Shelby CSX price increase!

[cobrakalas427]

Sounds like a great way for a dealer to pocket an extra $10K from an unsuspecting buyer who waits to pull the trigger on a car already in their inventory...

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by cobrakalas427

Sounds like a great way for a dealer to pocket an extra $10K from an unsuspecting buyer who waits to pull the trigger on a car already in their inventory...

CSX buyers are not "unsuspecting." They're discriminating.

(take it easy, I'm just kidding).

[slider701]

Originally Posted by cobrakalas427

Sounds like a great way for a dealer to pocket an extra $10K from an unsuspecting buyer who waits to pull the trigger on a car already in their inventory...

The way I interpreted Steven Becker's posting was that the cars he has are allocated to him but are still at the SAI factory.

The other thing is he may not actually pay Shelby money for these cars until they are sold, paying a floor plan fee instead until they actually sell either as a roller or completed unit. That way it has a single owner title/MSO assigned to it.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by stephen_becker

As a factory authorized Shelby Cobra CSX dealer I have the last seven (7) HST built CSX Cobras at SAI factory, in Las Vegas, being finished up - Until December 1st I will offer them for the old price of $ 49,995.00 (+ options) - They are as follows:

CSX 6063 - Color and options TBD by EOM

CSX 6065 - Navy Blue

CSX 6066 - Guardsman blue

CSX 6067 - LeMans Blue

CSX 6068 - Russo F-1 Red

CSX 6069 - Guardsman Blue w/ Wimbledon White LeMans stripes

CSX 6070 - framed and raw body - customer can pick color and options by EOM 11/2010

Here are seven CSX's available. I wish I had some extra money lying around, I'd buy one, but right after I bought Allen English's RCR 40.

[HI Cobra]

Ernie,

There is a guy in Texas who has a very well built FF5 with a detuned BMW V12
with twin turbos (detuned down from 1000 to 700 range). Very clean build.
It has been done.

[RodKnock]

So, if you're a buyer out there looking to buy a new CSX4000/6000, it sounds like you would prefer a Las Vegas or South African built CSX?

[dcdoug]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

So, if you're a buyer out there looking to buy a new CSX4000/6000, it sounds like you would prefer a Las Vegas or South African built CSX?

Ask a different person, get a different answer. I have heard all of the following answers to this question:

1) The best cars were the early 4000 series cars built in LV.

2) The early 4000 cars built in LV had lots of issues due to inconsistent manufacturing and lack of overall organization at the facility.

3) Cars have been built by HST nearly since the beginning and the quality is the best, better than LV built cars and some of the bigger dealers (George Anderson at Gessford and Stephen Becker at Planet Cobra to name two) specify HST-only cars.

4) HST has quality issues and Hi-Tech (SA) is a more sophisticated factory, therefore SA builds cars are better. (I know people that have toured the Hi-Tech factory and say it is very impressive)

I have never actually heard anyone back up any of these statements with empirical evidence. So your guess is as good as mine. Who knows?

[SP01715]

Originally Posted by dcdoug

Ask a different person, get a different answer. I have heard all of the following answers to this question:

1) The best cars were the early 4000 series cars built in LV.

2) The early 4000 cars built in LV had lots of issues due to inconsistent manufacturing and lack of overall organization at the facility.

3) Cars have been built by HST nearly since the beginning and the quality is the best, better than LV built cars and some of the bigger dealers (George Anderson at Gessford and Stephen Becker at Planet Cobra to name two) specify HST-only cars.

4) HST has quality issues and Hi-Tech (SA) is a more sophisticated factory, therefore SA builds cars are better. (I know people that have toured the Hi-Tech factory and say it is very impressive)

I have never actually heard anyone back up any of these statements with empirical evidence. So your guess is as good as mine. Who knows?

I had some work done on my SPF at a place that was a Shelby dealer, and the owner owns an aluminum CSX 4000. This guy is well respected and has worked on several original Cobras. He had some really bad things to say about the cars built in Mexico. He told me had to almost completely rebuild one of the cars he received from Mexico, and refused to take delivery of cars from them after that. That is one specific story I been told...

[dcdoug]

I wonder if Shelby dropped their price by $10k (so $39,995), rather than increasing it, whether they'd pick up a enough customers currently buying BDR's, SPF's and ERA's to generate enough sales that their overall margin would increase or whether lower sales at a higher price still results in better a better overall margin. Wonder how price elastic the demand is for CSX cars?

I know that Shelby generally is pursuing a strategy of reducing its auto sales business and focusing on parts, but it is an interesting question.

[Learjockey1]

For a perspective, I am reading Cobra The Shelby American Archives (62-65) by Dave Friedman and on page 34, they have an invoice dated April 7 1964 for CSX 2393 no engine, silver, with red trim top and tonneau, rack/pinion. It cost Ford 778 Pounds about $1,500 US in 64. I did not check equivalency in 2010.

[dcdoug]

Originally Posted by Learjockey1

For a perspective, I am reading Cobra The Shelby American Archives (62-65) by Dave Friedman and on page 34, they have an invoice dated April 7 1964 for CSX 2393 no engine, silver, with red trim top and tonneau, rack/pinion. It cost Ford 778 Pounds about $1,500 US in 64. I did not check equivalency in 2010.

Here's your answer:

$1,500.00 in 1964 had the same buying power as $10,482.96 in 2010. Annual inflation over this period was 4.32%. (Courtesy of http://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.htm)

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Learjockey1

For a perspective, I am reading Cobra The Shelby American Archives (62-65) by Dave Friedman and on page 34, they have an invoice dated April 7 1964 for CSX 2393 no engine, silver, with red trim top and tonneau, rack/pinion. It cost Ford 778 Pounds about $1,500 US in 64. I did not check equivalency in 2010.

United Kingdom, 1963 - 1964

One US dollar equals=

1963 0.3571 British Pound
1964 0.3582 British Pound

or effectively around 3 dollars per pound

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by dcdoug

I wonder if Shelby dropped their price by $10k (so $39,995), rather than increasing it, whether they'd pick up a enough customers currently buying BDR's, SPF's and ERA's to generate enough sales that their overall margin would increase or whether lower sales at a higher price still results in better a better overall margin. Wonder how price elastic the demand is for CSX cars?

I know that Shelby generally is pursuing a strategy of reducing its auto sales business and focusing on parts, but it is an interesting question.

That's an excellent question, but the CSX is believed by many/most to be the "top of the line" Cobra in our segment of the industry and would probably sully their name and added premium by reducing the price of the CSX to levels of their "competitiors."

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

That's an excellent question, but the CSX is believed by many/most to be the "top of the line" Cobra in our segment of the industry and would probably sully their name and added premium by reducing the price of the CSX to levels of their "competitiors."

You can't reduce the cost of the glass shelby to that of the competitors, because the parts to build the Shelby are more expensive than the competitors. If you want original spec suspension, higher end gauges, original spec frame, it's going to cost more than to use/modify existing suspension parts from other passenger cars (either new or used) like all of the competitors, and even if they use their own design that's not original spec. It will almost always cost more to build an original spec cobra unless you go exotic.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Anthony

You can't reduce the cost of the glass shelby to that of the competitors, because the parts to build the Shelby are more expensive than the competitors. If you want original spec suspension, higher end gauges, original spec frame, it's going to cost more than to use/modify existing suspension parts from other passenger cars (either new or used) like all of the competitors, and even if they use their own design that's not original spec. It will almost always cost more to build an original spec cobra unless you go exotic.

You're making an assumption since none of us have seen a cost per unit report from any manufacturer. Maybe SPF, BDR, ERA or whoever spend more on their bodies. Further, using ERA as an example, I think the ERA uses some very nice new parts. Just a guess, but then that's all any of us can do.

BTW, PANAVIA purchased his CSX 4985 from a dealer for right around $41K-42K.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

BTW, PANAVIA purchased his CSX 4985 from a dealer for right around $41K-42K.

A little bit of luck and excellent timing by Steve. BTW - Should he ever sell the car, I'm sure he won't mine if the cost basis for the roller fades off in to the archives of CC forever.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

You're making an assumption since none of us have seen a cost per unit report from any manufacturer. .

Not necessarily. I've priced the individual components. Ask Kirkham how much of a price break you get if you order a car with the original spec suspension and Girling brakes? Why has Superformance changed the differential as supplied in their cars at various times in thier production run if it costs the same no matter which diff they use?

[Mark IV]

[quote=Anthony;1085241]. If you want original spec suspension, higher end gauges, original spec frame, it's going to cost more than to use/modify existing suspension parts from other passenger cars (either new or used) like all of the competitors, and even if they use their own design that's not original spec. QUOTE]

Superformance does not use "parts from an existing passenger car" in their products. The components they use are equally costly as what is used on the CSX cars. That alone does not justify the selection of one over an another. As Hi Tech (the manufacturer) builds both Superformance products and some of the CSX cars, they alone would know the exact cost differences although my guess would be it is not $10,000 worth of cost.

Buy what you can afford and what makes you happy..................

[mickmate]

Stephen that's "Rosso" red.

[FredBMOC]

IMO Shelby American believes their cars are originals and worth more than "kits or replicas" and probably rightly so believe that most of the buying public doesn't really know/understand or even care about the full history of Shelby to even form their own opinion as to wether this is true or not so they can get and deserve (in their rationale) the premium over other brands.
To most of this buying public that do not take the time to investigate the brands, a 2010 "new Shelby " for $80k and up is a bargain compared with a 1965 for $500k to $1.0m? I certainly think so!
All of you fine gentleman here at CC, do exactly the opposite; you spend far too much time and effort (i'm in this phase right now myself) investigating these cars, their history and their heritage and have come to your own understanding about the validity of the Shelby assertions and for this reason you see this issue differently than most of the buying public and that is why most of you (and me) are all not lining up to buy a Shelby. Time will tell if Shelby's strategy is sound or rubbish but at the end of the day I don't think the $10k will make all of that much difference... To most people this a 2nd, 3rd or 4th car purchase and totally dependent on emotion and disposable income rather than rational thinking so once you want the car ( and YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANT ONE! ) there is little to do but to surrender and get one
I honestly hope Shelby sells lots of them at extra $10K; it would be great for the whole industry and for the bottom line of all of the manufacturers