineered car, with it's fair share of quirks. I can see upgrades to the sound system & some custom wheels in the future, but I'm quite happy with it for now.

I just wish there were a few other fellow owners around to hang with, it's lonely being a Qvale owner !

 

Hey, thanks for sharing that cool bit of info, I hadn't heard about it before. In what year did this project happen? Any idea on how many hp that engine developed? Do you know anything regarding the whereabouts of these cars now?

 

Well, I have had fun with this car for 3 years, but now I need to sell it. If anyone is interested, they can send me a PM. Asking $32k, mileage is now at 26,700 or so.