Exomotive Exocet review 2014

By anyone’s measure Mazda’s MX-5 is a great driver’s car. It steers with precision, has great brakes, a strong chassis and ample power. MX-5s of all denomination have “feel” in spades and a bulletproof reputation contributing to iconic status among enthusiasts around the world.

Now, there’s something else you can do with your MX-5 that takes it to another level – potentially Ferrari performance levels… at a fraction the cost.

DONOR

But you have to be prepared to make your cute little roadster the donor vehicle for a rudimentary machine that appears about as radical as any four wheeled passenger vehicle can get.

UK/USA outfit Exomotive (aka Mills Extreme Vehicles) designed an outrageously extroverted ‘exo’-chassis for a sports car using MX-5 mechanicals to rival the likes of products from Caterham and Ariel Atom.

The featured chassis has a lot in common with the Atom which costs over $100 grand and can’t be easily registered here.

VALUE

How much will the striking Exocet cost at the “ready to roll” stage? If the local agent supplies a donor vehicle, $26,000 gets you behind the wheel.

The Exocet is kit-car termed an ICV – Individually Constructed Vehicle which means special compliance provisions.

LEGAL

With fibreglass guards, bonnet, MX-5 electrics and controls, and a fuel tank cover included in the price, the Exocet can be registered and legally driven on the road.

Mind you, it’s an in-your-face experience because you are out in the open with the wind buffeting your head, the engine bellowing up front and the exhaust popping in your ear. Real bugs in your teeth stuff.

The experience might be equated with driving a four wheeled motorcycle.

Factory supplied bits for Exocet, ex the USA, amount to a bunch of laser cut hi-tensile frame tubes which the local agent, Matt Reid from Raymond Terrace, welds together in a jig and then fits all the MX-5 parts.

OPEN WHEELER

It’s a really economical and effective way into a fully open top ,semi open wheel sports driving experience.

The spaceframe chassis takes all its running gear including engine, gearbox, suspension, steering brakes and even the instrument pod from either an early MX-5 NA 1.6-litre model or the newer NB 1.8 that was in production until 2005.

Nothing is yet available using the later NC MX-5 running gear which is, according to Matt Reid, on a similar platform to the Mazda RX8.

Matt Reid has a running example of Exocet Sport with totally standard MX5 NB parts.

That means about 100kW, about 180Nm and a five speed manual transmission.

Nothing spectacular… until you consider the vehicle’s weight of 690kg in NB form, 660kg with NA bits.

HANDY

It produces a pretty handy power to weight ratio capable of propelling the `base’ Exocet from 0-100kmh in around 6.0 seconds.

Spend $36,000 to  turbocharge the standard engine for 165kW/400Nm output and you are talking sub 4.0 seconds for the 0-100kmh sprint according to data from the USA.

Two versions are available, the Race model with integrated full safety cage and the road oriented Sport version with a single rear bar.

Matt said the wheels are owner choice because “everybody has different tastes.”

DRIVING

Our drive of the Exocet underlined the raw nature of the car. The wind noise is loud and you really need a full face helmet to drive a reasonable distance or have a small screen fitted.

Performance is strong from the naturally aspirated engine with plenty of roll on acceleration and good grunt out of the blocks. The brakes are simply sensational.

It has a firm ride and the overall impression you get is of being connected to the car, especially when you can actually see many of its components in operation.