Filed under: Aftermarket, Detroit Auto Show, Supercars
Detroit 2009: Revenge Designs builds you a supercar for $145K
Click above for gallery of pics of the Revenge GTM-R from Detroit
Up until now, Indiana-based Revenge Designs focused on body kits for the Honda Ridgeline, Pontiac Solstice and the Pontiac GTO, but here in Detroit, the company unveiled its first complete vehicle: the Revenge GTM-R. If the car looks familiar that's because you've seen something similar badged as the Factory Five Racing (FFR) GTM. Since Factory Five offers the car in kit form only, Revenge seems to have spotted a niche and exploited it by offering a fully built turnkey example and has teamed with FFR to develop bespoke components for their version of the fully-built supercar.
Where the Factory Five kit allows a range of GM engine options, Revenge has focused on just the LS7 V8 from the Z06 Corvette. Not a bad mill to settle on, but it comes at a hefty price. While the kit will cost you around $20,000 (although there's a $2K off special right now), Revenge is asking $145,000 for their GTM-R. Granted, there are a lot of other parts you need to supply for the FFR kit (engine, trans, suspension, etc.), and you have to have the skill, patience and tools to build it yourself, but a $125,000 markup might seem steep to some. Still, the car looks well-built and at 2,550 lbs., it's bound to be a rocketship. Even at $145,000, this could be one of the performance bargains of 2009.
Gallery: Detroit 2009: Revenge Designs GTM-R
Photos copyright ©2009 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mino 4:41PM (1/12/2009)
wow....Ford GT + Ferrari rear lights...and people bash the chinese manufacturers for stealing designs...
Reply
Mr. Luke 9:11PM (1/12/2009)
The GTM came out in 2005 same as the GT. It is an AWESOME car! With only 480 hp it is faster to 60-100-150-200 and on than a Ford GT or an Enzo. Handles better than any production car too.
I wonder if these folks can make it with the LS9?
Better yet a Roush 427 with 750 HP!
BoxerFanatic 6:36PM (1/12/2009)
You do realize that the Ford GT is not a new design for 2005. It was a retro design for the original GT40... Same brand copy = retro. Different brand copy = derivative.
The Factory Five kit has always looked like someone sat on the roof before they made the mold, and otherwise, it seems like it is just enough different from the GT40 or Fiberfab Avenger kits to not be plagiarism, but just barely.
As someone who wishes to someday build a mid-engined car... The Factory Five GTM is not nearly stylish enough, and the LS-series SBC is so over-played that it has become boring to me. It may be a fine engine, and I'll probably get flamed for this, but there is life beyond the small-block, and there are other interesting engines out there.
I am also getting more and more fed up with the complete lack of design creativity coupled with actual skill, to make kit cars different.
Browse a kit car publication, and you will see a myriad of replicas of all the same cars. Mostly Cobras, GT40s, and classic Porsches. The originals were fantastic cars, and worthy of impersonation, and imitation, being the highest forms of flattery...
But with the freedom of a kit car, why not do something NEW, or replicate something that is still hardly known. Something interesting that not everyone has, or even may have ever seen.
Kit cars seem to be somehow relegating themselves to the usual suspects of copy-cars.
And this car is one of them. Another version of someone else's product (Revenge->FFR), which itself is an adaptation modified copy of another car, the GT40, which several other companies produce copies, or just-off-copies of.
And I can't help but think of what sort of custom touches I could do, or commission to have done, for the price of that Revenge pricetag. If I wanted a GTM, I can think of a thousand ways to spend the extra 125 grand.
One of the ways... ditch the GTM idea, use the whole $145K and buy an R8, with some new wheels, and exhaust, and a few nice touches, and have an actually nice car worth the money. A second way... Cayman S with a GT3 or Turbo motor swap... Another one... A Ferrari 308 to 288GTO conversion, including the longitudinal twin turbo V8 change-over...
Yeah. Lots of other ways to spend almost 150 g's
penelmcd 12:30AM (1/13/2009)
what are you talking about
Yar 4:44PM (1/12/2009)
At least the display is very polite:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2009-revenge-designs-gtm-r/1285807/
Reply
George 5:21PM (1/12/2009)
ha, "please cover these wires before someone tries to hotwire me"
zamafir 4:56PM (1/12/2009)
What, another upstart supercar based on an american V8? Awesome. Give me a call when anything other than the S7 manages the staying power of pagani. Our cottage car industry is beginning to rival the the Brits.
Reply
BoneHeadOtto 4:56PM (1/12/2009)
For $145k i would expect REAL scoops and vents. That Faux scoop is not going to cut it.
Reply
Bryan Dever 4:57PM (1/12/2009)
Nice exposed wiring..
If anybody wants this EXACT car for 100K, please email me,
that is WAY too much for the turnkey....
Reply
George 5:00PM (1/12/2009)
How many "It looks like a ... or a ... mixed with a ..." comments are we going to get for this one? I feel like that is what Autoblog has turned into since the autoshow coverage began. Still better than Left Lane News, everyone there just hates anything and everything.
Reply
Jvijil 5:00PM (1/12/2009)
actually reminds me of the maserati mc12...
Reply
MikeofLA 5:02PM (1/12/2009)
Lets see, for $145,000 you can get ... An R8, 911TT, GTR VSpec, C63, Several Lotus', Used F360, a ZR1 or a whole myriad of high end, well engineered, safe cars...
Who do these people think they are?
Reply
xpolarx 5:15PM (1/12/2009)
Well said.
ugg.tryptophan 5:20PM (1/12/2009)
coachbuilders?
MikeofLA 5:03PM (1/12/2009)
Left Lane is still like that? I haven't been back there in more then a year because of the complete idiots... if you want intelligent car commentary head over to Jalopnik. They're fun too.
Reply
George 5:24PM (1/12/2009)
Yep, but sometimes they have pics up faster than Autoblog. Thats the only reason I still go there.
means98 5:35PM (1/12/2009)
is it a manual or some sort of DSG-type thing? If you look at the interior shots it definitely looks like a stick shift. But then look at the steering column, its got flappy paddles.
Reply
Farris 5:50PM (1/12/2009)
I'm sorry... did you say they make a body kit for the Honda Ridgeline?
That's enough to lose all respect points from me.
Reply
JDMlover 5:52PM (1/12/2009)
Yes me too
JSams4131 5:56PM (1/12/2009)
that is a hooottt car...I think that kit cars are going to be my future...oh And do the right thing and VOTE autobloggg!
http://2008.weblogawards.org/polls/best-major-blog/
Reply