We are going to be brutally honest and admit the Bertini BT25 has flown under our radar as it’s the first time the quirky kit car based on the BMW Z3 crosses our path. Never mind the Italian name of the company because it’s based in the United Kingdom, which is probably the reason Bavaria’s roadster has been given a British makeover.

While we appreciate the original styling much more, the B25 does look sort of interesting by substantially distancing itself from the donor car. The kit car is compatible with the four- and six-cylinder Z3 before and after the facelift as well as with the hotter Z3 M, and oddly enough, the custom front and rear clamshells are combined with lights from other automakers. You get Fiat 500 headlight and fog lights together with Porsche 911-sourced taillights.

Only the doors, windscreen, fabric roof, and side skirts are carried over from the BMW. According to Bertini’s website, the Z3-based kit car is around 40 kilograms (88 pounds) lighter than the original, which should slightly improve performance. Interestingly, YouTuber Number 27 who had the privilege of reviewing the BT25, claims the fiberglass clamshells actually shave off 60 kg (132 lbs) and he argues you can really feel the difference in terms of handling.

Returning to the company’s website, Bertini recommends lowering the suspension and replacing the bushes with polyurethane, especially the front wishbones. Because the OEM exhaust is too long, the BT25 gets an aftermarket setup to better suit its British-flavored body. You can still put a hardtop after the package is installed, provided you have the original fitting kit.

As far as wheels are concerned, you can go as large as a 19-inch set wrapped around in low-profile tires even though the Z3 was never offered with such big alloys. The width of the roadster at the front and rear matches that of the widebody model and Bertini throws in a build manual along with eight badges: for the four wheel center caps, gear shift lever, steering wheel, trunk lid, and hood.

All told, we’d still rather have a completely stock BMW Z3, but the BT25 is charming in its own way.

[Source: Number 27 / YouTube]