How did Tony Stelliga fail?
Discussion
The TSO was in development for a long time, and just when it was almost useable they pulled the plug.
It's strange because all the press loved the car, and only mentioned a few niggles with the car. It look's great, and has a reliable engine.
The problems I could see is with the price, it was too expensive, and seemed stingy on standard kit.
You had to pay for an a alarm?.. it's not 1983 is it? Also paying for delivery and tax are usually in with the price.
I thought 30 were ordered yet they only made 6?
Any views?
It's strange because all the press loved the car, and only mentioned a few niggles with the car. It look's great, and has a reliable engine.
The problems I could see is with the price, it was too expensive, and seemed stingy on standard kit.
You had to pay for an a alarm?.. it's not 1983 is it? Also paying for delivery and tax are usually in with the price.
I thought 30 were ordered yet they only made 6?
Any views?
Smoke and mirrors spring to mind chap, lots. The concept/car was good but I'd have expected visible 'road cars' clocking up mileage in the hands of a few favoured customers. This would heve generated feedback, publicity and aided development. Instead there was a lot of publicity but nobody ever saw the cars on the road or track because there were only a couple of cars for the first few years. Also, the price kept going up so imo it didn't represent value for money when you could have bought a vette with the might of GM behind it.
In summary and this is only my laymans opinion he should have got them on the road quickly.
ETA, it's not so much a case of failure, he just pulled the plug which would have been a business decision. He still holds the IPR afaik so could build them again if he wanted to.
In summary and this is only my laymans opinion he should have got them on the road quickly.
ETA, it's not so much a case of failure, he just pulled the plug which would have been a business decision. He still holds the IPR afaik so could build them again if he wanted to.
Edited by Boosted LS1 on Wednesday 9th April 19:52
From what I understand the cars sold still had some problems, as can be read in this forums.
It may seem silly but even after over 2 years after introduction - the orange one - the car clearly wasn't developed properly.
Shame. I got mail from TS who was interested in rescue plans for his venture but after 2 mails the 'Marcos rescue team' - not! - took over the correspondance . . . Shame.
It may seem silly but even after over 2 years after introduction - the orange one - the car clearly wasn't developed properly.
Shame. I got mail from TS who was interested in rescue plans for his venture but after 2 mails the 'Marcos rescue team' - not! - took over the correspondance . . . Shame.
If it had of been priced closer to the £50k mark then who knows?
The R/T version was nearly £8k more expensive then the coupe, if you ask me that should have been classed as extortion.
At least Morgan and Noble are doing well.
p.s. As i'm sure you're aware, that red one has been for sale for a while now.
The R/T version was nearly £8k more expensive then the coupe, if you ask me that should have been classed as extortion.
At least Morgan and Noble are doing well.
p.s. As i'm sure you're aware, that red one has been for sale for a while now.
I never understood why he went and did the coupe when he could have finished and launched the TSO which on the whole got encouraging reviews and was cheaper. Once they got involved with the coupe there were all sorts of issues being raised. Issues regarding looks, headroom, seats and the interior trim spring to mind, oh and the soaring price. The soft top didn't need much to finish as first presented. Then they repainted it and started messing with the rear lights. It was good in it's original format imo.
Boosted LS1 said:
I never understood why he went and did the coupe when he could have finished and launched the TSO which on the whole got encouraging reviews and was cheaper. Once they got involved with the coupe there were all sorts of issues being raised. Issues regarding looks, headroom, seats and the interior trim spring to mind, oh and the soaring price. The soft top didn't need much to finish as first presented. Then they repainted it and started messing with the rear lights. It was good in it's original format imo.
I liked the rear end more on the TSO convertible, but the interior didn't impress me, whereas it's the other way around for the GTC. The rear end on that looks like a kit car. Yes there was issues with the car, electrical problems and some engine mapping problems. But what killed the company was a few things, first of all the time from development to production ready was far to long, serious lack of proper dealer network and the fact that tony money was in the usa not the uk and when the currency went seriously wrong his money was worth so little it was crippling him.
There was other issues also but these were the main ones
There was other issues also but these were the main ones
From what i've learned from various people, the costs were a huge problem. Maybe if they'd spent more time reducing them to get the car into a sensible, saleable price bracket, it would have stood a better chance. I agree with most people, he should have put more cars on the road, recruited more dealers with subsidised demonstrators to get them out and about in front of people.
Maybe he should have tossed one in with Autocar as a long termer, i know TVR used to do it and they had a very good relationship with them i recall.
Maybe he should have tossed one in with Autocar as a long termer, i know TVR used to do it and they had a very good relationship with them i recall.
Dodgey_Rog said:
From what i've learned from various people, the costs were a huge problem. Maybe if they'd spent more time reducing them to get the car into a sensible, saleable price bracket, it would have stood a better chance. I agree with most people, he should have put more cars on the road, recruited more dealers with subsidised demonstrators to get them out and about in front of people.
Maybe he should have tossed one in with Autocar as a long termer, i know TVR used to do it and they had a very good relationship with them i recall.
cost was a huge problem but only because they was not prepared to outsource. The car could have been built for around 24,000 us dollars so around £12,000.00 plus the engine and transmission. It would not have been built in the usa just the prices i was given by a certain manufacturer. car could have easily sold for just sub £50,000 and been very profitable, but as they wanted to be all english built blah blah this did not happenMaybe he should have tossed one in with Autocar as a long termer, i know TVR used to do it and they had a very good relationship with them i recall.
RJDM3 said:
Dodgey_Rog said:
From what i've learned from various people, the costs were a huge problem. Maybe if they'd spent more time reducing them to get the car into a sensible, saleable price bracket, it would have stood a better chance. I agree with most people, he should have put more cars on the road, recruited more dealers with subsidised demonstrators to get them out and about in front of people.
Maybe he should have tossed one in with Autocar as a long termer, i know TVR used to do it and they had a very good relationship with them i recall.
cost was a huge problem but only because they was not prepared to outsource. The car could have been built for around 24,000 us dollars so around £12,000.00 plus the engine and transmission. It would not have been built in the usa just the prices i was given by a certain manufacturer. car could have easily sold for just sub £50,000 and been very profitable, but as they wanted to be all english built blah blah this did not happenMaybe he should have tossed one in with Autocar as a long termer, i know TVR used to do it and they had a very good relationship with them i recall.
Edited by Dodgey_Rog on Tuesday 22 April 15:15
I went for a spin in the Grey coupe when Boss Cerbera (PHer on the TVR Forum,) was testing the car.
It had plenty of grunt and look fine with good handling, but it was too cramped in comparison with say a TVR, and I'm Mr avarage 5'8" tall.
It just didnt have the all round completed feel of a TVR.
I heard the paint jobs cost 6K, the bodies were made by a company in Newcastle and development was by Prodrive - NOT CHEAP!
TVR did all of this in-house, so, mounting development and manufacturing costs must have killed the car off.
It had plenty of grunt and look fine with good handling, but it was too cramped in comparison with say a TVR, and I'm Mr avarage 5'8" tall.
It just didnt have the all round completed feel of a TVR.
I heard the paint jobs cost 6K, the bodies were made by a company in Newcastle and development was by Prodrive - NOT CHEAP!
TVR did all of this in-house, so, mounting development and manufacturing costs must have killed the car off.
Edited by Crazynick on Thursday 6th November 21:54
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