S1 Elise kit-car

[rhinochopig]

These are getting into donor territory now cost wise. The body work is non structural, they offer possibly the best handling of any road car, are mid engined RWD as standard, and there is a huge parts and tuning community.

So how long before we start to see some re bodies?

I'm amazed there hasn't been any mini Grp C car re-bodies so far - or I've just missed them

[rhinochopig]

ceebmoj said:

Why re-body? I cant see any motivation to do so. As far as I can see the new body work would only be a stilling change in witch case there is already the VX220 to consider

1. The Elise body work does not rust.
2. It is very easy to swap a clam if you damage it and there is also a good supply of calms on eBay.
3. If you are a badge snob you start out with a Lotus and end up with a random.

Having said all of that there are lotus Exige bodys out there for around 2k

Which shows there is a market of sorts.

In response to your points:

1. I agree, but the design is dated looking now and 10k for a tatty one is firmly in donor territory.
2. See dated argument
3. For what they're selling for now, the badge snobbery is probably less of an issue.


They also offer a couple of very real benefits in that the windscreen is suitably shaped (a big cost in a kit) as are elements like lights. Both of which make a re-body potentially very easy.

We also see loads of threads in this section about people building their own Grp C style car, or asking what kits there are out there that are mid engined, handle well, are hard top, which is the key thing, but are not an uUtima.

If someone can do a Exige body for ~ 2k, someone could produce something similar with closer sports racer inspired looks for not much more.

I suspect if you could offer something akin to this



as a kit then they may sell.