VENT Luxury AAR

[Eric.B]

As per request, I made an AAR for a Luxury car company starting in 1900 on Hard.
Also I attempted not to game the game. Took a few tries to become profitable, but I managed to do it. First few tries I HQ'd in Jacksonville, USA. This resulted in failure. The game that worked was my 6th attempt! Here's the breakdown:

• Started Company in Baltimore
  
• Closed Baltimore Branch
  
• IPO'd company, sold off 45% of the shares I retained, and took out a 500k loan. Thus leaving me with $2.1 million in cash.
  
• Designed Chassis, engine, and gearbox
  
• Allowed designs to be licensed.
  
• Designed Luxury Sedan: Divine
  
• Opened branches in Philadelphia and New York.
  
• Bounced Prices between 1700-2200
  
• Over produced 100 units. Cut production completely.
  
• With 900k in cash remaining, and 28 months left on my loan, I pay it off early to avoid interest.
  
• Sold low volume units (3-8 per month) while more competition enters the market.
  
• Licensed chassis revenues out pace vehicle sales.
  
• Profits for a few months, Chassis revenues fall, new engine revenues open up.
  
• Look to develop engine for Indian Army and Korean Airforce. Unable to meet specifications for both at the same time. I don't approve project.
  
• 12/1902 Engine, Chassis and Vehicle revenues increase. Profitable month! Vehicle reserves down to 39.
  
• 1903 sees increase competition in the Luxury market. Playing on hard is not helping me compete against the AI...
  
• Started a new chassis design using modern technologies. While the C-2 is low end because it is using ladder frames instead of Horse Carriages, it should perform just as well if not better than our C-1 (which was middle-upper end)
  
• New 440k loan taken out. The plan is to develop new chassis and a new luxury sedan to dilute the market and hopefully push some of my competition out of business.
  
• C-2 set for licensing. New Trim of Divine started.
  
• 1904 Global Reserves of Divine run out, start both Divine and Divine L production.
  
• Sales are steady, although I am still bleeding 10k a turn. Buy 1500 shares of Eisenwerk. 273k left in cash.
  
• Built up a big supply of Divines, cut production and will sell through the remaining models before ending production.
  
• Rising incomes and good management brings me to making 20k a turn by 1905...
  
• Divine is still selling decent enough to attempt another production run for 1906.
  
• 12/1905 Chassis and Engine revenues dry up completely. Heavy 22k loss for the month.
  
• High development costs brings back some Chassis and Engine Revenues. However I do really need to design a new engine, but can not due to the poor economy, rising prices, and low cash reserves I have.
  
• 1907 rolls around, still with the same two models, and remaining flat as far as revenues, I really need to make a new engine and vehicle.
  
• I am able to secure 197k loan, but at an extra 1% interest rate, I design a new Straight 3 1L motor. It's not much better than my original Straight 2, but meh, it's 1907!
  
• New engine design up for licenses.
  
• Started production of the latest Divine model. Cut production of the 1900 Divine, so I can sell through reserves by the time the 1907 Divine comes out.
  
• 1907 Divine launched, less than 85k In cash.
  
• 1907 Divine does extremely well, 400% gain in stock price in less than a year.
  
• Cash buy back of our stocks, buy back 99% of the company, 16k in cash left.
  
• Sold off shares of Esienwerk, net loss 70k (should of sold it when I was up 30k!)
  
• 2/1908 Divine L get a price cut. New Chassis, Engine, and Gearbox are put into development. (All better than average designs)
  
• Over spent in RnD, sold off some shares of my company, allowed licensing for all new components.
  
• Built up cash reserves
  
• 1910 start development of new Divine L
  
• My plan on diluting the market of Luxury Sedans worked. Going from 4 companies in New York to just 2. Assuming it stays like this I should limit my self to 1 model to prevent competition with my self. Time to move into other segments, after 1910 Divine L is finished I will work on a limo.
  
• Company is now in the red, 1910 Divine L ready for launch. Sold off 17% more of the company to fund 1910 Divine L launch.
  
• 1903 Divine L production ended.
  
• 2/1911 expanding into Chicago
  
• Building up reserves of the Divine L
  
• 1/1912, time for me to pause for a bit.

[Eric.B]

Charts

[Rad]

Sweet AAR, any way you can screen cap your best car's review?

[Eric.B]

Sweet AAR, any way you can screen cap your best car's review?

No, magazine system is in the process of being rewrote.

[Rad]

Wow, I didn't know, how much is it being redone? Is the whole thing being redone or are you just readjusting the system?

[Eric.B]

I'd say about 60% of it will be rewritten.

[Rad]

I'd say about 60% of it will be rewritten.

Thanks! Good luck with your game. I can't wait to see the limousine you come up with!

[Alfapiomega]

Oh how I wish this AAR continued, learning a lot from it!

[Dolehof]

The way I do it:
- Start in Amsterdam (because I live there)
- Develop an chassis as comfy as possible that will still develop in for months
- Develop an single cylinder engine and 1 gear gearbox
- Develop a crappy luxury sedan that will finish by November, produce 1 line full quantity of it for on month, sell in London for slightly more than the factory sale price.
- Develop a good straight 6 engine and a good gearbox with 4 gears, that also finish by then.
- New Model year, change engine and gear box and develop a very high end luxury sedan focussed on upper class or wealthy, it will be done in February and cost around 2000 to produce
- Sell in London for around 8000, you will only sell 5 to 10 per month, but with 6000 profit per vehicle and selling your stock of previous model you'll fluctuate between break even and 30k profit per month
- Save that money up until you can develop ladder chassis, than repeat the process.
- Expand into other vehicle types. Make them slightly more luxurious, dependable and drivable than recommended for that type, this will do wonders for your prestige. I managed to get the best prestige in all categories wile selling phaetons and micro cars this way.
- Have a blast getting the most profitable car company in the world while selling only a few dozen of each vehicle type.