Looks like Unique Performance, the Texas company producing a host of classic and modern musclecars with Carroll Shelby and Chip Foose badges, is in trouble. When we wrote about the company a year ago (AW 11/20/2006), things looked golden for Unique. There was a mini assembly line at company headquarters cranking out a number of classic musclecars at what looked like a good clip. We drove many of the cars and enjoyed them all.But since then things have gone south. Today (Oct. 5) Shelby’s licensing branch announced it has taken steps to sever the relationship with Unique Performance after numerous complaints and several lawsuits filed by customers who had paid money for “Continuation” Shelby GT-350SRs and GT-500Es (Eleanors )but not received cars. Those cars are refurbished original models brought up to more modern standards of safety and performance. Prices range from $100,000 to $200,000.
But Shelby customers weren’t the only ones. Unique Performance also produced refurbished 1969 Camaros and 1970 Challengers designed by Chip Foose and sold under the Foose name.
“We’ve been working with unique to resolve concerns that we’ve brought forth,” said Carson Lev, head of Foose licensing. “Chip is dedicated to the fact that he doesn’t want to leave customers at risk.”
“We don’t want to say, ‘See ya’, that’s your problem,” said Foose of customers who have made deposits on cars. “We’re trying to resolve those issues.”
Unique Performance also produced the Foose Stallion, a Chip Foose-designed tuner car based on the 2007 Ford Mustang, through a network of Ford dealers across the country. The Foose Stallions were manufactured at another Texas company called Unique Performance Concepts, a partnership between Unique Performance and a Fort Worth company called Tecstar. It’s possible that Tecstar could continue to make Foose Stallions without Unique Performance.
The Foose Hemisfear will continue production uninterrupted, since it is manufactured by MetalCrafters in Southern California.
AutoWeek was unable to reach Unique Performance’s ceo Doug Hasty.
Hat Unique Performance Probleme?
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Hat Unique Performance Probleme?
Quelle: www.autosource.com
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Es gibt News:
Plagued by lawsuits, an angry Carroll Shelby says he will cancel a licensing agreement with a company that has fallen far behind on customer orders for vintage Shelby Mustangs.
The 84-year-old sports car hero says the company, Unique Performance Inc., has taken millions of dollars in deposits for cars bearing his name. But some customers have been waiting for more than two years for their vehicles, and several have filed lawsuits.
At least 10 customers have sued Unique Performance. And Shelby Automobiles Inc. also has been named as a defendant in suits.
“We’ve been sued by numerous people,” Carroll Shelby told Automotive News. “We cannot continue to accept excuses.”
Shelby is engaged in a war of words with Douglas Hasty, Unique Performance’s CEO, who says Shelby’s operations are mostly to blame for the problem. Hasty says faulty engines supplied by Shelby Automobiles contributed to the production delays.
Since 2002, Unique Performance has partnered with Shelby to re-engineer and refurbish 1960s vintage Shelby Mustangs that range in price from just under $100,000 to more than $200,000.
Customers complain that Unique, headquartered near Dallas, has taken nearly $7 million in deposits but has a backlog of 50 to 60 orders going back to 2005. Hasty admits to the problems but points a finger at the Shelby camp.
“Production delays with the vintage vehicle lines stem back to problems with Shelby 427FE engines supplied by our vendor dating back to August 2005,” Hasty wrote in an e-mail to Automotive News.
Overheated
He said engines in the Shelby Super Snake, a special performance version of the Mustang GT500, were plagued by overheating that in some cases caused them to fail. Hasty wrote that the problems have been “resolved” but put his company behind schedule.
“Twenty-eight of the 42 Shelby Super Snakes produced prior to August 2006 experienced engine issues that led to overheating and/or mechanical failure,” he wrote. “Resources required for addressing the Shelby engine issues led to production delays to all vintage models.”
Shelby angrily dismisses Hasty’s claims. He says he became aware of the engine problems only recently.
“The fact that (Hasty) hasn’t delivered the cars has nothing to do with the engines,” Shelby says. Hasty “accepted the engines and never said one word to me (about the engines) until a couple of weeks ago. These engines have nothing to do with people waiting two to three years for their cars.”
One suit, filed in Texas on Sept. 18 by Alan Cummins, alleges that he bought a defective Super Snake in August 2004 from Unique for $188,300 and that the company has neither repaired the vehicle nor returned the plaintiff’s money.
Cummins’ suit states that Carroll Shelby may be added as a defendant because he endorses the vehicles.
An April 20 suit filed in Texas by Keith and Kevin Rafferty against Shelby and Unique says that their vehicles, which cost $136,000 each, are more than a year late. The plaintiffs say they have paid deposits of nearly $130,000 for each car.
A Sept. 4 lawsuit against Unique by Robert Garner claims that Garner agreed in May 2005 to buy a $189,000 Super Snake and has made two deposits totaling $141,750. Garner says he has no car and says Unique has refused to return his deposits.
In addition to the Shelby vehicles, Unique manufactures vehicles designed by famed car customizer Chip Foose, including a reproduction 1969 Chevy Camaro, a 1970 Dodge Challenger and a Foose Stallion based on the current Mustang. Hasty says Unique has 106 vintage vehicles in various stages of production — 80 Shelbys and 26 Foose vehicles.
106 vehicles ordered
Hasty would not say how much he has taken in deposits for undelivered vehicles. But he says all of the money is being used to produce the 106 vehicles on order.
“Traditionally, production of vintage vehicles averaged 12 months from start to delivery,” Hasty wrote. “However, because of the issues with Shelby 427FE engines, Unique’s timetable for production of vintage vehicles has doubled to as much as 24 months during the past year while the engine issues were resolved to the company’s high quality standards and complete customer satisfaction.”
Hasty says that since 2003, Unique has delivered 119 vehicles, mostly Shelbys. He says that two were delivered at the end of September and that the company is on schedule to deliver another 13 cars before the end of the year.
Of the 10 customers that Hasty says have sued his company, he says three cases have been settled and seven are being addressed.
Quelle: Automotive News
Plagued by lawsuits, an angry Carroll Shelby says he will cancel a licensing agreement with a company that has fallen far behind on customer orders for vintage Shelby Mustangs.
The 84-year-old sports car hero says the company, Unique Performance Inc., has taken millions of dollars in deposits for cars bearing his name. But some customers have been waiting for more than two years for their vehicles, and several have filed lawsuits.
At least 10 customers have sued Unique Performance. And Shelby Automobiles Inc. also has been named as a defendant in suits.
“We’ve been sued by numerous people,” Carroll Shelby told Automotive News. “We cannot continue to accept excuses.”
Shelby is engaged in a war of words with Douglas Hasty, Unique Performance’s CEO, who says Shelby’s operations are mostly to blame for the problem. Hasty says faulty engines supplied by Shelby Automobiles contributed to the production delays.
Since 2002, Unique Performance has partnered with Shelby to re-engineer and refurbish 1960s vintage Shelby Mustangs that range in price from just under $100,000 to more than $200,000.
Customers complain that Unique, headquartered near Dallas, has taken nearly $7 million in deposits but has a backlog of 50 to 60 orders going back to 2005. Hasty admits to the problems but points a finger at the Shelby camp.
“Production delays with the vintage vehicle lines stem back to problems with Shelby 427FE engines supplied by our vendor dating back to August 2005,” Hasty wrote in an e-mail to Automotive News.
Overheated
He said engines in the Shelby Super Snake, a special performance version of the Mustang GT500, were plagued by overheating that in some cases caused them to fail. Hasty wrote that the problems have been “resolved” but put his company behind schedule.
“Twenty-eight of the 42 Shelby Super Snakes produced prior to August 2006 experienced engine issues that led to overheating and/or mechanical failure,” he wrote. “Resources required for addressing the Shelby engine issues led to production delays to all vintage models.”
Shelby angrily dismisses Hasty’s claims. He says he became aware of the engine problems only recently.
“The fact that (Hasty) hasn’t delivered the cars has nothing to do with the engines,” Shelby says. Hasty “accepted the engines and never said one word to me (about the engines) until a couple of weeks ago. These engines have nothing to do with people waiting two to three years for their cars.”
One suit, filed in Texas on Sept. 18 by Alan Cummins, alleges that he bought a defective Super Snake in August 2004 from Unique for $188,300 and that the company has neither repaired the vehicle nor returned the plaintiff’s money.
Cummins’ suit states that Carroll Shelby may be added as a defendant because he endorses the vehicles.
An April 20 suit filed in Texas by Keith and Kevin Rafferty against Shelby and Unique says that their vehicles, which cost $136,000 each, are more than a year late. The plaintiffs say they have paid deposits of nearly $130,000 for each car.
A Sept. 4 lawsuit against Unique by Robert Garner claims that Garner agreed in May 2005 to buy a $189,000 Super Snake and has made two deposits totaling $141,750. Garner says he has no car and says Unique has refused to return his deposits.
In addition to the Shelby vehicles, Unique manufactures vehicles designed by famed car customizer Chip Foose, including a reproduction 1969 Chevy Camaro, a 1970 Dodge Challenger and a Foose Stallion based on the current Mustang. Hasty says Unique has 106 vintage vehicles in various stages of production — 80 Shelbys and 26 Foose vehicles.
106 vehicles ordered
Hasty would not say how much he has taken in deposits for undelivered vehicles. But he says all of the money is being used to produce the 106 vehicles on order.
“Traditionally, production of vintage vehicles averaged 12 months from start to delivery,” Hasty wrote. “However, because of the issues with Shelby 427FE engines, Unique’s timetable for production of vintage vehicles has doubled to as much as 24 months during the past year while the engine issues were resolved to the company’s high quality standards and complete customer satisfaction.”
Hasty says that since 2003, Unique has delivered 119 vehicles, mostly Shelbys. He says that two were delivered at the end of September and that the company is on schedule to deliver another 13 cars before the end of the year.
Of the 10 customers that Hasty says have sued his company, he says three cases have been settled and seven are being addressed.
Quelle: Automotive News
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Es scheint nun doch ernster zu werden. 
www.themustangnews.com schrieb gestern:
www.themustangnews.com schrieb gestern:
Unique Peformance Raided, Cars Confiscated
It’s a bummer time in Farmers Branch, Texas where Unique Performance has been headquartered for some time. The company is the custom shop and manufacturer of many of the high end Mustangs that have become commonplace in the hobby. This includes the 1967 Shelby “Eleanor” GT-500E, continuation Shelby GT350SRs , the Foose Stallion Mustang, and other notable custom classics.
News has come out in the past month that there was trouble brewing at the company regarding legal issues between Carroll Shelby Licensing and Unique Performance as it was reported that customers who had given deposits weren’t getting cars. Shelby has been reported to be legally severing ties with the company over the customer and PR fallout.
Now, Autoweek and a number of other publications are reporting that the local authorities have raided the Unique Performance shop and headquarters and seized some 61 vehicles. It is alleged that these vehicles had improper or illegible VIN numbers and that the authorities have been investigating improper actions on the part of Unique Performance with regard to VIN numbers and titles. Some 58 Mustangs in various stages of completion and 3 Camaros are reported to have been confiscated by the Texas Department of Transportation.
What is potentially an even bigger bummer is the vast array of customers out there who have given deposits on cars that are now potentially evidence in a criminal or civil matter. When you combine this with reports that Unique Performance may be in deep financial trouble the likelihood that these customers will ever see their money or their cars is pretty slim.
There is no word on whether or not the spectacle will affect the production of the Foose Stallion Mustang or the Foose F-150 pickups. Chip Foose like Shelby Licensing of course has licensed his name and designs to be manufactured by the company and is not directly connected with the problems in Farmers Branch. The debacle however is sure to put a PR stain on the cars bearing their names.
However this matter shakes out it’s a bummer for the Mustang community. Unique Performance has been highly respected up to this point and involved with the biggest names in the hobby.
Unique Performance has up until recently been listed as a strategic partner of Quantum Tecstar, a large holding company which is also connected with Classic Design Concepts, Empire Coach, Regency, Wheel To Wheel Performance and other automotive brands. Interesingly enough, the Farmers Branch subsidiary is no longer listed on the Quantum website.
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Gemäss www.mustangblog.com hat sich Foose nun von Unique Performance verabschiedet. Hier das Press Release:
Foose Design announced today that effective immediately it has terminated all licensing and all business activities with Texas-based Unique Performance, Unique Performance Concepts and related companies. This termination includes the limited production of all vehicles formerly licensed to Unique including but not limited to, the Foose Mustang Stallion, Foose Camaro, Foose Challenger, Foose Motorcycle and the sales and marketing of the “Hemisfear”, also known as the “Foose Coupe”, manufactured by Metalcrafters. Foose Design has clearly stated that it no longer has any affiliation with Unique, and encourages customers to understand that Unique no longer has any rights to Foose intellectual property, the Foose name, image, likeness, logos or designs regarding any project.
Chip Foose, the winner of an unrivaled three “Ridler” Awards, and the Foose Design team have worked for more than eight months to resolve issues relative to Unique’s problems but ultimately found it necessary to sever their relationship with Unique Performance.
Foose Design does not manufacture production vehicles rather it specializes in designing and fabricating custom built, one-of-a-kind custom cars. Foose Design created the concept for a prototype vehicle to be built under its license to Unique.
Chip Foose builds a special bond with every Foose vehicle owner and it causes him great stress to see this situation occur. Chip has worked tirelessly through the years to build his company, brand and image, which it works diligently to protect, both for itself and Chip’s collectors and fans.
Foose Design is working with its legal staff to consider possible action against Unique Performance.
Tja wenn Foose nicht mehr mitmischt ist es nur noch eine Frage der Zeit bist Unique weg vom Fenster ist.
Meine Game-Over-Themen
- Sequentielle Blinker, American Live Oensingen, GT-Stripes, Endtopf-Suche, Reifendrucksensoren, Folierung, komische Heckscheibenaufkleber, blöde Jahrgangsbegrenzung an US-Car-Meetings, beleidigende Tattoo-Gespräche
- Sequentielle Blinker, American Live Oensingen, GT-Stripes, Endtopf-Suche, Reifendrucksensoren, Folierung, komische Heckscheibenaufkleber, blöde Jahrgangsbegrenzung an US-Car-Meetings, beleidigende Tattoo-Gespräche
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... /1024/FREE
Wo der Baumi recht hat, hat er Recht. Die habens ein für alle mal vergeigt.
Wo der Baumi recht hat, hat er Recht. Die habens ein für alle mal vergeigt.
Ohä...klingt ja übel wenn man das so durchliest.MeckeV8 hat geschrieben:http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... /1024/FREE
Wo der Baumi recht hat, hat er Recht. Die habens ein für alle mal vergeigt.
Meine Game-Over-Themen
- Sequentielle Blinker, American Live Oensingen, GT-Stripes, Endtopf-Suche, Reifendrucksensoren, Folierung, komische Heckscheibenaufkleber, blöde Jahrgangsbegrenzung an US-Car-Meetings, beleidigende Tattoo-Gespräche
- Sequentielle Blinker, American Live Oensingen, GT-Stripes, Endtopf-Suche, Reifendrucksensoren, Folierung, komische Heckscheibenaufkleber, blöde Jahrgangsbegrenzung an US-Car-Meetings, beleidigende Tattoo-Gespräche