Birkin s3 roadster

The founder of the manufacturing company, John Watson, was a big fan of the classic Lotus Seven , but by then the manufacturer had ceased production. In the early 1980s, he designed and built his version of Seven . The car was first introduced in 1983 at the South African Formula 1 Grand Prix . In the same year, the first batch of S3 was presented at car dealerships ^[1] .

The enterprise for the production of Birkin S3 Roadster and accessories for kit cars was launched in the South African city ​​of Pinetown , later the car was assembled in other states, including the UK and Australia .

Technically, the Birkin S3 Roadster is an almost exact copy of the Lotus Seven of the third series, that is, a sports car of the 1968 model year. The supporting structure of the body is a spatial frame of steel pipes, the external body panels are aluminum. Like the prototype, the Birkin S3 Roadster is designed to carry two people, only longitudinal adjustment is present on the seats, and the roof is folding.

The 1.6-liter engine develops a maximum power of 115 hp. and aggregated with a 5-speed manual transmission . The power ratio of the Birkin S3 Roadster is 0.15 hp / kg. The optional installation of in-line four-cylinder engines Ford Zetec ^[2] and Toyota 4AG.

Since the 80s, the Birkin company has expanded several times, but at the same time retained the main production in South Africa . Currently, cars, through a dealer network, are sold in the USA , Japan and Europe .

Birkin S3 Roadster is made both in the form of a finished car, and in the form of a whale car, or in the version homologated for participation in amateur racing.

(English) Official site
(Russian) Birkin S3 Roadster review