Spoke to J. Leverett Sr about a spot at Petite Lemans this Fall...

[dogdoc97]

I spoke to John Levertt Sr today via email....once again the factory is doing nothing for the brand, no corale parking, gathering, etc.
He said that they no longer have any pull at the track since Don sold road Atlanta; I hate to sound disrespectful but they told me that last year too.

I mean am I supposed to believe that the Lotus, Corvette, Porsche, BMW,Jag etc etc ALL have pull, I suspect they have to pay for the spots to gather, I don't know but it would be great to have a place for probably 10-15 cars at the most...here we go again; they are trying to RELAUNCH the brand and do nothing for our support or for the name to be recognized....I have 3 cars now; the Esperante, a Aston DB7 GT(very rare) and a '74 Lotus Elite....AND THE PANOZ ALWAYS TURNS MORE HEADS and GETS MORE PEOPLE STOPPING ME to ask about it than the other two; I LOVE MY PANOZ, wish the factory would show us some love too! DOGDOC!

[goo-goo-gjoob]

Dogdoc, are you going to the race this year? There is a chance that my wife and I will go. We are looking into it. It would be cool to meet up at some point with another Panoz owner.

Trevor

[goo-goo-gjoob]

Actually, never mind. I just found out that Chateau Elan is all booked up for the race, so we won't be going. We were wanting to go to stay at the chateau just as much as to see the race. haha

[Panoz insider]

I spoke to John Levertt Sr today via email....once again the factory is doing nothing for the brand, no corale parking, gathering, etc.
He said that they no longer have any pull at the track since Don sold road Atlanta; I hate to sound disrespectful but they told me that last year too.

I mean am I supposed to believe that the Lotus, Corvette, Porsche, BMW,Jag etc etc ALL have pull, I suspect they have to pay for the spots to gather, I don't know but it would be great to have a place for probably 10-15 cars at the most...here we go again; they are trying to RELAUNCH the brand and do nothing for our support or for the name to be recognized....I have 3 cars now; the Esperante, a Aston DB7 GT(very rare) and a '74 Lotus Elite....AND THE PANOZ ALWAYS TURNS MORE HEADS and GETS MORE PEOPLE STOPPING ME to ask about it than the other two; I LOVE MY PANOZ, wish the factory would show us some love too! DOGDOC!

For what ever reason, Panoz is trying to distance themselves from there past car sales.
What few Customers they had, they feel are not the Panoz buyers of the Future. Funny 45 minutes away Coke tried that same idea and it didn't work then and it will not work now....

[ishigakisensei]

For what ever reason, Panoz is trying to distance themselves from there past car sales.
What few Customers they had, they feel are not the Panoz buyers of the Future. Funny 45 minutes away Coke tried that same idea and it didn't work then and it will not work now....

It's like Panoz wants to look like a car company but they really want to fail. Oh, they would SAY otherwise, but a failure to plan is a plan to fail. It's worse than Michael Czycz pretending to be a MotoGP mogul. Making a super car is always the easy part. It's making a sustainable company that is not only profitable but also has positive cash flow that is the trick.

What is true in my teaching profession is also true in an emotion-based business like cars/motorcycles - people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

If you can't embrace the current fans, then how the hell is a non-marketing campaign going to get new aficionados? Harley makes crap bikes, but they know how to market!

[PanozGTLM]

For what ever reason, Panoz is trying to distance themselves from there past car sales.
What few Customers they had, they feel are not the Panoz buyers of the Future. Funny 45 minutes away Coke tried that same idea and it didn't work then and it will not work now....

Welcome Panoz insider,

Do you own a Panoz if so what year and model? Please tell uis a little about yourself.

Thanks

[dogdoc97]

A few comments...

Trevor, I will be there; wish you guys were coming; as far as the other comments, I agree, they could hardly sell the cars at the previous price points BUT expect to sell to exclusive owners at an even higher price point?

I agree with the Harley statement; it is in the marketing; as the "insider says ", maybe they want to distance themselves b/c most current Panoz owners likely bought at the bottom of the market and they do not want us talking to the new guy that is getting a $189K one made for him....it is all just so odd and AGAINST all business principles.

There is a thought among some that the higher the price it makes it more appealing so the ultra rich want one; like Ferrari it is WELL KNOWN that they keep production low and prices high...while it works for them I do not see how once again a company that could NOT sell cars at $89K-$123K suddenly thinks it can sell at $189K-$225K; I LOVE my car BUT I am done really trying to figure them out and talking about them;and asking over and over to John Sr, etc do tehy want to include us in something. I suspect that every now and then they will get some Federal Approval to build a commemorative car BUT I cannot see them sustaining an ongoing business, sorry for the run on....Dogdoc

[goo-goo-gjoob]

I think the best form of marketing Panoz could do would be to get back into racing. Winning races against Corvette, Porsche, and Aston Martin again would certainly get their name out there with a new generation, and would also tell people who have heard of them that the company is still around.
Also, it shouldn't be some side business with someone else's car; they need to be racing a Panoz car with a Panoz logo on it.

[dogdoc97]

Goo Goo what do you mean "side business?

If your referring to the "NISSAN DELTA WING" that is a whole other story that I got first hand; Panoz developed that car; Nissan was to pay for that Development and I have it on good authority that Panoz is in litigation against Nissan for taking the technology and name and never paying for it.

I think your right if they would get the name back out there via racing BUT you saw my title of the thread; I have asked for a couple years now for the factory to put together a little something for the local owners at least at Road Atlanta for the Petite le Mans....they never do, it is disheartening that the factory that made these cars is a mile away or so and wouldn't it be cool to see a handful of Panoz cars, all models there? You are right , that would stir a buzz; I am sure hundreds of folks would walk thru our corrale and look; I look at the Ferrari, and Corvette guys every year, I just cannot figure the Panoz guys out...dogdoc

[99panoz]

Its definitely no secret that Panoz is ready to go to war with Nissan and rightfully so - http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/14/d...esign-lawsuit/

Trying to figure out the folks at Panoz is a futile waste of time......NOTHING they do or have ever done in terms of marketing the brand follows any conventional school of wisdom.
I will predict though that sometime within the next 12-15 years the brand and company will be dead. What's left now? Danny - Gone to do his engineering thing. Smoking Don - If he doesn't kick the smokes and get on the patch soon then he may not be around much longer himself. Of course he is almost 80 so smokes or not, how many more years does he wish to even be involved anyway? John A Leverett - 68 years old, father / grandfather and eligible for full Social Security benefits. John is clearly the "face" and driving force of the "new Panoz" (as evidenced by his photographic presence in nearly every marketing shot, article or show appearance of the new Spyder). But unless he has a protégé waiting in the wings, who will take his place when he either retires or goes to that great auto show in the sky? ALMS - Ceased to exist once it merged with Grand-Am Sports Car Series to form the new United SportsCar Championship and no longer owned by Panoz. Panoz Motorsports - Gone (sold to NASCAR in 2012). Road Atlanta / Sebring Race Tracks - Gone (Part of the NASCAR deal). Mosport Raceway - Gone (sold in 2011). Panoz Driving School - Gone
Without new designs, racing or a reinvigorated interest in the brand, I simply don't understand how or why they could possibly survive.

[dogdoc97]

Thanks for that advice...

I agree they are planning to fail b/c they have failed to plan....

What a fantastic product they have;they are just on a self-destruction path, and as far as Don and the smokes....he and Elan Pharmaceuticals developed some nicotine patch products I believe.

I love my car; hope Johan and JRD stay around; they may be the last guys standing when we need something! Dogdoc

[Rarity]

Long live JRD

He is the go to guy for sure

[TylerJWyly]

Who all will be making it to Petit this weekend?

[dogdoc97]

I had pass tickets like every year...

my friend who is like family is at Global BMW, and every year he gets my brother and I in the BMW suite; for years we sent them alot of customers that actually bought Bimmers...not so much anymore but this year is what happened a few years ago, the Jewish New Year Yom Kippur starts Friday nite and goes thru Saturday...so I gave up my tickets.

I am not overly religious but I would have felt guilty, that Jewish guilt is like that catholic guilt, just more intense,lol Doc