The Local Motors story is a fascinating one because they’ve decided to take a new approach to building cars. They cater to niche markets with small, specialized runs of cars. Normally this isn’t a profitable business case because small runs means barely being able to pay for the expensive tooling required to produce something as complex as an automobile. Local Motors used the internet to build a community to crowd source a lot of the engineering and design development on the Rally Fighter. They use engines produced and EPA certified by established manufacturers as well as a host of accessories like the lighting and door handles to further cut costs. Having the owners come to the factory and assemble the cars under the supervision of Local Motors employees makes the cars exempt from crash testing. The Rally Fighter is an incredible success story of the power of open source communities in probably one of the most difficult industries to innovate in. The president of Local Motors stops by Jay Leno’s garage so Jay can check out the specific details of the car and how the company works. Check it out.