Hi Ian
I read with interest your Welcome feature at the start of the Februarys CKC magazine. I agree that in order for the industry to survive new buyers need to be found. In my opinion that includes not just the next generation of kit car builders but also the middle aged (mid life crisis?) buyer of ready built kit cars like me. Since buying the ex Which Kit? Marlin 5EXi in 2006 I have covered around 10,000 miles on track. Circuits I have driven at include:
Brands Hatch 
Castle Combe
Cadwell Park
Donington Park
Llandow
Pembrey
Numerous Airfield Circuits
Plus of course the F1 circuit Spa Francorchamps and the awesome Nurburgring as featured in your magazine.
In all of these cases I drove the car to the circuit, thrashed it all day and drove it home again all at a reasonable cost. None of this would have been possible if it were not for the kit car industry. Also I have had the morbid pleasure of overtaking production cars costing 10 times as much on track due to the superior handling and power to weight ratio of a well sorted kit car. Also by getting involved with motorsport and kit car clubs I have made some superb, genuine friends and helped raise tens of thousands of pounds for charity. It has brought me into contact with well known motorsport personalities (including Wilkins!) and I have been interviewed on local radio on a number of occasions. I have even had a complete stranger (female thankfully) walk up and kiss me due to liking the car so much. I have also arranged free of charge track day and driving experiences to people who never thought they could afford it and was beyond their wildest dreams, the look on their faces of sheer joy made everything worthwhile. The memories I have of all of these experiences I will treasure for the rest of my time and no amount of money can buy them. There is one thing and one thing only that has made this possible and that is my Marlin 5EXi kit car.
I believe that any feature you run in future months to attract new buyers to the kit car industry should also feature people like me, in their middle years who can finally afford to do this but do not want to build. I firmly believe that the industry as a whole miss out on this whole segment due to the fixation of selling kits. Strange when this segment has more disposable income than the "normal" kit car builder on a budget.
If you would like me to help with this not only my own experiences but others that I know driving all different makes of kit cars then please let me know.
Keep up the good work and see you in 2010, BTW I have entered into the GOME Mallory Park 6 hour race in May so I will then be able to add Mallory Park to the list above.
Cheers
Ken Robson, via e-mail
The kit car industry has always targeted your age group, for the very reason you mentioned - it has the money. However, your point is valid when it comes to what type of product the industry is offering, kit build or turnkey. More and more companies are now offering drive away cars, rather than kits, but I think there is more that could be done in this area. Having said that, in these tight financial times, the market is exceptionally cost conscious, which is where the second-hand market comes into play. Those, like you, who buy a pre-built kit may become tomorrow's customers, either for kit or turn-key car. Ed...