DIY Audi R8 built from a Mercury Cougar:

[Monster Dave]

Looks like people are doing everything they can these days to replicate exotic cars. Check out this R8 replica made from a Mercury Cougar. Actually, it's not half bad looking. It belongs in the category with the guy who built the Lamborgini from scratch in his basement!













If you've never taken a close look at a real R8, I'd bet that this would fool you (until you got a look at the powertrain).

Not bad though!

[Statler]

I think it's more in the category of fierro ferraris than the basement lambo.

I don't understand the desire to look like an existing car.   Similar to putting M badges on a 328i...but more expensive.    If you can do the bodywork well enough like this car, why not make the mercury look like something cool all on its own?

[Monster Dave]

I've never been a really big fan of kit cars - why put all that time and effort into a car that will never be close to the real thing. In contrast, I like replica cars from movies like Ecto-1, the General Lee, Knight Rider, ect.... those are creative replicas.

[wbeck257]

Does it still drive like a cougar? lol.

[NeufUnSix]

Yuck. Reminds me of the Honda Civic with a full M3 body bolted on. It looked exactly like an M3, except it was still a front-drive four cyl shitbox.

[Autostrada Pilot]

Looks pretty good. I'm a bit of a car nut, but I wouldn't be able to tell the difference (except for the golf cart sized brakes). 



BTW, I hate it when people put "M" badges on a clearly NOT M3.

[teddy037.2]

impressive amount of work, yes.

but, still...

[Dana]

I'm guessing he started with a more current model like this:



and not this:

[mitt]

I had a debate with a coworker along these lines.  He would rather have a subaru that looked like a sti but had the regular impreza engine, while I would rather have a regular looking impreza with a sti powerplant and drivetrain.  Different strokes for different folks.

mitt

[lethe]

I had a debate with a coworker along these lines.  He would rather have a subaru that looked like a sti but had the regular impreza engine, while I would rather have a regular looking impreza with a sti powerplant and drivetrain.  Different strokes for different folks.

mitt

And I'd rather have a rusty old Brat body set on top of all the guts of an STI.

[Autostrada Pilot]

LOL, my old neighbor had a rusty old brat (insert joke about mom/sister/girlfriend here).

[superjohn]

The only thing about the Cougar that was appealing was the looks. Mine ran like shit, broke a connecting rod at 50K miles and left me with a grudge against Ford that will last until I exit this mortal plane.

[livefastdiefun99]

Why?

[Speedbag]

And I'd rather have a rusty old Brat body set on top of all the guts of a totally tweaked out STI.

Fixed. 

[NeufUnSix]

Screw the Brat - use a Justy.

In the local rally circuit there was a Justy AWD that ran (obviously for fun, not profit). They called it "Super-Justy" (sounds funny in French, anyway), it was dead slow but the driver would stop and tow competitors out of the ditch - during timed stages. Pretty hilarious to watch a little beat up econobox pulling half million dollar cars out of the trees. In the middle of the race.