COLLAGE OF CSCCM MEMBERS CHARLES ZAHRA AND MICHEL ZARB
The GT6 is a 6-cylinder sports coupé which was built by Standard-Triumph and based on their popular Triumph Spitfire convertible. Production ran from 1966 to 1973.
Development history.
In early 1963 Giovanni Michelotti was commissioned by Standard-Triumph to design a GT version of their recently introduced Spitfire 4 (also designed by Michelotti).[1] An unmodified Spitfire 4 was delivered to Michelotti’s design studios in Italy and late in 1963 the prototype Spitfire GT4 was returned to England for evaluation. The styling of the vehicle was a success but the extra weight of the GT bodyshell resulted in extremely poor performance, with the 1,147 cc (70 cu in) Spitfire power unit, and plans for producing the Spitfire GT4 were shelved.
Michelotti’s fastback design for the Spitfire GT4 prototype was (for the 1964 season) adopted by the Triumph racing programme as it was deemed to provide an aerodynamic benefit over the standard Spitfire body shape. Fibreglass copies of the Spitfire GT4’s fastback were grafted on to the race-modified Spitfires destined for competition. The Spitfire racing programme was successful,[1] and in 1965 resulted in 13th overall and a 1st in class at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans (beating their main rivals, the MG Midgets). The Spitfire’s competitive success and the continuing commercial success of the production vehicle led Triumph to re-evaluate its shelved plans for a GT version of the Spitfire. To overcome the lack of performance inherent in the heavier body-style the Spitfire’s 4-cylinder engine was replaced with the more powerful 2-litre (1998 cc) 6-cylinder engine from the Triumph Vitesse (which shared a similar chassis with the Spitfire and Triumph Herald). The car was further developed and refined and eventually launched as the Triumph GT6 (dropping the “Spitfire” prefix) to emphasise its GT styling and its 6-cylinder engine.
Contemporary Triumph marketing advertised the GT6 as being developed from the “race winning Le Mans Spitfires” to capitalize on their aesthetic similarities, whereas the Le Mans Spitfires and the GT6 were actually two entirely separate development programmes (the GT programme pre-dating the racing programme). However, the marketing spin was so successful that many people erroneously believed the Le Mans Spitfires to actually be GT6s.
Models
The following models were produced during the production run:
Model name
Engine
Year
Number built
GT6 Mark I 1996 cc inline 6 July 1966 – Sept 1968 15,818[1]
GT6 Mark II 1996 cc inline 6 July 1968 – Dec 1970 12,066[1]
GT6 Mark III 1996 cc inline 6 Oct 1970 – Dec 1973 13,042[1]
SOURCE WIKIPEDIA
