By Dean Larson

There are a few donor and kit car combinations that changed the hobby permanently; 5.0-liter Mustang and Cobra kit, Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 356, etc. These combinations pair reasonably priced donors with desirable body shapes to put fun car builds in more people’s garages. While it might not immediately come to mind, the Miata donor and exo car combination will probably be the biggest duo in the kit car market in the coming years. And in fact, its reign had arguably already begun. Not sold on the idea? This turbocharged Exomotive Exocet Race version could be just the thing to change your mind.

Most will agree that the Ariel Atom was a great step forward for bare bones driving, but the Atom was never cheap and you couldn’t build it at home in your garage. But take a few cues from the Atom and base it on an affordable and accessible donor, and you’ve got an exo car for the DIY masses.

Exomotive’s Exocet is a well-designed and versatile exo car that can accommodate four, six and eight cylinder engines. There are also three different models, (Base, Sport and Race) and the example seen here on BringaTrialer.com is the fully caged Race version. The cage on this model exceeds NASA, SCCA, FIA and MSA standards and has structural steel floors, making it well suited for track duty.

While there’s a bunch of proven engine options for the Exocet, the stock Miata engine, force-fed with a turbo, is definitely the best bang for your buck. The 1.8-liter engine used in this Race version has been upgraded with forged internals, a Garrett turbo, an air-to-air intercooler and a tuned ECU. The combination is good for 227 horsepower, proven by a recent dyno sheet.

Photos are included of the Miata donor (a very nice-looking NA), which logged around 110,000 miles before its transformation. The builder has added 3,000 miles since completing the build.

The orange and black color combination always suits the Exocet well, and this car presents well. There are a few areas that will need attention though. The seller states there’s a crack in the composite nose section, some missing rivets can be seen in the interior and the tachometer is not operational. Of course, all but the tach issue is irrelevant on the race track, but it would be worth addressing these issues. The car has a clean California title and is registered under SB 100.

The turbocharged Exocet has been bid up to $13,750 with three days remaining in the auction. See more here at BringaTrailer.com.

Update: The reserve went unmet on this Exocet at $14,501.