Whilst meandering around the halls at this year's Sunday Times Live motor show at the NEC we stumbled across a small stand of specialist UK manufacturers. On this stand was a pair of particularly eye catching models from GTM: the Libra and the Spyder. We couldn't help but take a closer look.

GTM have been around in various forms for over 35 years having originally offered Mini based kits. These evolved into more advanced Metro based platforms and finally into the cars you see here. Although the new car does use some Metro parts, the car is a world away from its humble beginnings. Conceived as Lotus Elise rivals back in 1998, the cars offer some impressive credentials, particularly the Libra coupe.

Boasting better chassis stiffness than the Elise with a similarly low weight (thanks to its composite tub construction) the Libra is claimed to sprint from 0-60mph in a shade over six seconds. Power comes from K-series or Honda V-TEC power plants mounted mid-ships with fully adjustable suspension ensuring the thrills aren't just restricted to straight lines. In fact the spec. sheet looks more like that of a racecar than a kit car and at £18k it would appear to be a genuine Elise rival. The Car Enthusiast hopes to drive the GTM range in the near future. Watch out on the main Road Tests page for the review.

Dave Jenkins - 28 Jul 2004