History of the Triumph GT6
The GT6 began when the Triumph planners, ignoring the plea for a "Spitfire-6," asked Michellotti to design a fastback body for the popular Spitfire . His design added too much weight to the car so the idea was shelved. The fastback body was in fact fitted onto a Spitfire chassis in Turin, christened the Spitfire GT, and driven home where it joined the small band of experimental one-offs used by a few members of the company. The pleasure the car gave to those who drove it worked an insidious magic and the Spitfire GT project became official policy in 1964. The decision to turn it into a six-cylinder car was the result of progress with the up-grading of the Vitesse to a 1998cc. It was a bit of a squeeze getting the 1998cc six-cylinder engine into the Spitfire's engine bay, but by creating a rather complicated cooling system and a large hood bulge they managed it. The GT6's debut was in 1966, a few months earlier than the Vitesse 2 litre.
In 1968 the GT6 Mk2 was introduced. It was fitted with an advanced lower-wishbone rear suspension layout; double-jointed shafts located by a spring at the top. The effect on the handling of the GT6 was very positive. The Mk2 also acquired a new cylinder head, borrowed from the TR5 , (giving potential for the engine to become a 2498cc, an advantage never utilized), but resulting in an increase of bhp from 95 to 104.
Internal facelifting of the seats, steering wheel and badging took place prior to the official launch of the GT6 Mk3 (known at the GT6+ in the IS) in 1970. In line with the Spitfire MkIV, the tail was "chopped-off" and the bonnet flattened out. The rear roof line of the GT6 was altered and petrol cap and door handles ceased to protrude creating a more svelte look. Optimism was high in the sales department but in reality the bell was tolling. The safety legislation meant a considerable increase in weight - the exhaust emission regulations badly affected the power of the six-cylinder engine and sales dropped...and dropped.
No official death certificate was released but on the thirtieth of November 1973 the last two GT6s produced quietly left the factory.
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