Locost

Initially, designed in the United Kingdom, the Locost is a self-build car that can be constructed right from scratch. The term ‘Locost’ is derived from the expression ‘low cost’ as the total initial expenditure on these cars would be just a few hundred pounds. This vehicle is based on the design of the Lotus Seven, which was manufactured by Lotus cars from the late 1950s up till the early 1970s. Available in a compact and unsophisticated design, the Lotus Seven was a two-seat sports car. This lightweight automobile was designed with an open top.

The design of the Locost was initially described in ‘Build your own sports car for as little as £250”, a book by Ron Champion. The Locost model features a space frame chassis mostly welded with square tubing made of mild steel. There are aluminium side panels, and fibreglass nose and wings for the body panels. The front suspension consists of a double wishbone with coils. The style of each car is personalised, and used parts from different cars can be used in the construction by the Locost builder. The Locost offers good acceleration and excellent handling due to the low centre of gravity. Locost racing is quite popular in Europe because of their aerodynamic design. One can purchase Locost car kits easily from online stores.