Yes, it seems to be real popular these days, there's a whole thread dedicated to it on this site somewhere. But thanks for the tip. Wes
well at least it wasn't an MR2 or fiero. if they got rid of the overt fake badging and just left it as an interesting NSX i'd drive it myself, the workmanship appears decent, at least from the distance of the pics. but to try and pass it off as an f....
here are some more crappy ones Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I realizing that I am quoting a post from very early in this thread, but I only read through it recently. Rifter - if your opinion as stated here were reality, the would be no Ferrari or Lamborghini. The only vehicle on the road would be a de Rochas or a Cugnot (assuming they filed for patent protection - and in the case of Cugnot the concept of patent protection probably hadn't been invented yet). Unlimited protection of the automobile concept itself would have prevented anyone else from creating an automobile. Taking the concept further, aspirin wouldn't be an over the counter drug, generic pharmaceuticals wouldn't exist and light bulbs, telephones, kleenex and zippers would be a lot more expensive these days. Remember how much phones sold for prior to the Bell breakup in the 1980s? As for the debate of the kit car itself, if it makes the owner happy, who is it hurting? I can completely understand how Frog's car makes him happy. Having said that, I fail to see how any of the horrible kits could make anybody happy. TWS
I think Rifter has "left the building" some time ago, but perhaps the bad ones serve to make people like him happy.....happy they're so bad! Imagine if your friend showed up in one. Imagine trying to smile politely. Boy, that would be hard! I can only conclude the reason why the bad ones exist are because the creators sincerely believe that given the dimensional constraints of the doner car, that they have come as close as anyone could. Then as such (if they didn't do their research) they would conclude theirs is the only such copy (sheesh, really leaving reality here...) and so if people want one they'll buy theirs. And so another bodyman has entered the exciting world of exotic cars. "Operators are still standing by....." Best! Wes
So what do you all think of Lotus 7 "Replicas"? ie. Caterham / Westfield / infinite number of similar kits? Many of which are highly developed in their own right and aren't really at all like the Lotus, except they look a bit like it? At what point does a replica become an original design?
Stuart i dont think that the Caterham can be called a replica, caterham bought the rights to the Lotus 7 therefore is a manufacturer in their own rights, the caterham/Westfield cars are among the fastest point to point cars existing, not many in the USA even know what they are, so if you have a pic post it here.
Ah yes, good point. But surely the others could then be called Caterham replicas? I think the point is that these aren't designed to imitate the original, whereas the Ferrari or Lambo replicas are. Anyway, I've no problem with it and its all been said anyway so I'm rambling... Here's one for those who don't know: Image Unavailable, Please Login
You are right, Caterham took Westfield to court over their cars, that is why the Westfield and many others are slightly different in their design from the Caterham.
It hurts me to say it, but that is a great looking replica. However, 109k for a car that will be worth 50% of that........now. You could buy a 95VT for that price, and the car will be worth close to the purchase price in 3 years. JMHO
That is indeed a very sharp looking replica. I don't know why in the hell they stuffed a wimpy V-6 in there though. First thing I'd do is rip that out and put in an American V-8 or Viper V-10. 109K for that car does seem like a lot, but the easiest advantage it has over a real Lambo is the maintenance. While Lambo owners are paying thousands of dollars for clutch jobs, you could do one for a few hundred.
Agree with you on the pricing, but what about maintenence, you should know more than anyone what it costs to keep these cars on the road, whoever buys this car will have the looks of the Diablo but not the costs, but at 109k it does seem expensive.
do you really not see a difference between generic pharmaceuticals and automobile replicas? the difference can be chalked up to the greater good of the technology, and there is no greater good to be had in stealing car designs or rolex watch designs or louis vuitton bag designs...that's just typical middle classers supporting theft to appear more affluent. were that not the case, the cars wouldn't have stock feiro engines, and they wouldn't have authentic badges. but usually, they do. weve already been over all of this your analogy is apples and oranges. a 109k fake diablo with a v6 engine? wow, the man who constructed that fabrication sure must have a PASSION for driving! lol have fun with your poser-mobiles, guys.
I believe that my argument is closer to McIntosh and Granny Smith than apples and oranges. When pharmaceuticals are developed the company that patents the compound names both active ingredient as well as coming up with their registered name for the dosage form (e.g. - sildenifil citrate/Viagra). Generic companies market their product using the active ingredient name originally proposed by the company that filed the patent. So when Viagra loses its patent protection, generic companies will be producing and selling sildenifil citrate. This would be akin to allowing a 328 GTS badge on a replica, but not a Ferrari badge. On the greater good of the technology issue, I don't see it. In many cases generics work differently than the original product as excipients and type of dosage form can have an impact on impact on the body. The only definitive greater good is that a similar, cheaper product is available to the public. In my mind that sounds an awful lot like a replica. Now I can hear your argument already. People taking generic pharmaceuticals are usually not trying to convince others that they are taking the more expensive brand name product. While thats true, it doesn't seem to me that Frog is trying to convince everyone he's driving a Lamborghini. Pretty tough to do that at a car show with the real thing parked next door. Obviously this is a topic where we all have to agree to disagree. Personally I don't see a situation where I would own a replica, but if other people want them its their business. Obviously replicas meet the need of a niche that currently exists and will probably continue to exist. I'm sure that some owners have them for the reasons that you describe while others own them for the reason Frog has his. Frog is the type of car owner that I would enjoy sitting, talking and having a beer with. Someone who owns the car for the express purpose of making others believe they own an exotic and doesn't own it for the pure enjoyment of the vehicle itself is someone I wouldn't choose to spend time with.
but not calling it Viagra, just saying it does the same thing. putting badges on is saying IT IS the real thing and has the credentials. i wouldn't want my doctor to have replica degrees. if his certificates specify he was trained by and passed the standards of such-and-such an institution, i don't want to have to ask him if it's real or if he went to Dr Nick Plaza for his degree. and what about war vets? wouldn't want nerds walking about with a purple heart because they got fragged in counter-strike. to me, THAT'S what a badge is, a certification of training/building and quality control by a reputable body in which you trust. improper use is a kick in the balls, a ruse to attempt to dupe me into believing something is of a quality it is not.
Lets all look in the depths of our hearts and be honest with ourselves. Replicas are for posers only. A way to inflate your status (just as fake Rolex and LV and etc.) and get some poontang. Sad but true... Driving a replica is like dating a woman who looks like a celebrity. Just because I like Christina Aguilera, it does not mean I am going to force my girlfrienfriend to have plastic surgery...
It's interesting to see that this thread has taken off like it has. I think it's great how we can all express our openions weather anyone agrees with them or not, and still all come back to the main reason of why we are all here. Because we Love the Ferrari. It seems there are some really bad reps out there and some very good builds. Though we don't all agree on them, obviousely some people like them because they were built and are in circulation. I was thinking back to an old thread I remember seeing about a guy that totally restored an older (very rare) Ferrari and instaled a 348 engine in it. Anyone have pictures of that? Or what about the guy that build the scale model with a tuned working motor! That was a great video! Seems to me, there are some folks out there with alot of creativity and skills. Hats off to them all. Any hoo, I just felt like bringing us back to our common passion for Ferraris even if we do have disagreements about this thread topic. Hey WAR_EGL, :cheers:
That same argument could be made for owners of the real thing too. No doubt that is the stereotype at least.