Following our report on Texas-based Unique Performance (“Trouble at the Mustang Ranch: Shelby may cut ties with Unique Performance,” Oct. 15), the company’s president and founder, Douglas S. Hasty, provided the following extended responses to AutoWeek’s questions concerning the company’s future:
AW: What happened? You guys were cranking out muscle cars every week when we visited a year ago. Now you have 60 buyers waiting for cars and a number of lawsuits. What is the hold up?
Hasty: We’re still the same company with the same vision. There are actually 106 vehicle orders, vintage, Shelby and Foose, currently in various stages of production. We are much further along than when AutoWeek last visited in terms of our growth and ability to move more vehicles through the more than 40 stages of fabrication and production.
AW: Will you be able to deliver the cars on order?
Hasty: Unique Performance has just completed a round of funding that will ensure that we continue to complete the cars on order and take additional new orders going forward.
AW: Will you be able to continue building and delivering cars in the future?
Hasty: Yes. We are proud of our team, company, and the vehicles we produce. We look forward to building and delivering one of kind vehicles to a discerning customer base worldwide.
AW: How many cars have you delivered to customers?
Hasty: Since 2003, Unique Performance has delivered 119 vehicles. Traditionally, production of vintage vehicles averaged 12 months from start to delivery. However, because of the issues with Shelby engines stemming back to August 2006, Unique’s timetable for production of vintage vehicles has doubled to as many as 24 months during the past year. While the engine issues were resolved to the company’s high quality standards and complete customer satisfaction, it did take a toll on the delivery of all vintage vehicles.
AW: Where did the money go that was received from customers who ordered cars?
Hasty: Deposits are required to cover the cost of parts, labor and the many stages of production necessary to complete vehicles. On average, vintage vehicles require 2000 hours of labor from beginning to completion and delivery. With 106 cars in process and an average of 1,000 hours per car plus parts, every deposit received has been invested into the 106 vehicle in production.
AW: Is Tecstar going to continue to build the Foose Stallion or will Unique Performance do that?
Hasty: We would like to clarify the relationship between Unique Performance and Tecstar. Unique Performance holds the licensing rights. Unique Performance Concepts represents the partnership between Unique Performance and Tecstar. Nothing has changed relative to this relationship. Unique Performance will continue to deliver the Foose Stallion vehicles.
Additional comments from Hasty:
We would like to put any concerns about customer complaints versus customer satisfaction into perspective. With 119 vehicles delivered to date and 106 vehicles in various stages of production for a total of 225 customers, we are only aware of 10 customers who have taken action against Unique Performance. Three of these cases have been settled and seven cases are in the process of being addressed. That’s less than 5 percent.
While we strive for 100-percent customer satisfaction, we recognize that issues will arise from time to time and we will address them. Fortunately, most Unique Performance customers recognize that what we are doing with these cars is more of an art as it is a scientific, mechanical process. The finished products are among some of the most desired, unique vehicles in existence. That has been a driving force behind our company’s creation and phenomenal growth the past four years.
While we regret that Shelby Licensing felt it necessary to issue a news release announcing its concerns, it has allowed both parties (Unique Performance and Shelby Licensing) to come to the table and address issues and concerns head on. At this point we are working through their concerns while addressing the legitimate concerns from our experts and customers relative to the Shelby engine failures we experienced during the past year. We look forward to a mutual solution that allows both parties to continue in a successful partnership going forward.
