As many of you know I work at XS Power now. They provide high-end batteries, alternators and starters for race applications. XS is looking to provide their products to the road racing and drifting markets (among others) so I was asked by my boss for my opinion on what the road race/drift markets are looking for. Their current line of batteries are damn good (not being biased). Far better than Braille and cheaper not to mention lighter in weight in many cases. But would performance batteries be beneficial to drifting? They never really seem to be a 'hot mod' in the paddock but the more I learn about them the more I see the benefits. Although they already have some batteries that would suite our needs (ie the S680 ($150) and some really nice tie downs) what would you like to see come into this market?
Are batteries really worth investing in in your opinion? Do you consider a good alternator and/or starter to be more beneficial? Have you experienced any issues that would have been resolved by having a better battery or alternator? Let me know what you guys think.
Andy: Im pretty sure you'll be getting a S680
Last edited by Rhoad Racing on Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
a good alternator is always important, especially in high rpm applications like drifting or oval type racing since the ignition system is working overtime. a good battery can also mask other electrical problems.
Bikes, Meat, Drama, Meat, Gossip, Meat, Metal, Meat, Buttsex, Meat, Family and some Drifting.
as with anything else (and this is unfortunate but) you're gonna sell more with good branding than good tech. remember that stupid pink bunny with the drum? yeah that shit sold a buncha batteries. for your own application i suggest drop the oh-so-expected checkered flag and replace that shit with a beefy ass hamster on a wheel suggesting the bugger is the one powering your shit.
haha charlie. I agree and the bossman understands that too. He understands that a lot has to do with the lifestyle but he refuses to use smoke and mirrors just to sell units. They've put a massive amount of money and research into their stuff in hopes that the products' quality will sell itself rather than pink bunnies and 'carbon fiber'. Another words, he doesn't want to brainwash the market into buying stuff. He wants the market to realize why they should and be happy with the return once they do.
Oh, and I didn't design that cheesy checkered flag battery label. Im hoping one day they'll let me revamp their entire brand.
I want a battery that I don't have to relocate to the trunk to run a fmic and I still want a bumping stereo. Just make a side by side comparing braille to XS. I know I'd like to hear the facts.
::::: understeer is definitely a crime - Colin McRae
If your boss wants to sell batteries for serious racing applications, they need to go ahead and put the word out that they are serious about gaining market share. One example can be done by offering the product for a much lower price for a limited amount of time so that people that normally can not afford these batteries (fringe customers) will go ahead and purchase them. Then once the initial purchases have been done, the customer will review/rave/rant/recommend your product if it performs up to their expectations. This will lead to 'word-of-mouth' recommendations which will end up in more sales and the products market themselves.
We all realize how powerful 'word-of-mouth' is in the automotive community.. single instances can make or break a company's reputation.
There is a reason why Braille, Panther, Odyssey, and Dektra batteries do well with hardly any marketing. If your company wants to tap into this market, there are several other ways to gain existing market share without cannibalizing the market itself.
Anyways.. I have a lot more to say but consulting is worth something especially when I am unemployed.
Aside from those things already mentioned (small/light, good capacity, good price, durable) theres not much else to it I think. I picked my battery (redtop Optima) for the capacity, durability, and the fact that it is sealed and wouldnt require a sealed battery box.
One thing you could possibly do is market batteries for specific applications. What I mean by that is 90% of the S chassis owners out there with a FMIC probably have the same amount of room next to the cold pipe for a small battery. In fact, with the way most everything is becoming carbon-copied in the aftermarket, Id be willing to bet most of those same cars have very close to the same layout in piping entirely. Why not market a battery that specifically fits these cars? I have seen some people do this (FRSport maybe), but not too many. You could maybe even develop a tie down system and battery combo that would be compatible with most FMIC kits, and pass a tech inspection from SCCA/FD. A lot of people look for ease of installation when buying new parts and that could be a huge selling point.
Seriously though, if you guys even want us to run a product release in our new parts section, I'll hook it up for the next issue. And in the event you guys do have some sort of marketing budget to work with, you know I'll hook that up too.
for drifters i would push towards easy of use, price, and a contingency program like the tire companies use.
for road race i would push safety, durability, customer service, and a contingency program like the tire companies use.
contingency programs offer a way to make your product more appealing without any money lost on the sale. it is also up to the driver to claim their prize so there is a chance that you won't have to pay out at all and it would give you a chance to give away product instead of money. you also get a chance to attach your name to winners.
also b2b is a way huger market that b2c. if you really want to gain some market share you need to find a way to attract aftermarket retailers.
funny story about road racing. in many classes you have to run an alternator. well there is no rule if you sling a belt and suddenly have no alternator taking up precious horsepower. some racers would buy a huge battery so they could use it as a weight ballast and be able to run the race without an alternator.
Awesome advice uptop, I know there's a few Drifter's in STL that purchase Motorcycle battery's because they are much much lighter and fit in with any motor swap they do, the big down side that most don't seem to care about is the fact that the battery is dead just about every time they go to start the car. Plus it's cheaper to buy. Just throwing that in there.
Throttle fixes everything. Love is kissing your rear bumper into a snowbank at 40 mph and not leaving a scratch. If hookers carried active differentials in their purses and knew how to use 'em, I wouldn't be married. Left-foot braking fixes everything the throttle doesn't fix, including impotence and poor self-esteem. Banging off a rev limiter while looking out a car's side window and slamming into a steering stop will cure cancer. If the car isn't moving around under power, you are a small, testicle-free squirrel. The handbrake fixes everything left-foot braking doesn't fix, including philosophical issues with most major religions and the heartbreakingly impossible question of what you should have for dinner*.
i have one thing to say make battery with high cca and small. cause all the small batts only get one or 2 good cranks out of my car then i have to roll start it.
Im hoping one day they'll let me revamp their entire brand.
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