There have certainly been “open source car” projects in the past (and I’m very much a fan of Locost builds), but this new track car by Reynard Racing seems surprisingly well polished (e.g., it’s now UK road-legal.)
The business model is interesting, and very similar to Open Hardware projects. The idea is that Reynard Racing designs, builds, and tests the car. They will sell kits, and full-builds; but also offer 2D “engineering plans” for free, and 3D CAD models for purchase. They’ll even sell jigs and molds for franchising.
With all specifications shared openly, Reynard hopes to create a market where multiple manufacturers can sell interoperable parts (which, for the consumer, could mean lower costs).
If all goes to plan, a DIYer should be able to fabricate as much as they feel comfortable with, then purchase any remaining parts from a variety of vendors. By working with the community, makers can modify the plans to accept different engines, etc., and then share the updated designs for peer review and collaboration.
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