Gasolini AR1: The Low-Cost Alternative to the Hypercar Mania
As Monterey Car Week sets record auction prices for million-dollar vehicles, a new British-built kit car offers a starkly different philosophy for enthusiasts.
The recent Monterey Car Week in California established new benchmarks for automotive excess, with a Shelby Daytona Coupe fetching $42.9 million and a Ferrari Luce electric vehicle selling for $40 million. Against this backdrop of seven-figure hypercars and restomods, Robert Ely’s Gasolini AR1 presents a contrasting approach to automotive enthusiasm. Featured on Jonny Smith’s “The Late Brake Show,” the vehicle is a hand-built, single-seat sportscar designed to be constructed for less than $7,000 using readily available components.
The AR1 adheres to the UK’s permissive regulations regarding the registration of hand-built vehicles, utilising a powertrain sourced from a 2017 Honda CBR500 motorcycle. The two-cylinder inline engine, gearbox, and wiring loom are mounted behind the cockpit to drive the rear wheels. While the engine produces a modest 47 hp and 32 lb-ft of torque, the vehicle’s total weight is kept below 1,000 lbs, prioritising lightweight efficiency over raw speed.
To maintain this low mass and cost, the car employs skinny wheels and tires from a Ford Ka. The design incorporates ’90s sci-fi aesthetics, utilising 2D shapes and aerodynamic features such as NACA ducts for cooling and teardrop-section covers for the exposed suspension elements. These design choices aim to reduce drag, allowing the car to achieve an estimated fuel efficiency of 41 mpg.
Ely has confirmed he will not manufacture further AR1 units, but he sells the plans and instructions for individuals to build their own. This DIY approach is supported by a build series on his Gasolini YouTube channel, which provides visual guidance for the construction process. The project serves as a practical alternative to the escalating costs and performance bloat seen in modern sports cars.
Development is already underway for the Gasolini AR2, an electric variant of the vehicle. This model will replace the motorcycle engine with a HyPer 9 electric motor and battery cells from a Jaguar I-Pace. The AR2 is expected to offer double the horsepower and four times the torque of the AR1, though it remains under construction.
