If you are a true car enthusiast, there is only one type of car that can make you happy. It's the one that is powered by a performance-focused engine which can deliver serious horsepower and torque like no other. It's the one that easily runs from 0 to 60 miles per hour in well under five seconds. It's the kind of car that haunts your dreams for years. It's the only type of car that can make you feel like a kid again. Without a doubt, it's a supercar.
In the United States alone, the supercar market is booming quite impressively. In fact, according to a report from Statista, the demand for supercars was highest in that country last year, accounting for as much as 30 percent of the global sales volume. Meanwhile, supercars are also in great demand in a host of other countries. These include the United Kingdom and China where the demand for supercars is said to be “red hot.”
Today, it's quite possible to acquire your very own supercar regardless of your budget. After all, there are brand-new supercar models that you can score for well under $50,000. At the same time, some older year models of certain supercars have become relatively affordable too.
On the other hand, if you really want a truly unique supercar, you may have to hold off on buying anything on the market. Instead, consider building one yourself, DIY style. Today, it is very much possible to build a supercar right in your own garage or workshop. However, you need to be prepared to invest money, time and a whole lot of effort.
Still feeling undeterred? Well, we’ve listed down some of the best DIY supercars around to inspire you some more.
19 Filandi Uragano
The Filandi Uragano represents a major milestone for 55-year-old Moreno Filandi. This car was Filandi’s first successful supercar project and he could not be prouder. In the end, he spent a total of €12,000, which is approximately $14,093.40.
Under the hood of the Filandi Uragano is an Audi turbo engine that can readily crank out as much as 605 horsepower. This gives the car incredible performance, something that Filandi is quite pleased with. “Uragano has a top speed of 200mph and the time it takes to accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 3 seconds, Filandi explained during an interview with Barcroft.
Since the success of the Filandi Uragano, Filandi has also gone on to create other supercars on his own. In fact, his second supercar uses a powerful Mercedes engine.
18 Salaff C2
In the car world, Carlos Salaff is a man that is already well-respected. After all, he is the man behind several innovative car concepts, including the Mazda Nagare and Mazda Furai. Nonetheless, Salaff wanted to go one step further by building the supercar of his dreams. He went as far as creating a company that is dedicated to this goal.
“I believe that great automobile design can blur the line between fantasy and reality – immersing you in sight, feeling and sound from another world. I have established Salaff to create a collection of extraordinary vehicles, hand built one at a time, and tailored for the passionate driver and art collector,” remarked Salaff during an interview with Carbuzz.
His Salaff C2 is, indeed, masterpiece, one that was developed using the chassis of the Lamborghini Gallardo. And if you want to own one , Salaff says, “The process begins with our customers supplying their road-legal and registered Gallardo for the basis of modification by Salaff.”
17 Chen Yanxi's Supercar
27-year-old glass factory worker Chen Yanxi from China has always loved cars. More importantly, he loves fast cars, so much so that he decided to build his very own supercar. According to a report from the South China Morning Post, he worked on building this electric car during his spare time.
He reportedly worked on the design during the early part of 2015. When this was done, he started buying all the parts he needed to build his own supercar. These included the engine, transmission system, and tires. Meanwhile, the chassis was made using galvanized piping while fiberglass was utilized for the exterior. In the end, the car only cost him around 30,000 yuan or $4,374.45.
Chen Yanxi displayed his car at the 2015 Hainan International Automotive Industry exhibition.
16 Noble M12
The Noble M12 is a DIY supercar that was reportedly produced in South Africa back in the year 2000. Several years later, the U.S. production rights to this car were reportedly sold to 1G Racing in Ohio.
Under the hood of the M12 was a bi-turbocharged Ford Duratec V6 engine. According to reports, it could readily deliver as much as 310 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 320 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm.
Over time, several variants of the M12 also came out, with each one becoming more powerful than the last. For instance, the M12 GTO-3 reportedly utilizes a 3-liter engine that can deliver as much as 352 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 350 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 to 5,000 rpm.
15 Divergent Blade
For some car enthusiasts, building your very own supercar means buying parts from different sources and putting them together in your garage. For the company Divergent 3D, however, creating an awesome supercar literally meant printing it out on 3D.
The Divergent Blade is absolutely a car unlike any other. It’s a supercar that boggles the mind. According to Divergent 3D, their supercar was printed using a system that “automates the design, manufacture, and assembly of complex structures using Non-Design Specific Software, Additive Manufacturing and Robotic Assembly.”
The result? An environmentally friendly supercar that reportedly uses a Mitsubishi Evo engine which is capable of delivering as much as 720 horsepower. Moreover, according to All3DP, this car has a top speed of 200 miles per hour.
14 Jacek Mazur's DIY McLaren F1
Without a doubt, a McLaren F1 would be awesome to drive around with. Unfortunately, for a lot of us, the price tag on the McLaren is just too much. Nonetheless, this has never stopped Polish car enthusiast Jacek Mazur from going after his dreams. Instead of saving up to buy a McLaren, however, he decided to create a replica.
“As soon as I saw the McLaren F1 for the first time, I knew I had to have one. I couldn't afford it so I knew I would have to build one myself, explained Mazur in an interview with Daily Mail.
This health and safety advisor reportedly spent as many as eight years to build his own supercar. In the end, it was worth it. Mazur now has a car that can speed up to 200 miles per hour. And the best part? He only spent £20,000 or approximately $26,233.98. The original McLaren F1 reportedly costs £5 million.
13 Ultima GTR
Keith Lake is a chauffeur who has a special fondness for cars. And the moment he saw the Ultima at the Stoneleigh motor show, he knew he had to have one. However, once again, the price is too much. “I thought 'I'd like that', but at the time there was no way I could afford it,” Lakes explained during an interview with The Telegraph.
Refusing to give up on his dream, Lakes decided to go about building his own Ultima. The prospect of starting from scratch didn’t faze him. After all, he had previously built an AC Cobra which he called the Pilgrim Sumo.
In the end, Lakes was quite successful. His Ultima GTR reportedly has an engine that easily churns out 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Moreover, it also has a top speed of 231 miles per hour.
12 Caractacus
If “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” is still your guilty movie pleasure, then you’ll definitely love watching the Caractacus run. This is a supercar that pays homage to vintage vehicles. Creator and owner John Crowhurst took as many as 10 years to build this vehicle.
The Caractacus reportedly uses a Rolls Royce Merlin engine, something that Crowhurst has always wanted. “I read an article about another English chap who built a Merlin engined car and came over to see it. When I heard the Merlin engine roar I knew I had to have one,” Crowhurst told DevonLive during an interview.
This power unit can easily crank out as much as 631 horsepower and 1,449 pound-feet of torque. Interestingly, this is the very same engine that was utilized by Spitfire planes.
11 Moses Ngobeni’s Supercar
Moses Ngobeni is an electrical engineer from Giyani, South Africa who has always been fascinated by cars as a child. And so, when he got older, Ngobeni decided to finally build himself a supercar that he can be proud of.
“When I was still a boy at the age of seven, something came to my mind saying: ‘One day I’m going to build my own sports vehicle,” Ngobeni explained during an interview with Barcroft. Ngobeni constructed the car from scratch in a workshop. It was a labor of love since he utilized an ordinary pole bender to be able to twist metal pieces for the car’s frame.
Ngobeni’s supercar uses an engine from a 1998 BMW 318. This one has a top speed of 155 miles per hour.
10 Summit 427 MK4 Roadster
For some companies, making DIY supercars has become an undeniable passion. This is the case for Factory Five who has been producing body kits and chassis since 1994. One of the “projects” that can be assembled here is the Summit 427 MK$ Roadster.
According to a report from the Hot Rod Network, the MK4 kit comes with a starting price of $13,000. For that amount, you get a “basic kit that uses a 1987–2004 Mustang donor to provide the drivetrain, suspension, and fuel system” Meanwhile, For $20,000, you can already get a somewhat complete kit for building the car. The only other things you would need to buy are the engine, transmission, rear axle, and paint.
9 Coyote MK4 Roadster
What’s great about the MK4 is that it can also be as powerful as you want it to be. That’s because there are several engine packages available and if you have a need for speed, all you have to do is to mount the most powerful one into your car.
One of the engine options is a 5-liter Coyote V8 engine. A car enthusiast may be quite familiar with this since this is also the engine the Mustang GT utilizes for 2011 and later models. However, the power unit being utilized by the MK4 is slightly limited when it comes to hauling power. In fact, it can only haul 2,400 pounds versus the Mustang GT’s capability of 3,600 pounds.
8 Zarooq Sand Racer 500 GT
The Zarooq Sand Racer 500 GT is both a supercar and sand beast. That means it’s a car that also has some serious off-roading ability and perhaps, that’s really how its makers intended things to be. “We are very excited to see our supercar perform on roads as on sand,” remarked Bruno Laffite, one of Zarooq Motors’ founders, during an interview with Top Gear.
Under the hood of the Sand Racer is a 6.2-liter V8 engine that can readily churn out as much as 518 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque. Around 35 units of the Sand Racer were reportedly made. This DIY supercar has a price tag of £350,000 or approximately $458,725.75.
7 Fenyr SuperSport
The Fenyr SuperSport is a supercar that looks bolder than others. In fact, it readily gives the impression that it truly means business. According to car developer W Motors, the Fenyr SuperSport is a “performance-focused supercar.” “In the core of this machine lies the wolf’s heart,” the company added.
Tthe wolf’s heart happens to be a 3.8-liter Flat 6 engine that impressive roars all the way to 800 horsepower at 7,100 rpm and an estimated 723 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm.
Just to give you an idea of how fast this car really is, the Fenyr SuperSport has no problem going from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 2.7 seconds. Moreover, this car has an exhilarating top speed of 400 kilometers per hour.
6 Lykan Hypersport
The Lykan HyperSport is another DYI supercar creation from Dubai-based auto developer W Motors. According to the company, the Lykan HyperSport is an “automotive masterpiece inspired by the first werewolf in history and meticulously designed to be different.”
Under the hood of the Lycan HyperSport is a 3.7l-liter twin turbo flat 6 engine that throttles all the way to 780 horsepower at 7,100 rpm and around 708 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. This car has an impressive maximum speed of 395 kilometers per hour. Moreover, it can readily go from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 2.7 seconds.
Without a doubt, the Lycan HyperSport is among “one of the rarest cars on the globe.” That’s because only seven units of this car were produced. So, if you happen to own one, never let it go.
5 Atom Road Racer
The Atom Road Racer is not at all like any supercar that you have ever seen. After all, it looks more like a race car that is determined to go as fast as possible.
Under the hood of the Atom Road Racer is a 2-liter K20Z four-cylinder i-VTEC engine that can readily produce as much as 245 horsepower at 8,600 rpm and around 177 pound-feet of torque at 7,200 rpm.
Moreover, this car is also more than capable of going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 3.12 seconds. Meanwhile, it has a pretty impressive top speed of 145 miles per hour.
4 Hennessey Corvette 1000 BHP
The Hennessey Corvette 1000 BHP is unlike any other Corvette that you will encounter in your lifetime. This car is quite rare too, with models only being produced from 2015 to 2017.
If you can afford to get your hands on one, it is definitely worth the investment. For starters, this DIY supercar is supercharged for the road. It carries an engine that can readily throttle all the way to 1,000 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 966 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. What’s more, this car can readily go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 2.5 seconds. It can also reach the ¼ mile mark in just 9.7 seconds at 147 miles per hour. Meanwhile, the Hennessey Corvette 1000 BHP can also reach a top speed of more than 220 miles per hour, according to Hennessey Performance.
3 EcoJet
As you may know, comedian and talk show host Jay Leno is a man who has an extreme passion for cars. For years, he has worked hard to build a car collection that is worthy of display. He didn’t just want to collect cars, he wanted to build one himself.
The EcoJet DIY supercar is something that Leno has always wanted. It’s a unique car because it’s inspired by a certain era and certain television show. “When I was a kid, jet-powered cars seemed like the future. I watched The Jetsons on TV, and they'd get in their jet car, fire it up and zip away,” Leno explained in an article for Popular Mechanics.
In the end, Leno’s very own jet-powered car came in the form of the environmentally conscious EcoJet. This car can run on both jet fuel and biodiesel. As for power, this car doesn’t fail to impress. That’s because it uses a Honeywell LTS-101 turbine engine, the very same one that is used by the U.S. Coast Guard’s Dolphin helicopters. This one is a thrill since it can readily deliver 650 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque.
2 Ken Imhoff's Homemade Lamborghini Countach
For a lot of people, owning a Lamborghini may just have to remain a dream. After all, this supercar tends to be pricey, so much so that even used Lamborghini models still sell for more than $50,000. And as you can expect, the same can be said for the V12 supercar Lamborghini Countach.
So, instead of buying one, some people decide to simply build replicas of these awesome cars from scratch. One of the most successful builders is Ken Imhoff, a man who spent 22 years building his very own replica of the Countach by hand right in the basement of his house.
According to a report from Jalopnik, Imhoff’s version uses a Ford Cleveland Boss 351 engine that can readily deliver as much as 514 horsepower at 6,800 rpm. It may not be as powerful as the actual Countach but it’s not bad at all.
1 Ferrari GG50
Unlike other DIY supercars, the Ferrari GG50 was not developed and created by a mere car enthusiast. Instead, this supercar is the work of none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro. The “Old Master of Italian Styling” is a true Ferrari icon.
And when the time came to celebrate Giugiaro’s 50 years in the car design industry, he thought nothing would be better than to design the perfect Ferrari for the occasion.
According to a report from Classic Driver, the idea for the GG50 came to Giugiaro in 2004 while he was attending the Paris Motor Show. There, he had a discussion with Ferrari president and CEO Luca di Montezemolo. During this discussion, it was decided that the 612 Scaglietti would be the basis of Giugiaro’s design.
In the end, Giugiaro came out with a supercar that looks every bit like other Ferrari models. Not to mention, it’s also quite powerful, utilizing a 5.7-liter V12 engine that can easily crank out as much as 540 horsepower.
Sources: salaff.com, divergent3d.com, wmotors.ae, scmp.com, dailymail.co.uk, hotrod.com