NuBodi Automotive is the build and sales agent for Tribute Automotive and can supply the full range of kits including the BMW Z3-based Kobra and 250 SWB Kalifornia body conversions.

We visited NuBodi this week and bagged FIRST DRIVE of the latter and were incredibly impressed at the quality of the company’s demo car. I’m on record as being a big fan of the virtues of the Z3 and its benefits as a donor car.

That opinion has been enhanced further after sampling the NuBodi Kalifornia, which when behind the wheel gives the genuine impression of being a sixties car, although when you consider the standard kit that the BMW brings with it such as air-conditioning, central locking and power hood. NuBodi’s demo car features some beautiful finishing touches that sets it apart. A stunning job…

NuBodi boss, Richard Bird has used a Z3 3-litre M Sport model as his donor, so it sounds great and with 260bhp performance isn’t shabby at all. While out on our photoshoot I couldn’t resist parking the car in front of BMW’s training academy and taking a cheeky photo. There was a real delicious irony at doing that. The feature will appear in our next issue, incidentally…

250 SWB Kalifornia kit costs £2995 and includes bonnet, grille surround, front and rear clams, door skins, boot-lid, inner boot panel and two side valences. Add in a donor, which should be gettable from £600-£2200 depending on where you look. A DIY budget of £12,000 should build you a god example, although allow £15,000 you should be able to replicate the NuBodi demo car. Fully built examples cost from £17,995, which seems like remarkable value to me.

In case you were wondering, the NuBodi 250SWB Kalifornia isn’t a replica, for no other reason that Ferrari didn’t make a convertible version of the SWB, but the end result of achieved with the demo car, looks like they could have, definitely so if the reaction of pedestrians during our test drive is anything to by…

More information from www.nubodi.moonfruit.com or 0800 448 8700 ENDS.