Being from South Africa doesn't make someone Superformance

Mike Stenhouse · #1 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 06:46 AM

I can wear tights and a cape, but that doesn’t make me Superman. Being from South Africa doesn’t make someone Superformance.

A number of replica manufacturers have sprung up in South Africa recently, hoping I suspect to imitate the success of Superformance. Even Carroll Shelby has turned to South Africa. An interesting concept isn't it. Carroll Shelby copying Superformance.

And while imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, it is not always an easy road. Thomas Edison said that, "Genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration." And so it is with success. The imitators will first have to copy Superformance's game plan. Then they will have to do the hard part - the work. The game plan is easy to get. It is published in Superformance advertising. Build what the customers want - a product of superior quality delivered complete and on time at a fair price. Maintain honest and fair dealings with customers and suppliers alike. Simple, just not the norm.

The hard part is that perspiration part. Superformance has been executing their plan for ten years now. It takes a long time and a considerable investment in time and money to put the infrastructure in place to design, manufacture, distribute, sell, and service 700 complete rolling chassis a year. Superformance has done it and done it well. They have the right plan and they have consistently executed well against that plan year in and year out. They have built a substantial manufacturing capability - a 240,000 square feet facility with 630 employees - trained, skilled, and dedicated employees with an established track record for producing quality products on spec and on time. They have a worldwide network of dedicated full time single product dealers who provide both sales and service. They have a factory sponsored dealer support organization backing the dealers up with a parts warehouse and technical support. And best of all they have a substantial customer base of enthusiastic and loyal customers who love their cars and don’t mind saying so.

How do I know this? I have seen the results. I own a Superformance and have the great pleasure of living with the quality of their work for six years now. My car has 30,000+ miles on it, including 1,500+ track miles and several trips to the drags. I don’t own a trailer. I drive to the track, run it, and drive it home. I run the same stock setup on the track that I run on the street. No special tires, no special suspension pieces or settings. It is always at the head of the pack. I know it isn’t the driver so it must be the car.

Even with long miles and hard driving, the car remains as solid, tight, and reliable as the day I bought it. My wife Pat and routinely take our car on vacation, weekend road trips, and day trips. I have so much confidence in it that I would not hesitate to drive it across the country this afternoon. It is everything I could ask for - strikingly beautiful, exceptional quality and attention to detail, stunningly quick, as solid and reliable as a block of steel. Best car I have ever owned, and I’ve had some nice ones.

Having seen the factory where it was made, I can understand why. I spent two weeks in South Africa this spring with Jim Price, founder and president of Hi-Tech Automotive, the manufacturer of Superformance. I had full access to every area of the facility from design to shipping and free access to all personnel. These guys are for real. And man, are they good. No one else has had the vision to do what they have done. And no one has come anywhere close on execution. They are successful for one reason. They have earned it.

So if these imitators can find the will and the sweat and the money to spend the next ten years getting to where Superformance is today, they will still be ten years behind. Because Superformance is on the move. In terms of manufacturing capabilities, number of employees, and cars produced, the factory is three times as big as it was when I first met Jim Price in 1998. And the pace is picking up.

computerworks · #2 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 07:54 AM

Mike, in fairness, could you disclose your involvement with SPF and SCOF, etc.

Fred Douglass · #3 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:07 AM

....could you post a picture of you in that cape-and-tights outfit?

mrmustang · #4 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:09 AM

I'll second this one as it sounds more like an advertisement to me.

Bill S.

Quote:

Originally posted by computerworks

Mike, in fairness, could you disclose your involvement with SPF and SCOF, etc.

ToyCollector · #5 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:09 AM

So Mike, what is the point of this post then? If SPF is sticking to their "master" plan, I am sure they have factored in and accounted for some South African competitors to enter the fray. If their plan is sound, then they should not be threatened, or are they?

Former owner of SPF250.

Bill Kesner · #6 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:12 AM

Mike........

It has nothing to do about copying Superformance, but simply a sound business decision. CAV either approached Shelby, or they approached CAV. One of Shelby's biggest authorized dealers for their Cobra's became an authorized dealer for the CAV a while back. CAV makes some nice GT-40 rollers, and somewhere down the road, the marriage began. As for the next 10-years, I would bet that Shelby and CAV along with their technology, will be right there with the latest inovations for their cars. This latest venture with Shelby and CAV I'm sure does not sit well with Superformance, as the price of roller cars become more in line with their competitors. It will be interesting to see if Shelby and CAV are able to keep up with supply and demand, as well as quality during the next few years. And your right about Superformance, they do have a great product out there considering the cost.

- Bill -

Turk · #7 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:15 AM

This thread too will turn into something it is not now, YET.

The accolades for SPF is excessive when it starts in a thread starting post. We all, already know all about SPF.

It is one thing for all of us to brag about cars in a conversation or in a thread, but it is somewhat unusual when one starts the conversation by saying " Oh, by the way did I ever tell you how great my car is....".

I too am curios about the motives of this post.

TURK

Specialk · #8 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:16 AM

Oh yeah? I'll second this one!

Quote:

Originally posted by Fred Douglass

....could you post a picture of you in that cape-and-tights outfit?

mrmustang · #9 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:18 AM

Turk,

Da bunnies don't know, but I hear

The shadow knows

Bill S.

LateApex · #10 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:35 AM

If you wanted to stir up the hornet's nest, this initial post should do it. Have you heard of the new movie, "Sleepless in South Africa"?

BT SNAKE · #11 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:39 AM

It's simple economics..Things can be built with cheap labor in
South ASfrica. Shelby is taking advantage of that asset. Having
the name Shelby, CSX serial numbers and round tube frames make This a wise business decision. If the new South African
Shelbys are built with the same quality that are built here then SAI will fair very well. Everybody knows the name on the front
means a lot and that's what people will want in the end as long
as the quality is there.
Superformance will have to get creative to compete. I'm sure they
have been thinking about this for awhile. They are resourceful and
I'm sure they will do fine.

Hersh

mr bruce · #12 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:42 AM

Sounds like the Old Grouch's plan is workin' already!

mrmustang · #13 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 08:43 AM

Anybody remember when Superformance first came to the US, and what their initial "roller" pricing was..If I remember correctly, it was in the mid 20's, then all of a sudden shot up to the high 30's......I'll have to fire up my old SGI (a preproduction Indigo for those who know) box to dig up the original emails from back in 1994/1995 when they were still looking for US distributors..........

Bill S.

Bill S.

Jack Zupan · #14 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 02:07 PM

Bill,

My memory of the early SPFs was around $32.500 for a roller. I bought my first Cobra in 1997 and was doing a lot of looking for a year or so before then.

Jack Z.

casaleenie · #15 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 02:30 PM

Damn, I hate when this happens... again I'm confused....
What was the original question that fired off this thread???

CowtownCobra · #16 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 02:38 PM

No question, just an infomercial...

gsharapa · #17 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 02:40 PM

Actually the first SPFs were $ 29,500 or $ 29,900.

Interesting in Shelby going to South Africa and I'm sure he will sell a lot of cars if the price stays down at $ 39,000? I'm still curious as to how all you guys with high dollar CSX 4000s feel about a car that is suppose to be the same,being so much cheaper?????????????????

TomH · #18 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 02:49 PM

Hmmmm. "Mine's the real thing and these other guys are poseurs!" Where have we heard this before?

Bill Kesner · #19 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 06:57 PM

Gary........

Back in 1999, Shelby was selling his CSX4000 rolling chassis for $42,270. I'm sure several that purchased later down the road paid a higher amount, though you can see the price has simply dropped back to the earlier rates. I guess you could say that those that paid more were paying a Las Vegas premium.

- Bill -

Turk · #20 (**permalink**) 08-31-2003, 07:40 PM

Gary,
I as an CSX owner will answer your question only for me.If I had bought my car as an investment vehicle and didn't plan on using it, just selling it and the new cars were diluting the value of my car I would be a little upset.

I think I have been consistent on this, my car was purchased to make me happy. My biggest demand of my car, is can I go somewhere with friends, will there be enough of us to make a lot of noise.?
As long as there are more Cobras, whether they be FFRs, SPFs or new batch of Shelby South African Cobras, I am OK with it.

There may be others who expected great appreciation from their cars, and if the market made no distinction between the Las Vegas cars and the new arrivals, they may be a little taken back.

However that is not Shelby's fault. It is the fault of those who bought a Cobra for investment purposes.
What happened to original Cobras of 60's ain't gonna happen again.

How could anyone be dissapointed if they go out and enjoy their cars?
Certainly when I am old and unable to drive and had to sell my car, it would be nice if it sold for $100,000. If it sells for $60,000, was it a mistake? I don't think so.