sonic7 wrote:
I see there’s no mention of MEV’s latest creation the ‘MEVster’ on the Forum!
I doubt it was an intentional snub. I think you, Nigel, are our go-to guy on MEV's new products.
I find the MEVster's sevenesque space frame chassis more appealing than the Exocet's atomesque curved tube chassis, but the compromises to keep it cheap and easy (specifically, to keep the Miata front subframe, suspension, radiator and engine position) make the nose higher/wider/longer than I like, personally.
sonic7 wrote:
I’m lead to believe it represents an evolution based on UK customer feedback following the introduction of the MEV Exocet.
Doubtless. But the unmodified Miata underpinnings limit its virtues (you can't move the engine back, or down, so you can't much lower the CG or add rear weight bias or reduce the polar moment of inertia or reduce the body's frontal area), and for a car-you-can-drop-on-stock-Miata-underpinnings, I'd rather have a Miata. I'm sure it's lighter than a Miata (a virtue shared by the Exocet) but not Locost lighter, more like a stripped down Miata.
It looks like it's primarily a styling exercise, and styling-wise, I think it is aimed at more modern and sophisticated tastes than mine; Malibu Barbie comes to mind.
From a technical standpoint, I think it would be a challenge to make a left hand drive version, as the exhaust system takes up a lot of the left hand cockpit. [EDIT--I take this back; further review indicates there's sufficient footwell width added to compensate for the exhaust system--see the second post after this one]
In summary, I don't personally find the MEVster worthy of 19 exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gad, I've been such an Eeyore these days, but that's how I see it. On the plus side, I think it could be a real hit in the marketplace--it's distinctive, it's economical, and a whole lot easier to build than a Locost (or for that matter, easier than any kit car I know of besides the Exocet). So MEV may end up with a strong grasp of the Miata-based kit market, with the Exocet for folks that find the seven-derived kits (Westfield etc) too extreme, and the MEVster for folks that find the Exocet too extreme.