Cottage Classics

Cottage Classics

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Discussion

jpf

Original Poster:

1,314 posts

283 months

Wednesday 14th May 2008
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Why did they go out of business?

Always liked their website--being in the USA, there wasn't much opportunity to transact business.

Seemed like Spadge was a character...

nicktowe

38,501 posts

231 months

Thursday 15th May 2008
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Apparently the Ginetta part of the Cottage Classics business has been acquired by LNT.

james111s

873 posts

264 months

Thursday 15th May 2008
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Interesting...
Did Cottage classics actually have the rights to make or build anything or was it simply a repair shop? The reason i ask is that i can't see what the attraction would be to buy it?

geeeman

1,311 posts

262 months

Thursday 15th May 2008
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think that LNT can now pass on any enquiries about servicing/repair etc of the older models on to Spadge.. as they have limited knowledge of past Ginetta models

james111s

873 posts

264 months

Thursday 15th May 2008
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http://www.ginettaheritage.co.uk/

I think i've worked it out..? Ginetta Heritage is the new cottage classics then... and owned by Ginetta?! Wonders, it appears, will never cease.

dandarez

13,444 posts

290 months

Thursday 15th May 2008
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From what I can work out it's not wholly owned by Ginetta (LNT) but the latter may have injected cash into it to get it up and running properly.

Think(?) Spadge may have been getting fed up from what I hear (all the other marques - TVR, Gilbern etc - he dealt with, he got rid of what was left on ebay or elsewhere). Then he got an offer he couldn't refuse I guess.
Good luck to him.
If it wasn't for what Spadge had been doing over the last handful of years the classic side of the marque would have been a lot duller - NOBODY can argue with that.

While he can obviously now deal with the majority of the classic Ginettas (he now has the capital to allow it), where does this leave the G4 and G12 - or more to the point, where does it leave DARE?

IMO there is a definite market for the G4 and G12, especially the former. I know others looking for a secondhand one (me included) and there are simply none available. With all the other specialist marques floundering or disappearing (Noble now as well - ok, it's in new hands but with no Lee how long do you give it?).

Interesting year so far... the 50th.

911hillclimber

486 posts

202 months

Friday 16th May 2008
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For the Dare G4 and G12 to prosper and eventually appear on the second hand market they need to be more available!

I am reluctant to say Kit Car here, but being able to buy into a G12 say in modules (like so many others do) makes purchase much easier.

The high-end GT40 / Cobra people do this. I am surethe cars can be engineered to allow Chassis modules/body etc so you do not need the capital in the first place.

Sure build quality can vary, but a new G4 can become very ratty if left 'alone' and probably in a short time.

Is there a place for a factory built only car in small volume today?
I seriously doubt it, but as a supplier of modular build specialist cars there are those that have flourished, Westfield and Caterham are obvious examples. Just look at Ultima too.

50 years so far indeed, and hasn't Ginetta had a colourful journey so far?
I for one hope Dare do not dissapear, but a change in strategy could be needed pdq.

Graham

Edited by 911hillclimber on Friday 16th May 06:55

Ebo100

490 posts

211 months

Monday 23rd June 2008
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911hillclimber said:
For the Dare G4 and G12 to prosper and eventually appear on the second hand market they need to be more available!

I am reluctant to say Kit Car here, but being able to buy into a G12 say in modules (like so many others do) makes purchase much easier.
Couldn't agree more 911. I recently fell in love with a G12 I saw at Harewood hill climb and would like to own a road going version. A check of the Dare website gives little information about prices but I can guess they are very expensive judging on the second hand G4 at £23,000 and so out of my price range. If a modular car were to become available at a realistic price I think more like minded people might place orders. The Dare and Ginetta cars have always been the choice of the men in the know (rather than mainstream westfields and the like)so I don't think the market would be flooded. This would keep residuals at a decent level but allow greater presence on the road, at various shows and motorsport events and so publicise the marque. As a past owner of a factory G32 my car was well appointed but certainly no better than some of the kit cars I see at some of the shows and so I don't think a modular package would hurt the product.