New ownership for Elfin

[Cyco]

From the SMH.

Tom Walkinshaw has taken over and the cars will be sold through HSV dealers.

[Mr.Tiv]

I don't want to look up conversions, so is 119k AusD a lot or is it reasonable?

[Mr. Jinx]

Yes, its quite a bit.
Its just a little more than a Lotus Exige.

[Cyco]

Its a lot.

The same engine comes out of the Monaro/GTO and Commodores here and they can be purchased for around $60-65k for something like this

Just hope they don't stop producing a massive variety of race cars in various categories too.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Hopefully this will give them big sales so they can build and develop a replacement/update for the Type 3

[clittle]

Sounds interesting.. but it really is pricey

[2ndclasscitizen]

It's also damn cool, very unique and most definately very fast.

[adrenaline]

This is good news I guess. Elfins are awesome.

[VtecMini]

Just for clarity, would someone mind explaining the relationships?

I always thought that HSV was just a badge that Holden put on their top models, kinda like the M sport division of BMW. But from what I'm reading, it's a seperate company, owned by this chap called Tom, correct?

So Elfin now belongs to this guy Tom, but isn't part of Holden, correct?

[motorsportnerd]

Its more like the relationship between AMG and Mercedes than between M-Sport and BMW.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but BMW owns M-Sport, which acts as its sporting division.
Whereas AMG is an independent firm contracted by Mercedes Benz to produce the officially recognised hot Merc's.
HSV is an independent firm. Holden owns a share (not sure how much off top of my head), but the majority share is owned by Tom Walkinshaw (of British TWR and Arrow's fame and not a bad racing driver in his own right). HSV is contracted by Holden to produce the officially recognised high-powered versions of their road car range. HSV was given access to the VE Commodore range early on in the process for example in order to develop its range of new sports sedans. Also, they work together to ensure that the most powerful Holden is less powerful than the least powerful HSV.
Its worth noting that HSV has official manufacturer status in Australia, and appears under its own badge in the various new car price lists, not as part of the Holden range. Holden badges don't appear anywhere on an HSV produced car.

[adrenaline]

Its worth noting that HSV has official manufacturer status in Australia, and appears under its own badge in the various new car price lists, not as part of the Holden range. Holden badges don't appear anywhere on an HSV produced car.

I've always wondered where FPV sits in that respect. They wear Ford badges and, from what I've seen, come under the Ford name in new car listings. But they are 51% owned by Prodrive, right?

[Ferrer]

Its more like the relationship between AMG and Mercedes than between M-Sport and BMW.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but BMW owns M-Sport, which acts as its sporting division.
Whereas AMG is an independent firm contracted by Mercedes Benz to produce the officially recognised hot Merc's.
HSV is an independent firm. Holden owns a share (not sure how much off top of my head), but the majority share is owned by Tom Walkinshaw (of British TWR and Arrow's fame and not a bad racing driver in his own right). HSV is contracted by Holden to produce the officially recognised high-powered versions of their road car range. HSV was given access to the VE Commodore range early on in the process for example in order to develop its range of new sports sedans. Also, they work together to ensure that the most powerful Holden is less powerful than the least powerful HSV.
Its worth noting that HSV has official manufacturer status in Australia, and appears under its own badge in the various new car price lists, not as part of the Holden range. Holden badges don't appear anywhere on an HSV produced car.

AMG is now wholly owned by Mercedes-Benz. The start of both companies is difference between BMW Motorsport and AMG. The former was the inhouse racing department of BMW, which eventually started building road going cars too and AMG was an independent tuning company which modified Mercedes-Benz cars (as well as racing some of them), which eventually was taken over by Mercedes-Benz as their department of road going go-faster cars. Furthermore AMG cars are fully recognised as Mercedes-Benz automobiles.

[charged]

I don't want to look up conversions, so is 119k AusD a lot or is it reasonable?

There wouldnt be too many road cars under 400 grand that would be a match for the Elfin round the track, it would definetley would be on my list if I won lottery.

Slightly bigger and stickier semi's and a tune and zoorst and it would be unbeatable by ANY road car you care to name

[motorsportnerd]

AMG is now wholly owned by Mercedes-Benz. The start of both companies is difference between BMW Motorsport and AMG. The former was the inhouse racing department of BMW, which eventually started building road going cars too and AMG was an independent tuning company which modified Mercedes-Benz cars (as well as racing some of them), which eventually was taken over by Mercedes-Benz as their department of road going go-faster cars. Furthermore AMG cars are fully recognised as Mercedes-Benz automobiles.

Thanks for clarifying that.

[motorsportnerd]

I've always wondered where FPV sits in that respect. They wear Ford badges and, from what I've seen, come under the Ford name in new car listings. But they are 51% owned by Prodrive, right?

Wheels magazine lists FPV separately to Ford in its new car listings. I think its regarded as an official manufacturer as well.