What is the Market for a Bantam in the year 2,000?

(Nine categories of prospects.)

To be honest, I'm sort of surprised that the Japanese auto manufacturers haven't done some retro styling products in the same way motorcycle companies have done a few retro bikes, like the 50's Brit wannabe 500cc thumpers that show up from time to time. Indeed, Datsun did a very close copy of the Austin Seven in it's early years. Why would they you ask? Why would we? Let's kick it around.

The reasons for the original market failure of the Austin/Bantam may actually persage success today. One must remember that the original automobile sought to be one of the big car producers in the country, competing head to head with Ford for instance. In our revival we are looking only for a niche market (aren't we?).

The sad irony is that when the original Austins and Bantams came out, they recieved tremendous free publicity and popularity but no one bought them. Many movie stars and celebrities had them (Buster Keaton, the Hemingways, Al Jolson, Mickey Rooney etc.) and they were the subject of many cartoons and gags (I believe the prototype for the 'cartoon car' we still see Goofy driving around is directly derived from the Bantam). People looked on them with affection and they became a household word and cultural/visual cliche. Businesses used them extensively to draw attention. People who had them were the subject of gags and pranks where the cars would be bodily kidnapped by a small group and put in odd places. The cars themselves were in the movies (in a starring performance in "A Connecticut in King Aurther's Court", Austin Roadsters, replete with lances, are used by the Knights of the Round Table to rout an enemy army!).

It would seem that all this publicity, product recognition and good will would have lead to great sales, but it didn't. It is a lesson for any marketer or advertiser, that just because people like a product does not mean they will buy it. In order for people to buy this car, it was necessary to demonstrate that it was a practical (socially acceptable?) automobile, and Americans simply were not ready for a sub-compact in the way that other countries were.

For our purposes in this design/market problem the market that the original cars had would be more than enough to soak up the limited production we would likely be able to accomplish. It is a so-called 'lifestyle' item in which utility is a secondary consideration.

The market for this car is easier to see if you think of it as a motorcycle. It will cost about the same ($10-15,000 U.S. target). How many Harleys do you see in a day? How many sleek cafe racers? Think about it. Guys ride Harleys and cafe racers to impress other guys. Women could care less and only ooh and ahh if they are trying to get the guys attention. (For liberationists out there of all stripes, please keep in mind here we are talking marketing reality, not politics. You can judge your political success by watching the market which is driven by how people see themselves, not how idealoges would like to position them). Guys who enjoy the company of women are going to buy this car...and, believe me, they're going to make out like crazy. Women and girls that that like to have a good time and draw some modest attention to themselves are also going to do well with it.

So, I see the market as:

(1) Teen girls & preppies from middle to wealthy families (parents buy). [And by the way, this is a substantial market in middle class India!]

(2) Younger independent women with first job or are in college and just want to have fun (the same ones you saw driving all the Suzuki Samurais).

(3) Socially secure men of any age who do not need a car to demonstrate masculinity and who have a sense of humor or style. (Also, insecure men who can't afford something fancier and who adopt this category as protective coloration:~))

(4) Boomers on a nostalgia or other image trip (same price as a Harley, top end cafe racer or other attention grabber.)

(5) Mission California surf/extreme sports types and followers in other venues (especially the woody and panel truck). West coast and Keys Florida Jimmy Buffett types (would be too expensive for Warren) not macho enough for Miami. Some University of Texas sorority girls...and how could Disney resist having a few dozen for all locations (assuming they didn't try to sue us for some phoney trademark infringement because they had a car sort of like it in a 1938 cartoon...).

(6) Emerging/third world, (warm) expensive energy countries where it would be practical transportation for middle class as it was originally concieved (Chile, Mexico, India, Singapore, Bankok etc.) would depend on a TDI or other diesel engine. Probably the first or even ONLY market to get around nonsensical and impossible U.S. safety regulations.

(7) Japan (the car is small) and Europe (the Italians will go nuts for this car) A necessity for expats in (1) in the way that the Mustang was in Paris in the '60's. Daddy's little art student needs wheels. We out- Deux Cheveaux the Deux Cheveaux.

(8) Single guys wanting to meet interesting women with a sense of humor ( a HUGE market!)

(9) Businesses wanting the sense of fun and good will of the car to rub off on their businesses. The "Boulevard Delivery" would serve as well on 47th Street in NYC for Tiffany delivering diamond rings as it would for pizza or balloon delivery in Cleveland.

At any rate, the combination of these potential markets would seem to justify production of a few prototypes for focus group work up.

Help me out here...let's have your comments!
How are we going to sell this thing?!

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