Kit cars are a particularly interesting niche of the automotive world, and we write about them often here on Generation High Output. At a local car show, I spotted a car that I’d never seen before – a Burton!
A quick Internet search revealed that Burton is an automobile manufacturer in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1993 by Dimitri and Iwan Göbel – brothers with a shared passion for automobiles. Their main product is a two-seat, two-door roadster based on the Citroen 2CV. The 2CV is one of the most-produced cars of all time and is renowned and beloved for its utter simplicity and reliability.
Burton’s kit replaces the Citroen body with swooping fenders that look more modern and more classic at the same time. The air-cooled engine is unmodified with the exception of a “Power Tube” which is essentially a cold-air intake. It is not a powerful engine, but performance is definitely increased by losing the roof, doors, and glass of the old Citroen body.
The interior is a study in simplicity, with few gauges or accessories to distract the driver. This exemplifies the typically Dutch pragmatic approach to design – everything you need, and nothing you don’t.
These kits are surprisingly affordable, and start at about 4,300 Euros ($4,550 USD). They come with an assembly manual, though finding a donor vehicle may be a challenge here in the States. The company estimates that assembly takes around 100 hours and does not require a master mechanic to complete. I think it’s a neat little car, and something that you definitely don’t see every day!
