The supercar equation has many variables. Some the most critical points for the aspiring supercar are being light of weight, firm of chassis, agile of foot, and stout of power. Tubular chassis, feathery body panels, a low center of gravity, and turbocharged engines are the norm. Normally the realm of exotics are reserved for the 1 Percenters or recent lottery winners. No more. Enter the Factory Five 818 Coupe, a mid-engine supercar you can own for a tenth the cost of most supercars.

The 818 Coupe takes advantage of all the design prowess and technology of a supercar manufacturer. Factory Five uses Solidworks CAD technology to design, test, and produce all aspects of the car. The body, chassis and sub-systems have been designed 100% on the computer. Factory Five employs leading-edge technology in the design of tools and molds as well as CNC mills that manufacture the frame and welded parts. Further, Factory Five employs new technology in the forming of composite body panels which enable a no-paint finish. You can build the 818 Coupe in your own garage or have a third party handle the wrenching.

The all-new 818 Coupe joins the Factory Five 818S street model and the 818R race model. The design is based on the 818 chassis, but incorporates a new removable hard top coupe design with interior bulk head and power side windows, rear glass hatch and rear glass quarter windows. The 818C also comes with a revised front end which includes new fenders, 3D-printed headlamp bucket, and revised headlight assembly, nose, and grill.

True to the supercar blueprint, the 818C tips the scales at 1,800 pounds or 818 kg, which is where it gets its name. Factory Five gets the party started with a strong and light space-frame chassis. Running gear, suspension, and other parts will come from the Subaru Impreza/WRX donor car, wagon or sedan, model years 2002 to 2007. STI’s are not applicable.

“Owing to the fact that this is a “World” car, which means we are designing it to be built in countries all around the world, the running gear had to come from a vehicle that is available in most countries on the planet,” says Factory Five President David Smith. “The other big reason that Subaru was selected was the engine layout, a longitudinal mid-mounted flat 4 with a transaxle attached which gives fantastic balance, low center of gravity and most importantly a very low total vehicle weight. Some guys have questioned our decision to use the WRX parts, asking why we didn’t run front wheel drive parts from a Civic or a Focus, etc. To accomplish our aggressive target build cost, $9,990 for the kit price, and ability to complete the vehicle for under $15,000, the car needed to be a true single donor proposition. Using a FWD chassis such as a Civic or Focus would only provide suspension and brakes for one end of the car adding cost. Other reasons for choosing the Subaru parts is that Subaru is known for making big power reliably, the aftermarket is enormous, and the customer base is strong and passionate.”

The tunability of the factory turbo Subaru EJ20 is the key to attaining supercar performance. From a basic boost-up to a full turbo swap and programmable ECU upgrade, builders can generate some wicked power to weight ratios. With the Factory Five 818C you can truly get supercar performance at a commuter car price.

The sleek all-new Factory Five 818 Coupe will be in production August 1st, 2015 and the company is taking pre-orders now.