New MEV Exocet Kit car
Discussion
An exciting prospect if the figures (£s) are to be believed. Originally I wanted to build a RoadRunner SR2 bit it'll be a bit tight making the finances stretch that far at the minute so this is very tempting.
A few things I don't get though.
According to http://www.totalkitcar.com/tkc_article_1947.php the kit price is £3290 but the price on the website is £2500, not including seats, lights or powder coating.
I quite like the front end but not the back. I know styling is a subjective matter but it's another case of nearly, but not quite, IMO.
Obviously it's a car aimed at the lower end of the market, an opportunity for people to build a kit car for relatively little money so the interior isn't going to be designed to the same level as more expensive cars but couldn't something have been done about the steering wheel cover/binnacle for the clocks where it meets the dash? Perhaps MEV could have an option where that cross beam is moved further back (or another one added) and some sort of dash piece designed to fit it so that customers can customise the looks a little?
I don't know about MX-5 switchgear but is everything you'd need for a road-going car on the column stalks? If not and you have to mount additional switches, where do you put them? The "dash" is going to be a little out of reach once you've got a harness on unless you're Stretch Armstrong.
The last thing I don't get is the colour of bodywork or the photographs used to promote the car. Again a subjective thing but orange and blue? Really not complimentary in any way, shape or form unless you're mixing the tastiest smarties with the ones that are going to make you hyper. The photography might be considered a subjective thing again and with photography being my main hobby until I can afford a kit car I perhaps look at them in a different way to most potential customers, but the photos I've seen so far don't do the car any sort of justice. Looking through kit car magazines it never ceases to amaze me what poor examples of photography companies use to promote their wares. You don't need the budget of a major manufacturer to hire someone to take some decent photos.
I look forward to seeing how things progress with regards to IVA and build experiences in the not too distant future hopefully.
A few things I don't get though.
According to http://www.totalkitcar.com/tkc_article_1947.php the kit price is £3290 but the price on the website is £2500, not including seats, lights or powder coating.
I quite like the front end but not the back. I know styling is a subjective matter but it's another case of nearly, but not quite, IMO.
Obviously it's a car aimed at the lower end of the market, an opportunity for people to build a kit car for relatively little money so the interior isn't going to be designed to the same level as more expensive cars but couldn't something have been done about the steering wheel cover/binnacle for the clocks where it meets the dash? Perhaps MEV could have an option where that cross beam is moved further back (or another one added) and some sort of dash piece designed to fit it so that customers can customise the looks a little?
I don't know about MX-5 switchgear but is everything you'd need for a road-going car on the column stalks? If not and you have to mount additional switches, where do you put them? The "dash" is going to be a little out of reach once you've got a harness on unless you're Stretch Armstrong.
The last thing I don't get is the colour of bodywork or the photographs used to promote the car. Again a subjective thing but orange and blue? Really not complimentary in any way, shape or form unless you're mixing the tastiest smarties with the ones that are going to make you hyper. The photography might be considered a subjective thing again and with photography being my main hobby until I can afford a kit car I perhaps look at them in a different way to most potential customers, but the photos I've seen so far don't do the car any sort of justice. Looking through kit car magazines it never ceases to amaze me what poor examples of photography companies use to promote their wares. You don't need the budget of a major manufacturer to hire someone to take some decent photos.
I look forward to seeing how things progress with regards to IVA and build experiences in the not too distant future hopefully.
Edited by Kev M on Tuesday 13th July 14:12
All switchgear you will need is on the indicator stalks, with the excpetion of the rear fog light switch.
Agree about the colour- doesnt show the car off well. Same with the original photos of the missile model too. Perhaps stiggy should get lawrence llwellyn whats his face on the books as a colour consultant?
Re the price- i noticed that too. I think in the june newsletter on the mev website it says the price was revised to inlcude vat and make it the cheapest kit car?- a good marketing tag i guess.
Agree about the colour- doesnt show the car off well. Same with the original photos of the missile model too. Perhaps stiggy should get lawrence llwellyn whats his face on the books as a colour consultant?
Re the price- i noticed that too. I think in the june newsletter on the mev website it says the price was revised to inlcude vat and make it the cheapest kit car?- a good marketing tag i guess.
I love the car think its a brilliant idea, the styling isn't as neat as it is on the other MEV cars though but thats probably due to the constraints of the donor, I've got an MX5 and am REALLY tempted to buy the kit and build it into an exocet.
I'd be intriegued to see if MEV plan on doing more cars this way, its a good way of keeping costs down and making kits more accessible to people new to kits... love it
I'd be intriegued to see if MEV plan on doing more cars this way, its a good way of keeping costs down and making kits more accessible to people new to kits... love it
Thanx for all the comments guys.
I still have some mods to do to the front end, I need to alter the air scoop and a few other tweeks. I was thinking of red with carbon effect stripe for the final version. What do you think? I would like to see a purple one too.
But then again the thing is so striking it does not need vibrant colours, it will stand out extremely well anyway. Colour suggestions would be appreciated.
I love the new lights, tiny things that are IVA compliant and have main/dip in one unit. On the car I feel they look a little small however but of course no 2 Exocets will ever be built the same I hope, colours, lights, wheels, seats etc to personal taste. Amamzing value this thing. I will have more pics on our website b4 the end of the month.
Regards Stiggy
I still have some mods to do to the front end, I need to alter the air scoop and a few other tweeks. I was thinking of red with carbon effect stripe for the final version. What do you think? I would like to see a purple one too.
But then again the thing is so striking it does not need vibrant colours, it will stand out extremely well anyway. Colour suggestions would be appreciated.
I love the new lights, tiny things that are IVA compliant and have main/dip in one unit. On the car I feel they look a little small however but of course no 2 Exocets will ever be built the same I hope, colours, lights, wheels, seats etc to personal taste. Amamzing value this thing. I will have more pics on our website b4 the end of the month.
Regards Stiggy
The more I look at the kit and the more I think it makes a lot of sense as a single donor sports kitcar.
You have a fantastic and sweet handling mk1/2 Mx5 platform, you then add the exo-chassis with some bodywork and you've shed at least 500kg from the original.........what you have left is an impressive and light kit sportscar with one of the most entartaining chassis around....
The price of the kit is very competitive and used donors are plenty and available at incredibile prices....what would you want more ?
it would be nice to see in the future a comparative test between a Seven with an Mx5 engine option and the MEV Exocet...I would like to see the results.
You have a fantastic and sweet handling mk1/2 Mx5 platform, you then add the exo-chassis with some bodywork and you've shed at least 500kg from the original.........what you have left is an impressive and light kit sportscar with one of the most entartaining chassis around....
The price of the kit is very competitive and used donors are plenty and available at incredibile prices....what would you want more ?
it would be nice to see in the future a comparative test between a Seven with an Mx5 engine option and the MEV Exocet...I would like to see the results.
Edited by fuoriserie on Saturday 17th July 23:05
Stiggy, those new lights are very funky looking , the whole car is a great use of an MX5. I've been busy photoshopping away and come up with this for the red with carbon stripe idea. Personally I think it looks great, and a lot better than the blue/orange (no offence meant 
, I just thought that colour scheme was a bit.. challenging. )
, the whole car is a great use of an MX5. I've been busy photoshopping away and come up with this for the red with carbon stripe idea. Personally I think it looks great, and a lot better than the blue/orange (no offence meant , I just thought that colour scheme was a bit.. challenging. )ajprice said:
Stiggy, those new lights are very funky looking , the whole car is a great use of an MX5. I've been busy photoshopping away and come up with this for the red with carbon stripe idea. Personally I think it looks great, and a lot better than the blue/orange (no offence meant , I just thought that colour scheme was a bit.. challenging. )
Great job..... , the whole car is a great use of an MX5. I've been busy photoshopping away and come up with this for the red with carbon stripe idea. Personally I think it looks great, and a lot better than the blue/orange (no offence meant , I just thought that colour scheme was a bit.. challenging. ), how about a silver/chrome body with a metallic red stripe running through the middle of the body.Metallic red wheels would top my list....
Very nice Mr Price, I am extremely grateful. I was just going to do it and hope for the best but now I am definitely going to be pleased I feel.
Clearly 2 colours plus the black chassis are not required. I will start in the morning and carry out the alterations b4 re casting. I was tempted to paint it silver but I would sooner show a standard gel colour that customers can order at no extra cost, so red is good for me.
Clearly 2 colours plus the black chassis are not required. I will start in the morning and carry out the alterations b4 re casting. I was tempted to paint it silver but I would sooner show a standard gel colour that customers can order at no extra cost, so red is good for me.
A little more info.
We have not altered the wheel base or engine position. We just took the body off the MX5 and retained the front and rear subframes with the engine/box/suspension/exhaust/prop shaft in situ. There is a long alloy beam that joins the 2 subframes together, that is kept too. The loom just plugs back in and the tank with pump is used under the cover in the back. Weight distribution remains almost exactly the same as the Mazda but I reckon in round figures the 1000kgs Mazda is over 300 heavier than the Exocet so that is a lot of free fun. Dynamically it will be a very similar drive to the well sorted Mazda with the added benifit of more power per ton. The standard 1.8 has 132bhp though so it will be no slow coach. I found I was lucky and got one with a limited slip diff. They are standard on some models.
Whilst we are working very hard to keep the quality bang on and the price very low this car works out extremely low cost as you have virtually nothing to buy other than the kit and donor. It makes sense to use what you already have unless there is compromise and the MX5 is well engineered all round.
We have not altered the wheel base or engine position. We just took the body off the MX5 and retained the front and rear subframes with the engine/box/suspension/exhaust/prop shaft in situ. There is a long alloy beam that joins the 2 subframes together, that is kept too. The loom just plugs back in and the tank with pump is used under the cover in the back. Weight distribution remains almost exactly the same as the Mazda but I reckon in round figures the 1000kgs Mazda is over 300 heavier than the Exocet so that is a lot of free fun. Dynamically it will be a very similar drive to the well sorted Mazda with the added benifit of more power per ton. The standard 1.8 has 132bhp though so it will be no slow coach. I found I was lucky and got one with a limited slip diff. They are standard on some models.
Whilst we are working very hard to keep the quality bang on and the price very low this car works out extremely low cost as you have virtually nothing to buy other than the kit and donor. It makes sense to use what you already have unless there is compromise and the MX5 is well engineered all round.
I feel that 500 is achievable but mine is nearer 650kgs. Depends how much you spend on brakes/wheels/seats etc. I would sooner see folk spend less and get a great car for low money rather than spend a fortune on carbon and light alloy goodies just to save an ounce or 2. It is definately lighter than a Sierra based 7 replica though. Our Sonic is lighter than our Exocet but only by 100kgs ish. Our Rocket below 500. At the end of the day compared to the MX5 it will fly. The subframes are not heavy, just convienient and free with the donor. Exact figures will be published when I get that load of filler and wood off mine that looks like a GRP body. I will start that job in a few hours
For those (like me) who were wondering what the mx5 chassis looks like...
http://www.seriouswheels.com/2010/klm/2010-Mazda-M...
http://www.seriouswheels.com/2010/klm/2010-Mazda-M...
, but here we go again.......
singlecoil said:
Anyone know why Mazda chose to have a framework linking the engine and rear axle?
No idea. But I wonder if it's part of adding "stiffness" to a cabrio. I see they carried it over to the MK3 from the photos above.Edited by singlecoil on Tuesday 20th July 20:34
I would say though I'm not sure the kit is designed for a MK3 as posted above? I'd think it's the earlier MK1/MK2 versions which are similar under the skin.
Munter said:
singlecoil said:
Anyone know why Mazda chose to have a framework linking the engine and rear axle?
No idea. But I wonder if it's part of adding "stiffness" to a cabrio. I see they carried it over to the MK3 from the photos above.Edited by singlecoil on Tuesday 20th July 20:34
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