Hello all, I’m the new guy to the blog and quite happy to help out a good friend in his quest for automotive utopia.
Well, onto my first post … The K1 Attack Roadster has been one of my favorite kit cars for years. This car can be bought completely built and dropped at your front door; or if you’re like me, you can buy it as a kit and build it yourself.
The car has gone through a few changes over the years, mainly the engine that is dropped in. In the early stages it utilized an H22 engine from the Honda Prelude; but has now transformed and utilizes a V6 242 bhp engine with an option of having it tuned to push 320bhp. One might not think those numbers are great; but one must also consider the weight of this car. The standard car weighs in at a featherweight 992kg.
This car comes with loads of options that raise the price of the car; but it allows one to customize the car to their liking. Options on wheels, colour, interior colour and stiching and so forth makes the car ones own once purchased. The beautiful bucket seats (picture below) with cushions in all the right places come in an assortment of colours and you can even have special stitching if you so wish.
Even an option of leather or swede in the car; special colours and stitching available on this as well. You even have an option of which gauges you would like. The fine touches of carbon fiber in the interior and the craftsmanship is clearly shown with the styling of the interior. Everything is geared towards the driver for the ultimate driving experience.
Now to the final point with this car … which will lead into my second blog. The suspension; standard wheels are 17″ in front and 18″ in the rear running 215f/265r tyres. Of course, with all the other options available, one can choose which style wheels you would like on the car. It’s sits on a set of Eibach suspension and has an option of an 8 piston front brake caliper to do all the stopping.
And finally, a video for you to see the suspension at work. You can also see how fun this little car is to drive. CLICK HERE!
20 Comments
Is it still possible to buy K1’s as kits? and if so where do I order it at?
It is incredibly strange that the first car you choose to write about is a car that I saw a while back and set aside for a blog post, and then completely forgot about it!
The video showing the suspensions at work is excellent - very interesting for anyone who wants to see them in action.
Now I guess the final question: How much does the car cost as a kit? Maybe we should do a whole blog role on the production of the kit :p
Assembled the price spans from around €65k to around €110k depending on options - a bit high if you ask me!
Kevin: The K1 can only be sold in America as a kit car as it doesn’t pass safety regulations. It’s similar to the Nobel in that respect. There are a few places in the States that sell them. As for in Europe, I’m not quite sure if you can still buy it as a kit due to the reorganization of the company back a couple years ago. I think the only one available in Europe as a kit is the right-hand drive one for the UK. (don’t quote me on this though)
Ralph: The 110k price is with everything. You also have to keep in mind that it’s also fully assembled. If I remember correctly, a few years back when I was doing research on it and there was more info available on the car, I believe assembly on the car alone was around $25-$30k and the full car would be around $50-$60k plus all the extras like 8 piston brake kit, special trimming and so forth.
Thanks. I was looking for a place that sells the kits yesterday but I was told the kits were no longer in production and is only sold as a full car. I guess this applies mainly to Europe? I’m probably just having a hard time finding a place in the States that still sells the kits. Thank you.
I actually contacted them directly to find out if they still produced it as a kit and unfortunately word is they no longer produce it as a kit.
See $50 - 60k with all the extras would be a very nice price for a car like that .. now £110k, close to $200k assembled is a whole different story.
If anyone finds out that a kit is being sold anywhere please come back and let us know
I did find a kit on ebay being sold for however it was missing a few parts. But I think it has been sold already.
Kevin: I followed up on your ebay lead and it seems like he was selling it for $7,200 but missing $15 - 18k in parts so looking at a total of $25k for the whole kit. I don’t know how accurate this pricing is but seems a bit on the low side when the final version retails for as much as it does!
That’s what I thought as well. How hard would it be to find those missing parts?
http://www.kitcars.com/Classifieds/AdDetails.asp?classified_id=19828
I found kit here for sell. Also selling at $25k
That last one is an old ad though.
Kevin: Seems like no luck. I have searched around and even contacted dealers from various countries and seems like the chance of getting hold of a kit is very slim. As a result at a base price of €70k I think it is time to move on to the search of another car. Maybe there is another worthwhile kit car out there somewhere?
Your probably right. I’ve been looking at the GTM though
Anyone have any luck on finding one?
Hello, I contacted the K-1 factory, and spoke with Bill him self, the creator of this beautiful mashine, yes in deed they are not selling the kits anymore, only finished production K-1’s with Ford Motors, and a 2 year factory warranty, since they stopped production
the only thing is that I read in Elite choice web site, that since now they are very rare they could some day be valued at over $1,000,000. Million USD, is possible, that is what happened with the first Shelby Cobras made by Mr. Caroll Shelby in his garage in Venice California, were he built a kit car by putting getting a body from a car made in the UK called an AC and putting an amerian Ford drive train engine and transmission on it, he made quite a few like that, and later stopped making them once Ford
of the kits, because now they are selling a production car now, the original kits will be a collector item since it is they only made around 33, some kits being sold out there are made replicas of the original kits, be careful, now I have good news for anyone that is looking for 1 of the 33 K-1’s original kits made, that now are very collectable because they stopped making them in 2007, I have one!
motor company started producing Factory turn key Cobras along with Mr. Shelby, until now they are producing 2009 Ford Cobras special edition along with Mr. Caroll Shelby, but now the First Cobras made by Mr. Shelby like a kit car in his garage in Venice California USA, are very collectable because there were not to many made, and now have sold for as much as $5.7 Million USD, the funny thing is that back then no
one wanted the cars he made in his garage, they wanted the Cobras being made by Ford with warranty parts and service to back it up, now the same is repeating it self with the K-1, that is why I do not want to make the same mistake that people made in the late 60’s of not seeing the future potential value of the kit Cobras, that now have sold for over $5 million
USD, that is why if I do decide to sell the K-1 that I have, it will be for a price worth wile, not less than a production K-1 that they are selling for as much
as $110k, I will take even less, $65k pounds for my turn key Collector K-1, which is 1 of only 33 known to exist, the color is a beautiful orange gold metallic, also only 7 known to be registered here in the US with an H-22 Honda Engine, any others have an F-22 engine, the H-22 Is better, is a high performance V-TECH Engine. Also this K-1 was in a
Film called Risk for Honor, if the film
is successful, this K-1 will
be even more collectable than other K-1’s.
Any interest contact
me at Newestates@yahoo.com
I hope this information was helpful, and if you do find a K-1 kit for sale at a good price, just make sure is not a replica of the original K-1 kit, and if it is buy is fast, the seller must not know that they stopped production, and therefore now very collectable.
Regards!
Fred
Fred or Fuad or whoever you are you should get your facts straight. There were NEVER 33 K1 Attack race kits made. I don’t know who bill is, but he isn’t the creator Dick was.
Yes Dick was the creator, and Bill is the one that speaks english more fluently, I also contact them and yes in fact they did stop making the kits, now they just sell turn keys production K-1’s for approx. starting at $200K usd.
That is great if there were NEVER 33 K1’s made, that means it is even more collectable, that explains why I and everybody above have been looking for one everywere in the internet and have not been able to find one, if anyone out there finds one for sale please let me know I will buy it, I contacted Fuad above and he does not want to sell his.
In my search I found out this, now in 2010 they are building a new K-1 version is called a K-1 Renovatio a limited production Super sports car made in Europe, they are making it with an Audi V8 450 Horse power, from 0 to 100klm in 3.7 seconds, with a 2 year factory warantee, price $200,000,00 Euros, that is approx. $285,000.00 USD, over there by the time you bring it here pay importation taxes, spend in emmissions and registration it will end up costing approx. $350K USD
This is the link to the factory web site
http://www.k1renovatio.si/site/index.html
Please let me know if anyone finds one, I will buy it. because if a production K-1 that is eazy to get is now going to cost me up to $350K usd, I much rather buy for half the price a collector limited production K-1 with a Honda V-Tech Engine that is very hard to aquire, because I do think that The editors from Elite choice are correct, it will be worth $1,000,000. USD or more in the future, below is the web site link from Elite Choice
http://elitechoice.org/2008/11/page/10/
Thank you Ralph for having this Blog, maybe someone will contact me if they see a K-1 Concept kit for sale!
Mike
Wow, I got my K1 3 years ago, it all started in an exotic car show, in Pebble Beach, Miami FL, I am retired and cars is one of my hobbies, I took 3 of my cars to the show, 2 Ferraries and 1 Lambo, the K1 was accross from my cars, and I’ve never seen any car get so much attention, After That I felt in love with the car, I made friends with Bob the owner, I asked him were I can buy one, he told me that I was looking at it, because they had just stop making the concept kits, and started producing it as a limited production road sportscar, price was about $150K dollars, I contacted the factory and I had to wait about 8 months to have it delivered here in the US, I couldn’t wait, I’m 68 time is money for me, I wanted the car now, once they told me that there were around 30 kits made worldwide, I called my brother and asked him to look on line to see if there was any K1’s for sale, we found 1 in Slovak for $79 thousand Euros, after bringing it here, and go through importation taxes, paperwork and fees, it will end up costing me around $105 thousand Euros, that’s about $137 thousand dollars, and it will take about 2 months to have it here and out of customs, that was it, at that moment I thought only 30! WOW this car will go up in value, and I really did not care if it did or not, the beauty and attention alone to me was worth more than my Ferrari, so I got his number, I could not stop thinking about the car, 2 days later We got together, he insisted That I drive the car through town, with all the attention we got and people taking pictures, every block I felt like a celebrity, I knew then why he insisted me to take a drive on it, before we got back I was already in love, and I said, I’ll trade you with my $120,000.00 Ferrari, he said what’s wrong with it! I said nothing, I just like the K-1 better, when you are my age and retire, you just do what makes you happy. I want to enjoy it wile I still can, in 1 hour we were at the DMV transferring titles. Now 3 years later I’m 71, I can say that I have met so many people and friends, because of the car, every stop light has a new story………….I love the car, and Im so happy that they are producing one with a V8 for around $300K, well worth the price, I would not sell this car for $350K, because what sports car can I buy that will look nicer than this, and go up in price because is one of the concepts, the only other car that I think will get about same attention and that looks similar is a Koenigsegg, but that will cost $500K or more for an older use one, the new ones go for as much as $1.6 Million, and it probably go down in price, this K1 will increase in price. I wanted to share my story with my K-1. anyone else, of the other 29 K1 owners in the world want to share your story………I’ll love to hear it!
Steven
i have a jet black/carbon fiber origional kit. fully finished show car, the entire interior is carbon fiber, it has a f20 s2000 motor wit a 45mm turbo. 400 wheel horsepower. i will sell for 50k feel free to email me at a.giambri@hotmail.com
thanks anthony
hello everyone,
I stumbled across this blog/website the other day. After much thought, and if anyone is still interested, I have one of the original kits (guarenteed complete) with the paperwork to prove it. Btw, my understanding is that there are only 18 in the USA. I also have most everything to complete minus the windshield, tires and wheels and electrical loom. I would consider selling for around $30k US. Rent the dvd “In the electric mist” for some good shots of the k1. Thanks. And good luck.
@EZ how much would it run me to get the parts that are missing from your kit? I’m talking about the windshield mainly.