There's no need to rehash what makes the Factory Five 818 such a compelling kit car for budget-limited track rats. Take a minute to go read Jack Baruth's on-track experiences with the WRX-powered beast, which if you'll remember was 400 lbs less than an NA Miata and had about 270 hp on tap.
This is still that, with a little more. There's a roof, and a revised front end that ditches the sharply ovoid light fixtures for some more contemporary, angular, stretched-back units. It also adds power windows, and a rear glass hatch. The rollover structure is pretty much the same, and there's a bulkhead between you and the Subaru flat-four. It's not that much more expensive than the street-oriented roadster, adding about $2500 to the roughly $15,000 out-the-door price tag of the completed car.
And yes, there's some added weight. Factory Five estimates that, at most, the hardtop will add 300 lbs to the total weight of the vehicle, maybe less. On the other hand, the hardtop is removable … in a few hours with some tools. It's not going to pop off for a quick run to the grocery store, but who's getting groceries in an 1800-lbs trackable machine?
Here's another neat thing about the 818C: the revised nose and removable hardtop can be retrofitted to existing kits. If you'd like a full kit, or a retrofit kit, get at Factory Five. They're taking preorders and starting production in August.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...ory-five-818-is-getting-a-removeable-hardtop/
