Kit cars have been around since the dawn of time, and they’ve always been equally loved and frowned upon.
But if you know how to put a car together, or know somebody who can do that for you, a kit car is a great way to park something special on your driveway without breaking the bank.
These are some of the world’s most interesting kit cars but – something worth noting – we specifically decided to focus on original kit cars, rather than kit cars that create replicas of famous cars.
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Factory Five Racing GTM
This is the KTM, a kit car built (well, by you) with components provided by an American company called Factory Five Racing.
They’ve got various models available, but we’ll mention the GTM because it looks tremendous.
It looks halfway between a Ford GT and a Chevy Corvette, and it is very low to the ground and very wide.
And by the way, there’s a reason why it looks like a Chevrolet.
It’s because most of the components, including the V8 engine, the suspension, drivetrain and brakes, come from the Chevy Corvette C5.
Rhino Racing RR01 – One of the most affordable kit cars
The second car on the list is the Rhino Racing RR01, which is arguably the world’s most affordable supercar since it costs the same as a VW Golf GTI.
Made in Lithuania by Rhino Racing, it’s made from lightweight materials throughout.
The chassis is a combination of fiberglass and carbon fiber, which was also used for the dashboard and the bucket seats.
So why is it so inexpensive? Well, it’s because it doesn’t have an engine.
Rhino says the car works best with the same V10 that the Audi R8 uses.
The only problem is, the engine isn’t included in the sale.
Ultima – The ‘OG’ of kit cars
The Ultima is the OG of kit cars, as it was first introduced in 1999.
Ultima made several changes and introduced several models through the years, but all models share a few features.
For starters, every Ultima you can buy has the same layout, with a rear-mid engine and rear-wheel drive.
How much power you get depends on how much you’re willing to spend.
But the good news is no matter what engine you go for, it’ll be a V8.
The smallest available is a 5.7-liter Ford/Chevy V8, while the largest is the 7.0-liter LS7 V8, the same engine that powers the Corvette Z06 or the Camaro Z/28.
Exomotive Exocet
Underneath the body of this weird-looking thing, you’ll find the underpinnings and engine of a Mazda MX-5.
What Exomotive did is they took a lightweight, relatively simple sportscar and they made it lighter, and even more barren.
Comfort and practicality were both sacrificed at the altar of fun and performance.
It’s not for everyone, but if you’re just looking for an inexpensive way to have fun with a car, the Exocet fits the bill.
