RE: Gardner Douglas puts a roof on its GD T70

RE: Gardner Douglas puts a roof on its GD T70

Monday 16th April 2012

Gardner Douglas puts a roof on its GD T70

Sports car company adds canopy to turn T70 homage into T70moda



This rather sleek-looking coupe is Brit sports car minnow Gardner Douglas's latest take on its Lola T70 homage. Called the GD T70moda, it's essentially a hard-top version of the GD T70 Spyder that's been knocking around for a few years (we reviewed one back in 2003), bringing (in theory at least) all-weather protection to the slinky spyder.


Created with a combination of GRP structures and pressure-formed polycarbonate, the canopy system is made from an integrated high-level brake light, rear bulkhead partition, roll-bar support, gullwing doors (which, perhaps rather oddly are in addition to rather than instead of the 'normal' doors) and a T-bar connecting piece.

Engineered this way, the canopy allows the owner to use all or any of these components in whichever configuration they wish (with 'full doors, with gullwing parts removed to create a Targa-style roof or with nothing at all, leaving the T70moda in full spyder spec.

And if you're worried about getting sufficient roof-up air into that mid-mounted LS V8, don't worry - there's a fully functioning air intake, meaning those eight cylinders will be able to take in big lungfuls of air whether you've got the canopy on or not.


Gardner Douglas are still hard at work on the finishing touches for the new canopy, but boss Andy Burrows assures us that potential customers will be able to have a look at the completed car at some point in May.

Burrows also mentioned that the canopy can be retro-fitted, but you'll need a specific configuration of roll-over hoop.

If you're interested, you'll need anything between £50K and £80K to get your hands on a T70moda, depending on how juicy you want your spec. And if you're not interested yet, take a look at this video of the GD T70 spyder attacking the Nordschleife at up to 300kph. Because afterwards you will be...

 

Author
Discussion

Madmatt74

Original Poster:

273 posts

156 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Bloody hell thats quick and it looks easy to drive too! biggrin

JHS

43 posts

184 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
i like it a lot and since it british i think ill get myself one.

Madmatt74

Original Poster:

273 posts

156 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Just read that it was limited to 6500Revs due to running in the engine.

I'll have one with a windscreen and the gearstick on the left.......when the lottery numbers come in!

jazzyjeff

3,652 posts

258 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Brilliant smile

...though I can't help but think they've missed a trick and should have made it look like this...


300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
jazzyjeff said:
Brilliant smile

...though I can't help but think they've missed a trick and should have made it look like this...

What, really difficult to get in and out of? And with no chance of doing either with any dignity wink

Raitzi

640 posts

211 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
That takes some balls and it is not easy to drive. Numerous of lock-ups and happy tales in that video.

RudolphsOwner

118 posts

145 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
That is, what I like to call, a car for life!

£50k-£80k... if I break that down over 20 years then thats £2.5k-£4k a year, and I'm pretty sure I would still be happy to open the garage/barn door/breathable cover to find that on a sunny bank holiday morning when I'm 46... smile

jpf

1,311 posts

275 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Hubba hubba.

The opposite of the Toyota spyder featured today...

bencollins

3,486 posts

204 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
lush

Richard A

181 posts

175 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
This is how I like my sportscars, very capable but looking quite disarming. Not for me the adolescent mantoid threatening looking stuff.

Robin356A

34 posts

180 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
jazzyjeff said:
Brilliant smile

...though I can't help but think they've missed a trick and should have made it look like this...

Image from THX 1138?

After watching the video this car has been added to my lottery win garage, you should have one 'new' car to go with the classics. hehe



Yazza54

18,464 posts

180 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Madmatt74 said:
Just read that it was limited to 6500Revs due to running in the engine.

I'll have one with a windscreen and the gearstick on the left.......when the lottery numbers come in!
6500 rpm won't be far off the limiter for a big LS motor.

langy

565 posts

238 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
I've been hankering after a GD T70 for many years, still waiting for my 6 numbers to roll in though.

johnpeat

5,326 posts

264 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Looks fantastic and I'm sure it's quick but that speedo looks wonky-as-hell...

300kmh is over 180mph and the scenery doesn't look to be passing quite that fast (it also gets to 300 and stays there despite the engine note still climbing which suggests it's either heading into speeds only measurable in leptons or the speedo is knackered?) smile

That aside tho, I'd have one anyday and it's actually not THAT pricey if you look at what else you can get for the money (the Porsche it embarrasses, for example).

XTR2Turbo

1,533 posts

230 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Yazza54 said:
6500 rpm won't be far off the limiter for a big LS motor.
really -- peak power may be around 6200 but red line for an LS7 around 7k

kambites

67,460 posts

220 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Looks lovely. Why can't mainstream manufacturers produce cars that look like this... is it purely modern regulations?

Yazza54

18,464 posts

180 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
XTR2Turbo said:
Yazza54 said:
6500 rpm won't be far off the limiter for a big LS motor.
really -- peak power may be around 6200 but red line for an LS7 around 7k
Exactly, which isn't far off is it?

You don't run an engine in 500rpm off the redline.

robinessex

11,046 posts

180 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Mush better looking than an Ultima. (Which isn't that difficult!!). Now we need a McLaren CanAm with a roof on it!

Robin356A

34 posts

180 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
robinessex said:
Mush better looking than an Ultima. (Which isn't that difficult!!). Now we need a McLaren CanAm with a roof on it!


link - http://www.sportscardigest.com/2009-cholmondeley-p...

Not sure how much one would cost now.

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

197 months

Monday 16th April 2012
quotequote all
Yet another stunning shape spoiled by overly big wheels. Love the shape - I'd have one in a heartbeat - but those wheels just look wrong.