Unipower

Unipower was the brand behind the Unipower GT, a British specialist sports car developed during the 1960s and produced in very small numbers. The car combined a compact, lightweight spaceframe chassis and a fibreglass body with the transverse BMC A-Series engine and transmission from the Mini. Unlike the front-engined Mini, the Unipower placed the complete powertrain transversely behind the occupants and ahead of the rear axle, giving it a rear-mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout. This arrangement, together with independent suspension and a low body, gave the car an unusual blend of compact dimensions, racing-car engineering and everyday mechanical familiarity. The project originated with Ernie Unger, an engineer whose earlier experience included work at Lotus, the Rootes Group and Ford. Unger wanted to create a small sports car that combined the efficient packaging and engineering character associated with Italian Abarth products with the road-holding qualities of contemporary British sports cars. He developed the mechanical concept with Valerian Dare-Bryan, an automotive designer and engineer with Lotus and racing-car connections. Ron Bradshaw, who was involved with Ford design work including the GT40 program, produced the exterior drawings. A prototype chassis was built through Roy Pierpoint's workshop, while Robert Peel and Company produced the first aluminium-bodied body buck. The project gained practical support from Tim Powell, owner of Universal Power Drives Ltd. (UPD), a Perivale manufacturer of specialised multi-axle trucks that already used the Unipower name. Powell provided financial backing and production facilities, while UPD sales manager Andrew Hedges handled sales. Support from Mini designer Alec Issigonis helped the company obtain BMC components at favorable prices, assisting the GT's effort to remain relatively affordable despite its specialist construction. The Unipower GT was introduced at the London Racing Car Show in January 1966. It was offered with either a 998 cc Mini Cooper engine or a 1,275 cc Cooper S unit. The car had originally been considered for the name Hustler GT, but that name was already associated with another UPD product. The Unipower name was selected shortly before the show, reportedly at the suggestion of show organiser Ian Smith. Contemporary publicity and automotive journalism presented the car as a British interpretation of the compact, mid-engined supercar idea; one magazine dubbed it the “Mini Miura.” Early cars required aerodynamic refinement after concerns about front-end lift. Wind-tunnel work at the Motor Industry Research Association led to a front spoiler and other improvements, reducing the later cars' drag coefficient from approximately 0.37 to approximately 0.32. The factory also produced a small competition series with stripped interiors, upgraded brakes, adjustable suspension components, racing fuel equipment and magnesium Minilite wheels. Several cars appeared in national and international racing, although the marque remained primarily a low-volume road-car operation. By 1968, UPD had lost interest in continuing the project. Unger and Piers Weld-Forester formed U.W.F. Automotive Engineering, which acquired the car project and assembly line and restarted production in Park Royal, West London. Later cars received detail changes including softer springs, revised wheels, a different dashboard and altered rear lamps. Production ended in late 1969, with the last car delivered in early 1970. Estimates vary, but the commonly cited total is no more than 75 cars, including approximately 42 assembled by UPD and 31 by UWF. Around 30 percent were built in left-hand-drive form. The Unipower GT is now principally known as a rare historic British sports car. Its legacy also includes related or derivative projects, such as the proposed larger successor, the Italian ESAP Minimach GT conversion and the experimental Quasar Unipower city car. These projects illustrate the wider interest in applying compact Mini-derived mechanical packages to unconventional vehicle designs, but they did not establish a continuing Unipower production business.

Ernie Unger developed the concept that became the Unipower GT after working in engineering, racing preparation and vehicle development. His experience included Lotus, the Rootes Group and Ford, where he worked on the Cortina. He sought to build a small sports car with the sophisticated packaging associated with Italian Abarth designs and the handling characteristics of successful British sports cars. Unger met Valerian Dare-Bryan at Goodwood in 1963, and the two subsequently collaborated on mechanical development. Dare-Bryan had worked at Lotus and had experience in racing-car design. Ron Bradshaw, a Ford design staff member involved with GT40 work, drew the exterior. A prototype spaceframe and wire-form body structure were produced through Roy Pierpoint's workshop, and Robert Peel and Company in Kingston upon Thames created an aluminium body over the prototype buck. The project became commercially viable after Tim Powell, owner of Universal Power Drives Ltd. in Perivale, provided backing and manufacturing facilities. UPD already produced specialised multi-axle trucks under the Unipower name. Andrew Hedges, the company's sales manager and a former BMC works driver, became responsible for selling the new car. Alec Issigonis reportedly assisted by arranging access to BMC components at prices more favorable than normal replacement retail levels. The Unipower GT premiered at the London Racing Car Show in January 1966. Its transverse Mini-derived powertrain was installed behind the seats, producing a rear-mid-engined layout. Customers could specify the 998 cc Mini Cooper engine or the 1,275 cc Cooper S engine. The car was built as a complete vehicle rather than as a conventional kit, although promotional literature mentioned component-form pricing and a small number of cars were supplied for owners intending to fit alternative powertrains. The chassis used welded square- and rectangular-section steel tubing with integrated rollover protection. Fibreglass body sections were bonded to the frame to increase stiffness. Suspension was independent at both ends, with wishbones and coil-over dampers at the front and lateral links, trailing arms and coil-over dampers at the rear. Numerous components came from established manufacturers, including Mini steering and front-end parts, Austin 1100 indicators, Triumph Spitfire glazing components, Ford Cortina door hardware, Jensen headlamps and Vauxhall Viva rear lamps. Aerodynamic lift affected some early cars. Testing at the MIRA wind tunnel prompted the addition of a front spoiler and other revisions. Later cars reportedly achieved a lower drag coefficient than the earliest examples. The factory also constructed seven competition cars with reduced trim, Cooper S disc brakes, anti-roll bars, adjustable dampers, racing fuel equipment and lightweight wheels. These cars competed in events including the 1000 Kilometres of Paris, Nürburgring and Barcelona races, while individual examples were also used by private entrants and tuning specialists. UPD's interest declined by 1968, and a proposed targa version was abandoned. Unger and Piers Weld-Forester then formed U.W.F. Automotive Engineering, trading in connection with Unipower Cars. UWF purchased the project and assembly line and moved production to Park Royal. Its cars incorporated detail revisions, and some sources refer to them as MkII examples, although the designation has also been applied to proposed successor designs that never entered production. UWF ended GT production in late 1969, with final delivery occurring in early 1970. Estimates place total production at approximately 73 cars or, more conservatively, no more than 75. The liquidation of UWF began in December 1969 and was completed by March 1975. Related projects included the Quasar Unipower city car, the ESAP Minimach GT developed in Italy from a left-hand-drive Unipower, and several unrealised successor concepts. The Unipower GT survives today as a rare collector and historic-racing automobile, supported by owners' clubs, registers and occasional anniversary displays.

• 2016

  Fiftieth-anniversary gathering

  [1]Unipower GTen.wikipedia.org

  Surviving landmark cars were assembled at Beaulieu for a celebration of the GT's launch fifty years earlier.

• 1969

  Production concludes

  [1]Unipower GTen.wikipedia.org

  UWF stopped production near the end of the year; the final vehicle was delivered in early 1970.

• 1968

  UWF acquires the project

  [1]Unipower GTen.wikipedia.org

  U.W.F. Automotive Engineering took over the car project and assembly line from UPD and restarted production in Park Royal.

• 1967

  Aerodynamic revisions developed

  [1]Unipower GTen.wikipedia.org

  MIRA wind-tunnel work led to a front spoiler and revised aerodynamics intended to reduce lift.

• 1966

  Unipower GT introduced

  [1]Unipower GTen.wikipedia.org

  The GT made its public debut at the London Racing Car Show with Mini Cooper and Cooper S engine options.

• 1963

  Unger and Dare-Bryan begin collaborating

  [1]Unipower GTen.wikipedia.org

  Ernie Unger and Valerian Dare-Bryan developed their shared concept for a compact, sophisticated British sports car after meeting at Goodwood.

A low-volume British enthusiast marque positioned around lightweight construction, Mini-derived reliability, unusual mid-engined packaging and club-level motorsport potential.

• Specialist sports car · 1966

  Unipower GT

  The core Unipower model was a compact two-seat British sports car with a steel spaceframe, bonded fibreglass bodywork and a transverse BMC A-Series powertrain mounted behind the cabin. It was available with 998 cc Mini Cooper or 1,275 cc Cooper S engines and used independent suspension at both ends. The car's design drew on contemporary racing and Italian specialist-car ideas while retaining widely available Mini-related mechanical components. UPD and UWF together built roughly 73 to 75 examples between 1966 and 1969, including a small competition series and left-hand-drive cars for export.

• Competition sports car · 1966

  Unipower GT competition cars

  The factory produced seven competition-oriented GTs. These cars omitted much road-car trim and received Cooper S disc brakes, anti-roll bars, adjustable dampers, racing fuel equipment, specialised suspension joints and lightweight magnesium wheels. Individual examples competed in events including the 1000 Kilometres of Paris, the Nürburgring 500 km and the Barcelona 12 Hours. One lightweight car was prepared for the 1969 Le Mans entry but did not qualify with its co-driver.

• Experimental city car

  Quasar Unipower

  The Quasar Unipower was a highly unconventional city-car project related to the GT through its corporate connection and use of a BMC-family engine. Designed by N'Guyen Manh Khanh, it used a tall rectangular glass-bodied form, sliding glass doors and seating for up to six people. Its rear-mounted 1,098 cc drivetrain and extreme packaging made it more of a design experiment than a conventional production vehicle. Approximately fifteen are estimated to have been built.

• Derivative sports car · 1968

  ESAP Minimach GT

  The ESAP Minimach GT was an Italian redesign based on a left-hand-drive Unipower GT. Gianfranco Padoan altered the nose, lighting, body sides, wheel arches, rear treatment and interior controls to address Italian road-certification requirements and create a distinct vehicle. The car was presented to the Italian press in 1968 and shown at the Geneva Motor Show, but certification and financing difficulties prevented a production program. One example is reported to survive.

• 1969

  End Unipower GT productionStrategy

  Background

  The project remained a very small-scale specialist operation, and UWF's corporate liquidation process began near the end of 1969.

  Action taken

  UWF ceased production of the GT late in 1969, with the last completed car delivered in early 1970.

  Aftermath

  The Unipower GT became a rare historic sports car rather than a continuing production marque.

  Source

• 1968

  Transfer production from UPD to UWFStrategy

  Background

  Universal Power Drives had reduced its interest in the low-volume sports-car project, while the GT still had an established design and small customer base.

  Action taken

  Ernie Unger and Piers Weld-Forester formed U.W.F. Automotive Engineering, acquired the project and assembly line, and restarted assembly at Park Royal.

  Aftermath

  UWF made detail changes and continued production until late 1969, after which the model and company were wound down.

  Source

1. 1Unipower GTen.wikipedia.org