For $25,000 you can buy your very own Cupcake Car!

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:51 pm

Source: http://www.slashgear.com/neiman-marcus- ... d-0759535/

Neiman Marcus Cupcake Cars bring Burning Man mayhem to the deep-pocketed
By Chris Davies on Wednesday, Oct 7th 2009 No Comments

Picture happiness beyond Prozac and you may end up with this, the Neiman Marcus Cupcake Car. A surprise hit at Burning Man back in 2004, the individually customized motorized cupcakes are the handiwork of Lisa Pongrace and her team and can now be yours to crash dangerously about the streets in.

Theyâ€™re each electrically driven and limited to 7mph, and Lisaâ€™s team will customize every order to its ownerâ€™s specifications. If youâ€™ve always wanted to sit inside a blueberry muffin with a maraschino cherry on your head, while overtaking elderly people in mobility scooters, hereâ€™s your chance.

Of course, such sweetened madness doesnâ€™t come cheap, and Neiman Marcus are asking a cool $25,000 per Cupcake Car. Still, that does come with a matching hat, so perhaps theyâ€™ll be the holiday gift of the season.

~~~~~~~~~~

Here's a clip showing the cars at the Maker Faire...this gets around BM's Draconian image ownership censorship.

So...I wonder who will SELL OUT next?

Post by **Elderberry** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:49 pm

Interesting.

JK

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 6:58 am

I will sell my Land Yacht, a very well-built mutant vehicle, with a fuel-injected engine complete with all emissions equipment, on-board 120 VAC electric system capable of sustaining an 1100 watt load at idle speed, and even the large flatbed trailer to haul it on, for $25,000!

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:02 am

Plenty of other Burning Man artists have sold their art work after the fact. I see nothing wrong with these folks making a buck as long as their not charging for rides at the burn or trailing a for sale sign there.

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:23 am

Well...with it being made clear that it's ok to profit off the art, the next question would be: Is it ok for Neiman Marcus to make a buck by using Burning Man's name to promote the cupcake cars? I have to admit I thought there would be more of a reaction to this...instead what I'm seeing is so tepid it has me wondering if anyone cares?

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:51 am

I used to think that way KV...then I started think ing about it slightly different.

There are those who have the time...but no $

There are those that have the $ and no time.

Its again back to the wonderful world of making it work...work good for both party's.

The hardest part of an artists job...is to figure out how much their time+ efforts+blood+sweat and tears are worth.

And to a person who works 24/7.5 and has the $ but absolutely no time to hardly even spend time with family....this is a perfect match.

That would be like judging that person who has to work so hard and long. But in todays society you sometimes have to pull the hours to be able to afford to retire or even as simply pull off raising a family...or even to be able to afford 2 weeks vacation in some crazy desert!
Or all thee above.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:48 am

It probably costs that much build one of those.... plus every spare weekend you have.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:55 am

Kinetic V wrote:Well...with it being made clear that it's ok to profit off the art, the next question would be: Is it ok for Neiman Marcus to make a buck by using Burning Man's name to promote the cupcake cars? I have to admit I thought there would be more of a reaction to this...instead what I'm seeing is so tepid it has me wondering if anyone cares?

The use of the name is up to the org to defend. I wouldn't be surprised if NM has already been contacted.

Post by **Elderberry** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:58 am

Ugly Dougly wrote:It probably costs that much build one of those.... plus every spare weekend you have.

I'd agree about the time, but actual materials, I'd guess under $3,000.00.

(not that there is anything wrong with making a buck--and price has never been set by how much it costs to manufacture--it's always "what the market will bare".

JK

Post by **Elderberry** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:02 am

Kinetic V wrote:Well...with it being made clear that it's ok to profit off the art, the next question would be: Is it ok for Neiman Marcus to make a buck by using Burning Man's name to promote the cupcake cars? I have to admit I thought there would be more of a reaction to this...instead what I'm seeing is so tepid it has me wondering if anyone cares?

I'm not sure 'mentioning' burning man in giving the description and history of the cupcakes would actually be using BM in an unpermitted way, any more than some reporter going to BM and writing an article about it would be.

JK

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:19 am

jkisha wrote:
Ugly Dougly wrote:It probably costs that much build one of those.... plus every spare weekend you have.
I'd agree about the time, but actual materials, I'd guess under $3,000.00.

That's less than half what my wheelchair cost, and it has a top speed of 5mph. While I see that some corners can be cut if you don't need it to be pretty, other features, like the turn on a dime thing, are probably desireable.

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:43 am

sputnik wrote:
Kinetic V wrote:Well...with it being made clear that it's ok to profit off the art, the next question would be: Is it ok for Neiman Marcus to make a buck by using Burning Man's name to promote the cupcake cars? I have to admit I thought there would be more of a reaction to this...instead what I'm seeing is so tepid it has me wondering if anyone cares?
The use of the name is up to the org to defend. I wouldn't be surprised if NM has already been contacted.

I looked up the actual catalog description. NM did place a "tm" behind the Burning Man name. Looks like their legal folk are on top of that detail.

Post by **Elderberry** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:14 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:
jkisha wrote:
Ugly Dougly wrote:It probably costs that much build one of those.... plus every spare weekend you have.
I'd agree about the time, but actual materials, I'd guess under $3,000.00.
That's less than half what my wheelchair cost, and it has a top speed of 5mph. While I see that some corners can be cut if you don't need it to be pretty, other features, like the turn on a dime thing, are probably desireable.

In that case, the materials necessary to manufacture your wheelchair would be around $600.00 to get the same level of profitibability.

My partner says he thought he remembered reading that to join the cupcake camp you needed to build your own cupcake and that the cost was about what I stated above. I could be wrong on all of this, but it does make sense in my mind.

I have also seen plans on how to build a segway for cheap too; in fact, I think I saw the link somewhere on eplaya.

JK

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:16 pm

jkisha wrote: I have also seen plans on how to build a segway for cheap too; in fact, I think I saw the link somewhere on eplaya.

JK

Boy am I glad you said something about this...I need to go look that up!

Post by **Elderberry** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:33 pm

Kinetic V wrote:
jkisha wrote: I have also seen plans on how to build a segway for cheap too; in fact, I think I saw the link somewhere on eplaya.

JK
Boy am I glad you said something about this...I need to go look that up!

Here's the link http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic. ... ght=segway

JK

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 1:03 pm

Well part of the amount of inflation might be perhaps the Marketing part of it...
while we could just throw together a small engine then a makeshift type cup cake from parts n pieces...I imagine the idea on bigger marketing is better workmanship then you would do for just yourself.

Kinda like my costumes...I havent really gone global, cause Im a reconstructive costumer...in order for me to go global, I would have to invest so many more hours into a product to make it RETAIL worthy, not here, let me make something for you gifty type idea, then it could be as homespun as you would make it in a free gifting way of thinking.

This is something they are retailing. and it needs to be perfect and with implied warrentees in that arena!!!

Post by **Elderberry** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 1:47 pm

pinemom wrote:Well part of the amount of inflation might be perhaps the Marketing part of it...
while we could just throw together a small engine then a makeshift type cup cake from parts n pieces...I imagine the idea on bigger marketing is better workmanship then you would do for just yourself.

Kinda like my costumes...I havent really gone global, cause Im a reconstructive costumer...in order for me to go global, I would have to invest so many more hours into a product to make it RETAIL worthy, not here, let me make something for you gifty type idea, then it could be as homespun as you would make it in a free gifting way of thinking.

This is something they are retailing. and it needs to be perfect and with implied warrentees in that arena!!!

Good point.

JK

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:29 pm

Well, componants are what they are. Two electric motors, two gel batteries, and I think the damn thing's built in the USA. (My push chair is. In California. Hey, I'm not the reason the economy tanked.) Custom. By which I mean I ordered it and then they built in by putting in the colors and features that I had selected. Of course, I ordered it through a company who had to take a cut. And of course, since insurance pays the economics are weirdly skewed. There aren't enough of us to have the kind of economy of scale that bikes and cars have. Plus there's design considerations.
But I might be wrong about the bases being wheelchairs.

Hey, Koosh!!!

littleflower · Post by **littleflower** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:49 pm

"neiman marcus" and "make a buck" ... ?

bwaaa ha ha ha ha

of course there is a markup! jeez, i can't afford anything in that store ... although it is a good place to try on those $800 manolos, since they're on the 1/2 off rack, so you don't have to ask ....

oh ... and pinemom, your costumes are amazing! i still can't get over titwi the lion.

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:23 pm

With all due respect, it's not just her costumes, Pinemom is just amazing!

Post by **actiongrl** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:51 pm

I'm not sure 'mentioning' burning man in giving the description and history of the cupcakes would actually be using BM in an unpermitted way, any more than some reporter going to BM and writing an article about it would be.

Ding! You are correct. Use in the description, if actually factual (because the editorial truth is that the cars did in fact debut at Burning Man), is not a trademark violation.

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 5:37 am

{{Blush}} Thank you KV!!

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:50 am

I think product liability issues drive wheelchair costs up.
Mutant vehicles aren't always "based on" any existing vehicle. Good ones usually aren't.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:52 am

I got a playa-tested pickup truck, pre-dusted, ready to go! $25,000. Prepped for towing art cars and/or carrying theme camp equipment!

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:09 am

I was given a Round About.. It's like brand new.. I did have to buy batteries..

I also have two old Rasscals that were free..

Don't want to take them to the playa.. Just don't want to use a gerator to charge them..

Post by **mdmf007** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 12:57 pm

Ill build you a top notch cupcake for half that!

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:35 pm

mdmf007 wrote:Ill build you a top notch cupcake for half that!

That come with fries?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:39 pm

unjonharley wrote:
mdmf007 wrote:Ill build you a top notch cupcake for half that!
That come with fries?

i don't care if it does or not! I;m not buying food from a nose picker!

EEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwww!

Post by **mdmf007** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 3:25 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:
unjonharley wrote:
mdmf007 wrote:Ill build you a top notch cupcake for half that!
That come with fries?
i don't care if it does or not! I;m not buying food from a nose picker!

EEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwww!

Comes from fries, and I am clearly scratching my lip!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:32 pm

mdmf007 wrote:
theCryptofishist wrote:
unjonharley wrote: That come with fries?
i don't care if it does or not! I;m not buying food from a nose picker!

EEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwww!
Comes from fries, and I am clearly scratching my lip!

Did you just say it comes from your nose by way of your lip?

EEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwww!