Member Info for Richard365054

The term 'slaves' can equally he applied to very young British children being forced to work in mines and mills during the 18th and 19th centuries, many to die before the age of 25. A good portion of the wealth of this country came from such practises. It applied to other countries as well.

Paul, that's not my argument. Desirable and reliable will do far more for the brand than any F1 success. Plus avoiding the stack them high/ sell them low which prevailed at AML.

It's all a nice distraction but McLaren are not benefitting from their motor racing successes and Ferrari show that if you build the cars that people desire, not winning the championship for over a decade doesn't have a material impact. I'd sooner just have very desirable cars.

I follow that 3300.

It is interesting and amusing reading the different agendas on this board and thinking about what they are trying to achieve.

F1 has always been an easy target, yet other sports are not placed in the same spotlight. Before the pandemic, how many cars and coaches criss crossed the country virtually every day of the week, 44 weeks of the year, taking supporters to football matches, in many cases great distances from their homes. On top of this, all the cup matches in various countries requiring charter flights, plus the usual European and World Cup competitions coming round every couple of years. Mass travel in all forms of transport just to follow one sport. But that's peoples' choice.

It's also intriguing to think about all the oil based products we use without a thought because they are a part of the fabric of life. The oil that goes into plastics for windows and doors, mobile phones, footwear, clothing, carpets, electrical leads and appliances, white goods, transportation construction and interiors, cosmetics, the list goes on and on. I should know because I was a textile designer and technologist. The world revolves around oil - trying to change our dependence needs truly radical thought. People may suggest Formula E as the alternative for the sport many on here love, but we need to take account of the massive generators in the paddocks used to recharge these vehicles. TV doesn't publicise them.

Whether I can use my car to drive into a city is very rarely a question I consider. Cities for years have treated motorists as cash cows and I won't partake in that particular game. If a city wants to charge me for spending my hard earned money then they won't be the beneficiary. There are alternative options that will happily and pleasingly accept my money and be gracious during the transaction. So my next car purchase won't be based on which cities I can drive it around. If I could afford a DBX I would be a very happy person and proud to be supporting a British based business.

Welcome back 3300. Definitely one to miss if you stayed away.

It's a tragedy to see so many posters leave because of conflict with a few individuals who don't share their views. I was heavily criticised and called a maggot for daring to suggest there was an issue with the new Vantage design that was having an impact upon sales. I wasn't alone in that view and AML and another company are now offering an alternative styling that addresses this criticism. I wasn't being a troll or deliberately disruptive as I desperately want AML to succeed. But I don't mind an opposing view if the argument is supported. But I do object to posters who condemn a brand just to be objectionable. However, I don't believe anything they say is likely to have an impact on the price.

I used to post a lot on another company's site and there was one poster who tried to be as disruptive and rude as possible. I filtered him as soon as his repetitive obnoxiousness became apparent, but it was interesting to see, all the months afterwards, that people continued to get inflamed by his words. I couldn't see his posts but I could see people responding to him in name. One time or two I suggested again that people should just filter him.

I hope those that have left will reflect and come back and just use the filter button. Maybe some have me filtered because of what I said about the vantage design. I still stand by my criticism but I'm quite happy that others have an opposing view. Design after all, is subjective.

Prior to the changes at AML I wouldn't have completely disagreed. The previous strategy of filling showrooms rather than manufacturing to order wasn't sustainable. Heavy discounts were ruining the brand and turning away potential buyers because of the depreciation. But that has changed and I've changed to the point of selling a large proportion of my Lloyds holding, which drove me round the bend and buying AML which I've always loved, but rarely believed were sustainable.

The new strategy of building to order is the sustainable model for this high end brand and importantly, the initial road test reports on the DBX fully support the hype, as indeed does the considerable order book. Add the value of Valkyrie to the Speedster and the DB5 007, which come to around £0.5 Billion, plus £0.8 Billion full year sales for the DBX and you have a potent product range when you add in the Vantage, DBS and DB11. This is before any impact from the Valhallah and Vanquish. Andy Palmer did the groundwork and I hope he'll be applauded for it in the fullness of time.

It could never get on the calendar today. Drivers who master it are something special. Monte Carlo was the scene for the very last victory by BRM in 1972. Beltoise achieved his one and only F1 win.

I didn't know that, Paul. Some of us walked the GP course and I couldn't believe how the cars take the tunnel flat. I mean it is a significant bend, plus it's quite a descent to the chicane, not what the TV shows. The drive back was initially wonderful, particularly through the mountains. Couldn't believe how the French maintained their minor roads, not like our bomb sites.

I'd done a rally using the old Monte stages in a 60s mini cooper s along with fifty others and we stayed two nights. We used the underground garage and the discs on some of the hyper cars and SUVs were larger than my tyres. We could park 3 minis where there had been 2 supercars.

I think in the end his system went off line and he went into a foul mouthed rant. He soon forgot his tribulations and ordered a Ferrari Monza SP2. David Coulthard already has an order in for a Valkyrie. The only thing I can counter with is that I once stayed in Coulthard's hotel in Monte Carlo. Doesn't quite carry the same kudos!!

It may only have been virtual, but the AMR Vantage finished second at the Le Mans 24hours yesterday. This was a works factory entry with their top line factory drivers. Jenson Button said it was more exhausting than the real race.
Just going through some of Andy Palmer's previous comments and at the beginning of April he said that the DBX order book for 2020 was full. It will be interesting to hear an update on volumes from the new CEO in August.

Good morning all. Sales at Ferrari for their V12s have been very buoyant. People at this end of the market love multi cylinders and if AMG binned their V8 for an inline four, it wouldn't find much appeal amongst Aston buyers. They had to conceive an in house engine for their future models.
The CO2 measure for Ferrari comes down very little year on year, almost a case of they determine what is achievable with unit sales of 10,000. AML should fit within this unit measure although Andy Palmer had talked of upping volumes to 14,000. But with the pandemic and change of CEO, all this has gone out of the window.

Helps to perpetuate the brand for those with very deep pockets and presumably profitable for AML. I don't believe they are road legal - could be wrong.
Anyone wanting the virtual Le Mans from inside Nicki Thiim's Vantage, go onto utube and type in Nicki Thiim and one of the options will be inside his car. Currently running 4th in class.

Just reading up on missed postings. Pau10z, that's a beautiful piece of work. Hats off go you.

I do agree that AML are an increasingly attractive takeover target, particularly for Mercedes. They offer a step up to higher net worth clients and greater economies for their engineering, infotainment and technology. It will be sad to see another brand go the way of many, but if it survives with British content and DNA, then I will not complain.

I wonder where the infrastructure to charge all these electric cars will come from and what the total pollution cost of mining the lithium, cobalt and other rare metals will be. It is assumed the electric car is completely green but the actual manufacturing and mining causes more pollution just to put the vehicle in the showroom compared to an ICE car.

I had in mind the idea that small volume manufacturers who find the cost of electrification enormously expensive may pre register cars awaiting manufacture as a means of continuing production of ICE and hybrid cars as long as possible. Some countries around the world are not quite so set in their desire to cull the V8s and V12s as quickly as possible. Some markets may still remain lucrative beyond 2040. The UK brought this forward to 2035 and even talks of 2032!!

Do we really think AML will ever go totally electric? The classic and historic market is enormous and only set to grow further. So there will always be a demand for petrol and all the associated support. Ferrari don't reduce their emissions much year on year and if you're a small volume manufacturer the CO2 demands are not particularly onerous. I just wonder if Lamborghini would sell if they were totally electric. I believe a manufacturer with annual volumes of less than 10,000 units doesn't get clobbered with silly low CO2 emissions. So is hybrid the extent to which the supercar manufacturers will progress and no further? Would anyone us buy an all electric GT or supercar. The Rapide didn't come in to either of these categories if we were honest.

Me too 3300. I love endurance and am just about to go out for the wine and beer selection. I think the virtual race kicks off earlier tomorrow than the real race. I'll have a look when I get back as I love the early frenzy. Nicki Thiim will be ace in the Vantage.