Kit Cars Vs. Replica Cars: What's The Difference?

The automotive world contains many terms to describe different sorts of specialized cars, often with overlaps between them. Two such terms are "kit car" and "replica," frequently misidentified or used interchangeably, and understandably so. They're actually quite similar, and they may not even be mutually exclusive. So where do you draw the line between the two?

A kit car is a vehicle that is designed as components to be assembled after delivery. This can either be performed by a shop or by the customer and may or may not come with vital elements such as a powertrain (in which case you'll have to purchase a crate motor) or frame. A replica, on the other hand, attempts to faithfully recreate another car, generally one that's historical or prestigious (and therefore likely far more expensive than a replica to maintain and drive). Replicas may be built out of less "noteworthy" models as well, such as turning a classic Porsche 911 into a 2.8 RSR replica. Such replicas can also be kit cars, either homebuilt or factory-produced, built to mimic historical cars' looks, performance, or both. The term "replica kit car" also perfectly legitimately describes such vehicles.

Neither a kit car nor a replica is inherently "better" or "worse" in terms of quality of construction, prestige, or provenance. Some manufacturers produce well-known and beloved kit cars, such as Caterham, a British superlight specialist that produces and services kit cars in-house. Replicas follow the same trend, with many reputable offerings that recreate either historic or culturally significant models, such as Pur Sang's Bugatti replicas, which easily reach over $200 grand.

As the name implies, a kit car arrives as a kit in various stages of construction. Many major kit car manufacturers like Superlite derive designs from race cars and sport a huge variety of powertrain combinations, limited only by the vehicle's construction and the customer's wishes. By its nature, ownership of a kit car is a multistep process involving components sourcing, assembly, and registration; though most kit car manufacturers sell individual components as well. Owners can hire a regular auto shop to perform any or all of these steps, or DIY everything in their own garage. It's a labor-intensive process, but the body components are usually mass-produced and the powertrain/running gear are generally all off-the-shelf. This makes kit cars ideal for use as track cars, with virtually unlimited options in terms of bodywork configuration, weight, power, and so on.

Replica-style kit cars come on a spectrum in terms of accuracy. They often replicate components, but historical faithfulness is less important than personalization and user-friendliness. Many of these cars are constructed by hand using an existing car as a base. Because they utilize an existing frame like, for example, a Ford Panther body, the car is legally a (heavily modified) Ford or Lincoln or whatever it began life as. And, as a bonus, the chassis might've come with running gear or a working engine as well. Top Gear constructed their "Geoff" electric car with the frame of a TVR Chimaera using this method. Because there are no restrictions placed upon the design's faithfulness, this leads to a huge range of "interesting" design choices, such as kit car limousines, Frankenstein-esque mergings of two or more body styles, and more — the sky's the limit with kit cars.

A true replica car is one that ideally captures the look, feel, and detail of the original vintage car it copies as closely as possible. These cars often use period-correct materials and manufacturing techniques, with the best replicas producing a near-perfect duplicate of an original design. As such, all replica cars, by necessity, are based on real-world models, and may or may not also be kit cars. Such vehicles serve many purposes in the wider automotive world. For one, crashing a replica leaves far less of an impact on the wallet or automotive culture than crashing an irreplaceable piece of automotive history. As such, movie studios typically work with replica car builders such as Cape Advanced Vehicles, recreating both old and new body styles to create an authentic experience without risking damage to the original examples.

Similarly, various companies such as Superformance offer replica kit cars that provide as close to a vintage driving experience as possible. The idea is that because something like a classic Ferrari can and will burn a seven or even eight-figure hole in the wallet, finding a replica will functionally provide the same experience at a fraction of the price. Plus, there's no reason to feel bad for engine-swapping something that is only correct at the surface level. It solves the perennial issue of old car reliability and parts sourcing, without sacrificing the look and feel of a vintage race car. Therefore, replica cars often represent the best format for something more "entry-level" for someone looking to get into classic motoring, but lacking in substantial levels of disposable income or a workshop to properly maintain such cars.