HIGHLIGHTS
- Zagato-inspired evocation
- BMW straight-six engine
- Registered as Tribute and fully road legal with V5C
- Recent full repaint
THE APPEAL
A genuine Aston Martin DB4 Zagato is a car that will cost you a cool fortune, with the last known example on the market selling for an eight-figure sum.
But for a fraction of that, you could have this – a Tribute Automotive Z3GT. The Dorset-based company is a kit car manufacturer and finisher, with a range of high-quality cars that pay homage to some of the most exotic sports cars of the 1960s.
Built about four years ago and repainted earlier this year to the current owner’s tastes, it’s a really good-looking example of one of the most well-made kit cars you can buy, and it’s in brilliant condition.
THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK
- Based on a 2002 BMW Z3 2.2
- Registration number included
- UK registration and V5C
- Full service history for base car
The Z3GT was built in late 2017, based on a 2002 BMW Z3 2.2 Roadster for which the service history, old MOTs and original bill of sale are all still included.
It was acquired by the vendor last summer at a static auction as a project for him to fettle and enjoy, and having improved it considerably he’s now moved onto another project to do up, meaning the Z3GT is available for someone else to enjoy.
It will be supplied with its current registration number – 55 SXB – which is fully transferable. It would be a standard ‘51’ plate otherwise.
THE INTERIOR
- Black leather seats from second donor vehicle
- Standard Z3 dash and controls
- Good condition
The dashboard and controls are standard BMW Z3 parts and are in fine working order with no known issues. When the owner bought the car it had standard cloth trim, so he acquired second-hand black leather trim from a BMW breaker and had the leather seats professionally fitted.
They were definitely worth the effort as they look much better than the cloth items did, and really suit the retro appearance of the rest of the car.
THE EXTERIOR
- Fibreglass panels in French Racing Blue
- Recent high-quality respray
- Replacement hood
- Flawless alloys
The fit and finish of the bespoke Z3GT panels is excellent, way beyond that which you’d normally expect of a kit car. The French Racing Blue paint was resprayed earlier this year to a very high standard and the BMW-sourced alloy wheels refurbished at the same time, giving an immaculate overall appearance. A new hood was also sourced and fitted, so the car is in exceptional condition overall.
THE MECHANICS
- 2.2-litre straight-six
- Five-speed manual
- 170bhp in standard tune
- Runs and drives well
Under the bonnet, you’ll find BMW’s proven and reliable M52 2.2-litre straight-six, a tough and reliable engine renowned for its impressively smooth power delivery.
It’s combined with a six-speed manual transmission in the Z3GT, given impressive performance and acceleration. Handling and performance-wise, it’s little different from a standard Z3 and is therefore a characterful but surprisingly refined roadster…
SUMMARY
Yes, it’s a kit car, but the Tribute Z3GT is more than the sum of its parts and has a genuine classic appeal – indeed, that’s why the vendor bought it in the first place.
It’s exceptionally well-finished, looks really good and is great fun to drive – a great way of owning a car with all the style of an old-fashioned classic, but none of the fragility or parts supply challenges.
Notice to bidders
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