When someone says the words kit car, what’s the first thing that pops into your mind? Is it something cool, desirable and sexy? Would it be a car that you’d be happy to be seen driving in?
Nope, me neither. You’ve probably got a vision of an old codger in a mower-propelled Porsche replica, eh. Although there are cool kit cars around, there’s never been anything for the younger petrol-headed generation… until now, that is.
S.W.A.T Speed has developed a kit to turn your average Saxo into a rear-engined VTEC Type R-powered beast, and nope, we’re not shitting you. The idea was that of S.W.A.T Speed owners, Ross Halifax and Ian Briggs: "We’d been involved in importing replica Yank cars from the States for years. Then, a little while back, we had a vision of a Saxo with an engine mounted in the back." As you do...
It was a bit of a joke for their American buddies, but it would be Ross and Ian who had the last laugh. Although Ross and Ian had experience in building cars, they'd never worked with Jap engines, so they enlisted the help of Z Cars to develop the kit. So was it worth it? Well, just check it out yourself...
Engine tuning
Most big-powered Saxos rely on their original 1.6-litre lumps, but S.W.A.T went for an engine with serious potential – Honda’s legendary K20. But unlike the EP Civic, the S.W.A.T Speed Saxo is lightweight in comparison and is RWD. It’s all about the power to weight ratio, and with 220bhp at 900kg it knocks out over 244bhp-per-ton. Compare that to the 167bhp-per-ton delivered by the donor vehicle and you can see this is a rapid car. But first they had to get the engine in the back.
The major work went into building the frame and supporting the ancillaries. This work was carried out by Z Cars, who are better known for their rear-engined Minis. Once the rear was cut out, the engine was mounted to the tailored cage and linked to the axle.
With the engine and Honda 6-speed Civic Type R box in, Ross and Ian added a few mods to the lump. These include a specially developed Hydra ECU, along with a four-branch manifold and exhaust system, while the redundant bay is now home to the alloy fuel tank, AP Racing clutch cylinder and radiator.
During testing it’s run low 14s, but it’s expected to be in the low 13’s before long. Even muscle-car-loving Ross has been won over: "I'm in love with the VTEC; the power’s amazing. It just puts it straight down." There might be more to come too, with Ross considering supercharging the K20. But for now he's happy, and who wouldn't be?
More info
Want the full story, more pictures and more info? Well, check out the March issue of Fast Car Magazine -- It's on sale now, but hurry, because the April issue is out on the 14th of Feb!