AusS2000

Ok. I wonder what we said. I know Tim mentioned his herpes at one point.

tafka TMB

Thanks for that Aus! Public forum using my real name.

I don't think I'll ever be able to shake hands without wearing rubber gloves again.

P.S. has your nasty little rash died down yet?

honda9krpm

I agree.
For that sort of money for a track car, I would prefer to get a used imported GT3 cup car. It certainly will pull a lot more lowies and way safer.

RedRover

Sorry - been out all day, just got back. Did the right click & save - now works OK. Thanks

DavidM

The radical is not a road legal car in Aust (NSW at least) so that makes any comparison pointless.

The Elfin is only 'road legal' here if you tick a $10k option to make it road legal. Check their price list - the price that you read is not for the road going version.

If you can't see from the pictures what else goes into the car then get them eyes checked.

Nope, sorry I don't see $100k there. It's not like there are some 'exotic' materials being used (ie. carbon-bibre) ... I don't see it any different to any other kit car, and from that perspective the Radical is a lot cheaper even though it is imported. Also like I said - all the hardware is directly from the Commodore and very little is done to it to improve it ... so I dont's see where the money is going.

Though I take on board your argument that demand dictates the price. So the 12 (or so) that they have sold must have had buyers for that price. If they can't make them any quicker then why sell them for any less?

ps. Don't get me wrong, I love the thought of the Elfin, and I'm sure it's an awesome car ... no argument there. It's just that personaly I would not pay much more than $70k for a new one, and that is the 'road legal' version.

AusS2000

I think you may have misunderstood me. I didn't say you could see $100K there, I said there is more in there than Commodore. There is work in there, from the custom calipers, through the steel frame chassis to the bespoke fibreglass body. Whether it's worth $100K or not the market will decide, but then I guess you could argue that there isn't $600K in a Lamborghini either.

There are also a lot of hidden costs. Small car manufacturers have to undergo a lot of tests even more stringent than the big manufacturers. The reason the Clubman wasn't available was that it was undergoing a the SOAP test. This is a test carried out in a special facility to monitor emmission levels whilst the car is standing (from the leather, fibreglass, glue etc). Each test cost $3K.

And this is not a kit car. It is a road registerable turnkey car from a bespoke manufacturer with an impeccable racing heritage. I mentioned the word 'Lotus' and Bill nearly bit my head off. I wouldn't go calling it a Commodore with a body kit within earshot.

cashout

The Elfin is only 'road legal' here if you tick a $10k option to make it road legal. Check their price list - the price that you read is not for the road going version.


I don't see the 10k option. Where is it?

I am looking at the link below and says 'registration compliant' standard:
http://www.elfin.com.au/flash/streamliner.aspx

It is the same as the two printed brouchures I have.

The MS8 clubman does have the 10k option to be registration compliant:
http://www.elfin.com.au/flash/clubman.aspx

BUT even in road legal form it is 20k cheaper. So your statement should be corrected to "30-40k too expensive" to make sure we are all taking about the same car. And surely, you must agree that for the 'road legal' option to even be there as a 'bolt on', some cost must be added to the non-road legal car. Extra cost that would have nothing to do with looks or perfomance.



ps. Don't get me wrong, I love the thought of the Elfin, and I'm sure it's an awesome car ... no argument there. It's just that personaly I would not pay much more than $70k for a new one, and that is the 'road legal' version.

Once again, ask Chris how much he has spent on the S2000 powered clubman. Then offer him "just the extra cost of the S2000 donated gear" over the standard $40k (for a turnkey PRB) as it is obvious it is just a clubman with a different engine... and watch his reaction.

F20C Clubman



Non F20C clubman



BTW: I would love to be able to afford any of the cars we are talking about here (radical, elfin, PRB, ariel) or even just an old FF (the ones you can get for $15k) so I too would rather pay $70k for an elfin rather than the listed price.

DavidM

The MS8 clubman does have the 10k option to be registration compliant:
http://www.elfin.com.au/flash/clubman.aspx

BUT even in road legal form it is 20k cheaper. So your statement should be corrected to "30-40k too expensive" to make sure we are all taking about the same car

Yep, you're correct - it's only the MS8 that has that option so I your also correct about my statement being corrected to "$40k too expensive".

I like the MS8 better than the Streamliner and the road going version MS8 is listed at $115.

ps. As I stated before - I would love to have one in my garage, just if I had to pay that much for it I'd rather get a Radical ... even one of the 'basic' ones for $80k as I can't see the Elfin coming anywhere close to. The Radical is something like 500kg, revs to 10k rpm, has 7 speed sequencial gearbox and a lot of downforce.

RedRover

I'd dearly love to see a comparison table of all the clubman type cars. Elfin, PRB, Lotus, Aerial Atom, Radical, Caterham etc etc - that spells out exactly what you get in each.

cashout

I too liked the MS8 Clubman better than the Streamliner when they were first displayed in 2004. But the lack of a hardtop made them both a "desktop wallpaper" kinda of car for me.

Now that the streamliner has a hardtop it is a little different.