GTM Libra

Last updated
GTM Libra
Wiki libra.jpg
2003 GTM Libra
Overview
Manufacturer GTM Cars
Body and chassis
Class Kit car
Layout Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout
Powertrain
Engine Rover K Series I4 and V6, Honda (various), Audi 1.8T
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2.32m
Length3.56m
Width1.65m
Height1.15m
Curb weight 695kg

The Libra was launched by GTM Cars Ltd on the UK kitcar market in 1998. [1] Three years in development it was a collaboration between GTM Cars directors Peter Beck & Paddy Fitch, designer Richard Oakes and suspension designer Bryn Davies. [1]

Conceived as a lightweight sportscar, it uses no subframes for its suspension with all the mountings being bolted straight to the GRP monocoque tub. At the front it uses unequal length wishbones of GTM design locating uprights from the Rover Metro/100 range and a forward mounted steering rack for extra legroom. The rear suspension is an unusual double trailing arm design, bolted to the rear bulkhead and using the same uprights as the front. The engine/transmission unit is held in a frame hanging off the rear bulkhead, a frame which also locates the rear hinging engine cover which incorporates a sizeable boot which can accommodate a full size set of golf clubs. The front 'clamshell' conceals the radiator, battery, master cylinders etc. and also manages to stow a full size spare wheel (either 16" or 17"). A removable roof panel can be stowed behind the seats for an open top experience. [2]

Initially launched with the 1.4 litre Rover 'K'-Series engine, the Libra has been fitted successfully with 1.6, 1.8, 1.8 VVC and KV6 2.5 litre Rover engines [3] as well as the Toyota 2ZZ-GE, [4] some Honda units [3] and the Audi 1.8T turbo engine. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reliant Scimitar</span> Motor vehicle

The Reliant Scimitar name was used for a series of sports car models produced by British car manufacturer Reliant between 1964 and 1986. During its 22-year production it evolved from a coupe (GT) into a sports estate (GTE), with a convertible variant (GTC) launched in 1980. All have a fibreglass body mounted on a steel box-section chassis, and Ford engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morris Marina</span> Motor vehicle

The Morris Marina is a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive small family car that was manufactured by the Austin-Morris division of British Leyland from 1971 until 1980. It served to replace the Morris Minor in the Morris product line, which had first been built in 1948. The Marina was also sold in some markets as the Austin Marina, the Leyland Marina and the Morris 1700.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lotus Europa</span> Two automobiles by Lotus

The Lotus Europa name is used on two distinct mid-engine GT cars built by British automobile manufacturer Lotus Cars. The original Europa and its variants comprise the Lotus Types 46, 47, 54, 65 and 74, and were produced between 1966 and 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcos Engineering</span> British sports car manufacturer

Marcos Engineering was a British sports car manufacturer. The name derives from the surnames of founders Jem Marsh and Frank Costin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rover 200 / 25</span> Rover 214 si

The Rover 200 Series, and later the Rover 25, are a series of small family cars that were produced by British manufacturer Rover from 1984 until 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyll (car)</span>

Argyll was a Scottish motor car marque manufactured from 1899 to 1932, and again from 1976 to around 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land Rover Discovery</span> Motor vehicle

The Land Rover Discovery is a series of seven-seater family SUVs, produced under the Land Rover marque, from the British manufacturer Land Rover, and later Jaguar Land Rover. The series is currently in its fifth iteration, the first of which was introduced in 1989, making the Discovery the first new model series since the launch of the 1970 Range Rover – on which it was based – and only the third new product line since the conception of the Land Rover by Rover in 1948. The model is sometimes called influential, as one of the first to market a true off-road capable family car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaguar Mark X</span> Motor vehicle

The Jaguar Mark X, later renamed the Jaguar 420G, was British manufacturer Jaguar's top-of-the-range saloon car for a decade, from 1961 to 1970. The large, luxurious Mark X not only succeeded the Mark IX as the company's top saloon model, but radically broke with both its predecessor's styling and technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Ascot</span> Motor vehicle

The Honda Ascot is a compact sedan manufactured by Honda and marketed only in Japan from 1989 until 1997. The first generation produced two versions based on the Honda Accord CB series called the Ascot and from 1993 to 1996 a "pillared hardtop" called the Ascot Innova. The Innova shared much of its mechanicals with the European-market Accord manufactured at the Honda UK facility in Swindon, England, and was essentially the badge engineered Rover 600. The second generation was a platform improvement, shared with the Japan-only sedan called the Honda Rafaga. The "Ascot" name was chosen with reference to the Ascot Racecourse and Ascot tie, in order to add the model an alleged air of class and elegance. Honda Ascot was also used on a range of one-cylinder motorcycles in the first half of the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rover 600 Series</span> Motor vehicle

The Rover 600 Series was a compact executive car range that was produced by the British manufacturer Rover from 1993 to 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rover P6</span> Motor vehicle

The Rover P6 series is a saloon car produced by Rover and subsequently British Leyland from 1963 to 1977 in Solihull, Warwickshire, England, UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rover P4</span> British mid-size luxury cars made 1949–64

The Rover P4 series is a group of mid-size luxury saloon cars produced by the Rover Company from 1949 until 1964. They were designed by Gordon Bashford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginetta Cars</span> British automobile manufacturer

Ginetta Cars Limited is a British specialist builder of racing and sports cars based in Garforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MG Y-type</span> Motor vehicle

The MG Y-Type is an automobile produced by MG in England from 1947 to 1953. It was offered in four-door saloon and limited production open four-seat tourer versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin 3-Litre</span> Motor vehicle

The Austin 3-Litre is a British saloon car that was introduced by Austin at the London Motor Show in 1967. Codenamed ADO61, the car was intended to be BMC's offering in the 3-litre executive class and was originally designed in the early 1960s, before the British Leyland era. Unlike the visually similar front-wheel drive Morris 1800 range, the 125 bhp 3-litre engine drove the rear wheels through a conventional 4-speed gearbox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GTM Cars</span>

GTM Cars were a component kit car manufacturer located in Kingswinford, UK.

Sylva Autokits is a kit car manufacturer based in Lincolnshire, England. Sylva was founded in 1981 by Jeremy Phillips and has developed and produced a number of small and lightweight sports cars. Sylva cars have won a number of 750 Motor Club Kit Car championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GTM Coupé</span> Motor vehicle

The GTM Coupé is a Mini based kit car dating back to 1967. GTM is an initialism for "Grand Touring Mini". The car was first shown at the 1967 Racing Car Show and soon afterwards went into production by the Cox brothers from their garage in Hazel Grove, Stockport as the Cox GTM. In 1969 the rights to the design and manufacturing were bought by Howard Heerey and the Cox part of the name was dropped. His father's company Midland Garage took over manufacture of the GTM. In April 1980 ownership changed again to GTM Engineering, who upgraded and continued to manufacture the Coupé until 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land Rover series</span> Motor vehicle

The Land Rover Series I, II, and III, or simply the Land-Rover are compact British off-road vehicles, produced by the Rover Company since 1948, and later by British Leyland. Though inspired by the World War II jeep, the Land Rover immediately distinguished itself from all other cars. From launch, it was the first mass-produced civilian four-wheel drive car with doors, and an available hard roof. Contrary to conventional car and truck chassis, it used a sturdier fully box-welded frame. Furthermore, due to post-war steel shortage, and aluminium surplus, Land Rovers received non-rusting aluminium alloy bodies, favouring their longevity. In 1992, Land Rover claimed that 70% of all the vehicles they had built were still in use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opel Cascada</span> Motor vehicle

The Opel Cascada is a four-passenger fabric-roof convertible, manufactured and marketed by Opel across a single generation for model years 2013-2019, prioritizing year-round touring comfort over sportiness.

References

  1. 1 2 "GTM CARS LTD April 1981 to March 2003". LightAuto. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  2. "1996 GTM Libra". conceptcarz. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  3. 1 2 "A British sports-car builder that's doing everything right". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  4. "Upgrades -Latest". GTMOC. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  5. "Dutch Language GTM Libra Build Site". Bertram Bakker. Retrieved 16 August 2020.