Unipower GT

In the space of 3 years a total of 75 cars were built. These had a tubular chassis, glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) bodywork, independent suspension, based on Formula 3 cars, and some innovative solutions for its time.

The Unipower GT power unit was made by the BMC group. Most of the cars were fitted with the 998cc Cooper engine, installed in the “wrong” place, that is, at the rear and in a central / transverse position. Some of the cars were, however, fitted with the 1275cc Cooper S engine.

Goodwood was the place where, sometime in the 1960’s, the first meeting took place between two men who were passionate about racing cars: Ernie Unger, an admirer of the cars built by Carlo Abarth, and who some years earlier had raced with a Lotus, and Val Dare-Bryan, connected with the development and production of racing cars in the workshop of the racing driver Roy Pierpoint. Sharing the same enthusiasm, the two men decided to build a small GT car which would bring together British effectiveness and Italian beauty. Another motor sport enthusiast joined the project, Tim Powell, as did his great friend Andrew Hedges, the BMC factory racing driver.

In 1966, the UNIPOWER GT was presented at the London Racing Car Show where it was received with great enthusiasm by both the public and the motor sport press. Universal Power Drives Ltd, the company run by Tim Powell, started at last to produce the beautiful and fast Unipower GT. At the end of 1968, after 60 cars had been built, Powell lost interest in the project which he always regarded as an adventure, and sold UNIPOWER to Piers Weld-Forrester. Piers Weld-Forrester, a racing driver as well as also being an adventurer, transferred UNIPOWER GT production to the new company Unger, Weld-Forrester (U.W.F.). U.W.F. was responsible for building just the last 15 UNIPOWER cars built. In spite of having a full order book, production stopped in 1970!