Anyone want to buy a business in the USA?

Simon · 01-03-06, 02:09 PM

http://www.ultimasports.co.uk/usa/business.html

Ron Earp · 01-03-06, 03:03 PM

That is a lot of money for such a venture. Even if you made $20,000 per car, free and clear, you'd need to sell 160 cars to get that money back. And that isn't counting the money needed to start that business up, pay employees, tooling, parts, etc., etc., etc. Whew, that is a tough road. Wonder why the they could not get a good outfit or person to be their agent over here?

Pete. · 01-03-06, 04:52 PM

I agree Ron, that is a huge ask for a business that would require substantially more than the ask price to set it up from scratch. I wonder how they arrived at the price? They must value their intellectual property very highly. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Simon · 01-03-06, 05:43 PM

Personally,

I think it could be a damn good business, the Ultima is an excellent car, but the price is just a little barmey!

Ron Earp · 01-03-06, 06:16 PM

I think Ultima's can be sold, but, it will take a lot to get that business up and running I think. I also don't think you'll be making $20,000 USD free and clear on every complete body kit/car. The car is cool, for sure, but I think one would be a LOT better off taking the money for the Ultima buiness and developing their own car. Surely $3,000,000 could do it with subcontractors such as the type you'd find on this board. Fran, what you think you can do with say, $3,000,000? Surely develop a car to trump the Ultima.

R

ChrisL · 01-04-06, 09:12 AM

Leaving any judgment about the value-for-money aspect aside, I don’t think that the most valuable asset here is the design or any other intellectual property. The most valuable asset is the use of an established brand name. The world is littered with credible would-be sports car manufacturers that couldn't convince the market that they were the real deal.

Here is but one...

Australian Supercar

Simon · 01-04-06, 09:50 AM

Chris,

REALLY nice car, but I see the article is six years old. Did it ever get built?

Simon

Ron Earp · 01-04-06, 09:52 AM

Good point Chris. But, in the US, the Ultima is unknown. ERA and Superformance are much more well known than Ultima. So, for the US market, the Ultima is not much above the one you listed in the article. I think in the UK and Europe the Ultima is much more established than on US soil.

R

ChrisL · 01-04-06, 10:54 AM

Simon,

The project has in fact moved on. The car does now have a name too. Joss. A space frame and carbon fibre car has been completed and displayed at various motorshows in Australia. With any luck it will be the real deal, but I'm not holding my breath.

Here is a link to the company.

Joe T · 01-05-06, 08:24 AM

I personally think a bit of reading between the lines is needed here.
I find it strange that a company like Ultima would not just appoint an agent to start with to establish the brand then move production around accordingly. Have they tried this?? did it flop?

When a succesful business wants to sell some or part of its operation you have to ask why, I think they perceive the American market a tough nut to crack and want to pass it on to someone else. Who ever buys this will add value to there product overall.
Or do they need to raise captital?? and see this as a way of doing it without too much risk. I daresay the contract for something like this will be a extensive and painful to the purchaser.

As to the price I would think its mostly Brand name and goodwill, but on a startup I still think thats steep, it would be a bit different if there was some kind of orderbook, with deposits sitting in it.

Only my opinion, no offence intended to Ultima fans.

Fran Hall RCR · 01-05-06, 05:35 PM

Brammo used to manufacture Ultimas under license in the USA.... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Ron Earp · 01-05-06, 06:30 PM

I'll expose my ignorance, like I haven't done that before - who ir Brammo? I've heard of a V12 car from them for a long time, haven't seen one. I do remember some CA tour in an Ultima some time ago, but I've never seen on one the road or at a show.

R

Fran Hall RCR · 01-05-06, 06:43 PM

Ron...Brammo advertises on the Forum as GD USA....

Craig Bramscher used to build the Ultimas ....dont know why he no longer does....maybe a conflict of interest with his other franchises

Ron Earp · 01-05-06, 07:35 PM

That I didn't know, or had not made that connection. I've briefly visited GD's website a few times but didn't figure that out, still didn't.

Richard O'Clery · 01-11-06, 06:55 AM

Chris & Simon

The Joss website hasn't been updated for 2 years. The company went strangely silent after the Melbourne and Adelaide 2005 motorshows. Beautiful looking car, but the driveable prototype was built on an Ultima chassis.

I understand they were still trying to raise the money to build a car on their own chassis while at the motorshows, but also taking production deposits at the same time. It was to have an all Australian V8 built by Chev Offroad & Marine Engineering in Melbourne, but only 2 valves per cylinder. In the media of the time, the touted retail price gradually went up from A$450K to A$550K.

I would love to have seen it reach production, but the metrics/timing obviously weren't right. Very expensive for a car without an exotic drive train, notwithstanding the amount of carbon fibre.

If anyone knows more or can correct me, please let me know. Maybe the Joss body will reappear on something more affordable on day.

Hijack over - sorry!

Mike Dozier · 01-11-06, 01:06 PM

I've never seen an Ultima in person except at the Carlisle show. Basis their price...I suspect they will always lag
in the US behind GT40 replica sales...which we know is
limited. I'm hard pressed to see a business plan that
justifies $ 3 million....but hey...you can always ask.
Maybe someone with $ 1 million makes a deal and sees
it as a bargain!

MikeD