The Libra was launched by
GTM Cars
GTM Cars were a component kit car manufacturer located in Kingswinford, UK.
History
The company was founded in 1967 when Bernard Cox and his friend Jack Hosker created the Cox GTM (Grand Touring Mini), a mid engined sports car based on Mini ...
Ltd on the UK kitcar market in 1998.
Three years in development it was a collaboration between GTM Cars directors Peter Beck & Paddy Fitch, designer Richard Oakes and suspension designer Bryn Davies.
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
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
/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.
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
as well as the Toyota
2ZZ-GE,
some Honda units
and the Audi
1.8T turbo engine.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gtm Libra
Kit cars
Libra
Libra generally refers to:
* Libra (constellation), a constellation
* Libra (astrology), an astrological sign based on the star constellation
Libra may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Libra'' (novel), a 1988 novel by Don DeLillo
Musi ...
Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicles
Cars introduced in 1998