This sub-$7,000 sportscar might be just what the future needs
The Gasolini AR1 uses 2-cylinder Honda bike engine, and an EV is underway, too.
This past weekend witnessed Monterey Car Week, perhaps its most extravagant edition yet. Auctions set records, including $42.9 million for a Shelby Daytona Coupe and $40 million for Ferrari's first Luce electric vehicle to reach private hands. Hypercars and restomods adorned the Californian peninsula with seven-figure price tags, leaving the reporter unenthusiastic about such extravagances.
Hence, today's focus is on an antithesis: a hand-built, low-cost, efficient, and remarkably affordable car that could potentially shape the future of driving enthusiasts.
The reporter argues that adding more power and speed is not the solution to the current car market's unsustainable nature. Regular sports cars like a Porsche 718 Boxster or Toyota Supra already offer more performance than most can comfortably use on the road. Their price tags also escalate with each version, fueled by the high cost of tires, consumables, and thirsty engines. Moreover, cars are already excessively expensive, making the overall situation appear unsustainable.
Enter the Gasolini AR1, a UK-made hand-built supercar that challenges these norms. The AR1 makes use of existing parts, adhering to the long-standing tradition of cars hand-built in sheds being registered for road use in the UK. Its mechanicals are superimposed in a photograph, highlighting its unique approach to performance and affordability.
Written by urgent.news from Ars Technica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
