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eBay Find of the Day: Rapier Automotive SL-C Superlite - The supercar from... Boston?

eBay Find of the Day: Rapier Automotive SL-C Superlite - The supercar from... Boston?

Posted Mar 28th 2010 7:59PM

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2010 Rapier SL-C Superlite Coupe - Click above for high-res image gallery

Well look what we have here. If you've got a hankering for GM's small-block power wedged into an American-made, hand-stitched chassis, you're in luck. Rapier, a Boston-based supercar builder, is now taking orders for its one and only SL-C Superlite Coupe via eBay. For the low, low "Buy it Now" price of $179,000, you too can lay your greedy mitts on a mid-engined exotic with a GM-sourced LS3 mounted amidships. Rapier will even let you customize the car with whatever interior/exterior color combination strikes your fancy.

The company extracts a healthy 376 horsepower from the base eight-pot, and that's supposedly good enough to propel the SL-C to a top speed of 222 mph. Something tells us the common man is a little more likely to see the 3.6-second 0-60 time, though. And given the SL-C Superlite Coupe's curb weight of 2,375 pounds, those numbers are more than realistic. As you might have guessed, buyers packing fatter billfolds can opt for a 505-hp LS7 or an 800-pony supercharged LS9. You can check out the sordid details at the Rapier site.

Suddenly, we've got a new reason to visit Boston.

Related Gallery2010 Rapier SL-C Superlite Coupe

[Source: eBay]

Category: Coupe, Auctions, Specialty

Tags: 2010, 2010 Rapier, 2010 Rapier SL-C Superlite Coupe, 2010Rapier, 2010RapierSl-cSuperliteCoupe, Rapier SL-C, Rapier SL-C Superlite Coupe, RapierSl-c, RapierSl-cSuperliteCoupe, SL-C, SL-C Superlite Coupe, Sl-cSuperliteCoupe, Superlite Coupe, SuperliteCoupe

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33 Comments

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MrEd

i have spoken with Fran Hall at RCR.

RCR build this car for Rapier in the same shop as everything else they make

The SLC supplied turnkey with the exact same standards (apart from the bespoke bits - pretty much as the ebay ad reflects) as the rapier version is $120,000 from RCR

I have also spoken with Dan Avicola at Nirvana Motorsport and the price is pretty much the same (although a bit cheaper but maybe he has less overheads?)

So forgive my naivety but where in the hell is the $50,000 going.?

Why not just buy one direct and put your own badges on?

If a SLC is quoted at 200 hours for a SLC kit to be built why the hell does it take 1200 extra hours for the rear view camera to be rigged up?
All very strange man.

April 12 2010 at 12:12 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Mrpink2

wouldnt touch this with a 10ft pole. took 5 years to get anything from RCR with this in the middle:

http://www.gt40s.com/forum/rcr-forum-rcr40-rcr70-p4-mkiv/27160-fran-open-letter-final-resolution.html

Breathless Prediator were the first but dropped the idea due to it stinking

I see they want 50% up front. yea right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

April 12 2010 at 10:38 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Mrpink2's comment

Mrpink2

From the RapierAutomotive post above:
This takes time. Hand-stitched interior? Again... time. Of course there is a profit margin, for advertising, overhead, ability to keep the lights on and to fund the design on the next car... but I think you'd be surprised what the actual profit margin is. No one is going to get rich here... we are just truly doing something we love.

From the above link:
I did my research, asked around and got references on you and Race Car Replicas. So when we met back in March of last year and I wrote you a very large check, I never had any doubt we were going to be working together to build some cars, have some fun and make money while we were at it. A lot of money as I didn't plan to be in it for the short term. This was not a hobby Fran, my future financial security depended on it and I told you that. I also told you I was going to devote 100% of my time and energy like anyone would do in a new start-up. Didn't I offer to up and move the family to the West Coast if it might made a difference in sales due the better weather and higher income brackets? I came from the movie industry and there's a lot of money there. Personal choicesâ€¦ but sacrifices. You canâ€™t even give me a day to fly up and check up on progress.?

a bit of conflicting comments here i think..?

April 12 2010 at 10:48 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

annemite

i am selling the upgrade kit from the SLC to the rapier which represents good value for money
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RCR-SLC-to-Rapier-conversion-Kit-Superlite-coupe_W0QQitemZ190388214197QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item2c540599b5

April 12 2010 at 10:02 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

MrMISTER

Now be clear... first, you are taking about someone else who was going to build a branded car and try to sell it in the UK as the ASPIRA. This was a year ago, and has NOTHING to do with Rapier Automotive. Then, notice that the comment above (or one very similar to it) is being repeated on some of the blogs about the Rapier's launch. Right down to the link to the chap's blog being posted. So are you really a 'concerned citizen' who wants to protect the naive consumer? Then you must know the whole story... how the buyer showed up at the factory and demanded the car be loaded to return home BEFORE it was completed. He wouldn't leave without his car and when he was told it was not finished he Essentially, took his car back to the UK before it was finished being built! This is old hat, and the story has made the rounds many times. Been beaten to death and has nothing to do with the Rapier which just launched. Just remember, two sides... two sides.

Regardless, this is a very finished and fit car. I've seen it in Boston at the World of Wheels back in February and it was spectacular. The booth was mobbed every time I went by. But there was no one working the booth at first which was a crime as they probably could have sold a car or two based on the comments and reaction. None of the things you mentioned even come close to being an issue and the Rapier was even featured on the local news that weekend. I heard the owners are somehow involved in the film industry (maybe just a rumor). I'm headed over to their small showroom in Southie and am going to try to figure out how to actually get a test drive. I saw they have a few other high line cars there. Anyone want to go? Maybe I can leave a deposit.. I have to drive that car. Hahaha.

Mm

April 06 2010 at 11:21 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

MattPainter

This car is underdeveloped with many design isssues and non completed areas.

Can we see pictures of the way the front lights are held in, the weather proofing seals, the gearbox mounts, the unesable SLC seats, the rear dodge truck light mounts, the upgraded chassis design due to chassis cracking, the size of the front rad and fans, the pedal assembly, door locks, fuel tank baffles,...etc etc etc

A guy in the UK was forced to finish off an SLC himself which was supposed to be supplied by RCR totally finished and ready to go which took about a year to get anything also out of the factory.

http://superlitecoupe023uk.blogspot.com/

April 05 2010 at 4:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

bicketybamm

The interior could use some work. One big sore thumb I noticed was the fitment of the column cover where its suppose to meet up with the back of the steering wheel. I dont know. I would love to build an RCR SL-C for myself, but if I had $180k to blow on a car, I think I'd be heading to my local Porsche dealership for a 911 Turbo.

March 29 2010 at 12:54 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

fshavlak

Yeah, it's an RCR kit, but that's a hell of a starting point. The kit is north of 40k. 800 horsepower will set you back another 15-20k. A Transaxle that will survive that much power could be another 15-20k. You're already past half of their asking price. Assuming (I see no reason not to) that they do a very meticulous build, it's not a bad price. You probably get lots of things like sound deadening and heat insulation that most garage builders wouldn't bother with.

That said, at 6'6" I'd never use a car like this on city streets - if I was to go for a mid engine kit car it'd have to be the RCR-40 instead - as long as I'm in a car I don't fit in, I might as well be in a looker.

March 29 2010 at 1:07 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

RapierAutomotive

Great to the hear the comments thus far... good, bad and neutral.

The response has been overwhelming since the car's launch last month and we have been really pleased with the feedback. There is no shortage of interest and of the 200,000 people that passed through the doors at the Detroit and Boston Autorama/World of Wheels, the majority felt it was a lot of car for the money. There are quite a few reviews forthcoming as we have provided loaners to several magazines and newspaper reviewers recently.

Also, we have been happy with the buyers reaction (and response) in regards to pricing. The majority feel that they are getting a lot of car for the money. Those in doubt... this is truly a custom, hand-built supercar. We start by taking the drivers measurements and build the Superlight around those. Floor level, ceiling clearance, steeling position, pedal position, even the seat size... the entire car is built to the owner. And speaking of, the Rapier takes over 1400 hours to build (approx.. 35 weeks/9 months). That's just the labor involved; factor between $8,000-30,000 for engine/harness/computer selection, $15,000 for the Ricardo transmission... do the math and you'll see the overall value that this car represents. Most of the components are custom fabricated, not mass produced. This takes time. Hand-stitched interior? Again... time. Of course there is a profit margin, for advertising, overhead, ability to keep the lights on and to fund the design on the next car... but I think you'd be surprised what the actual profit margin is. No one is going to get rich here... we are just truly doing something we love.

The quality, fit and finish is phenomenal. The minute you see the car; the aluminum monocoque chassis, the CNC machined suspension parts, the custom pushrod Indy-Style longitudinal rear suspension, 3-stage Paint System... (Even the few third party components like the Aeromotive 1000 Fuel System, CCW Wheels, Q1 Shocks), you know you are looking at something very special and of extreme quality. Of course I'm going to push the Rapier and plug it, but it's also based on feedback we've received so far.

Of course you can't please everyone and we know that... we look forward to criticism as it only helps us to improve our cars and our client service. We're not just re-badging RCR's cars... far from it. We offer a bumper to bumper 1-year warranty, one point of contact during your build with bi-weekly photo and video updates and ability to grow with the car. As we offer updates and upgrades they will be made available to our growing customer base. To compare the Rapier to a $44,000 kit is absolutely off the grid. Every boutique car starts as a pile of parts, pieces and components. Itâ€™s whatâ€™s done with that pile, and by whom that contributes to its final value.

We are very close to announcing our new Boston-area showroom location. Please get in touch anytime via the website and be sure to sign-up for our newsletter so we can let you know when we are coming to a town near you. We are going to sponsor a few track days this summer here in New England and hope to get you behind the wheel of a Rapier in the very near future. Only then can one really provide honest feedback that's fair and unbiased.

Billy Mead
President/CEO - Rapier Automotive Group
http://www.rapiercars.com