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Sterling GT - exotic dream car with bread-and-butter technology

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Created on July 18, 2018

Reading time 8min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Balz Schreier

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Balz Schreier

Archiv

48 1

Sterling GT (1971) - nur nach Modifikation der VW-Aufhängungen lag der Sterling so tief

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Sterling GT (1971) - Showcar-Optik zum Budgetpreis

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Sterling GT (1971) - 4,2 Meter und und fast 1,8 Meter breit, vor allem aber keine 1,1 Meter hoch - ideale Proportionen für einen Sportwagen

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Sterling GT (1971) - man weiss gar nicht, wohin man schauen soll ...

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Sterling GT (1971) - der Sportwagen reicht Erwachsenen knapp bis zur Taille

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Sterling GT (1971) - darunter soll ein Volkswagen sitzen?

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Sterling GT (1971) - Klappscheinwerfer und elektrisch anhebbare Dachkabine - unauffällig wäre anders

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Sterling GT (1971) - Platz für Gepäck gab es nur wenig

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Sterling GT (1971) - für eine knapp noch vierstellige Summe war man in den Siebzigerjahren dabei

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Sterling GT (1971) - wer im Regen aussteigen muss, wird unweigerlich nass

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$Sterling GT (1971) - dicke Räder stehen dem Coupé gut, der Nova hatte Wolfrace-Felgen$

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Sterling GT (1971) - der ganze Dachbereich hebt und senkt sich bei diesem Coupé elektrisch

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Sterling GT (1971) - sieht heute noch futuristisch aus

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Sterling GT (1971) - kaum jemand erkennt das flache Coupé

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Sterling GT (1971) - die Heckleuchten stammen vom Triumph TR7

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Sterling GT (1971) - man sitzt tief im Coupé

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Sterling GT (1971) - der Hurst-Shifter für das VW-4-Ganggetriebe

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Sterling GT (1971) - mit Achtspur-Tonbandgerät

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Sterling GT (1971) - Platz für zwei Personen

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Sterling GT (1971) - zu Einsteigen lässt man sich einfach unter das Dach auf den Sitz gleiten

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Sterling GT (1971) - schöner Wohnen - mit Holzarmaturenbrett

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Sterling GT (1971) - ein Auto zum sich zeigen

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Sterling GT (1971) - bei gehobenem Dach ist die Übersichtlichkeit besser

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Sterling GT (1971) - sportliche und fast liegende Sitzposition im Coupé

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Sterling GT (1971) - Traumwagen der Siebzigerjahre

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Sterling GT (1971) - aussenliegender Tankverschluss

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Sterling GT (1971) - Blick nach hinten erschwert

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Sterling GT (1971) - für den Einstieg kann das Dach nach oben geklappt werden

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Sterling GT (1971) - keine Türen, dafür aufklappbare Fahrerkabine

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Sterling GT (1971) - die Miura-Heckstore war ein Requisit der Zeit

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Sterling GT (1971) - die Plakette des Karosserieherstellers

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Sterling GT (1971) - Verschluss des Dachmechanismus

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Nova VW (1972) - die englische Firma bietet einen spektakulär geformten Bausatz für das Käferchassis

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Der Nova auf dem Titelblatt von "Car and Driver" im März 1973

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Ein Sterling GT im Film "Cannonball Run II"

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Gryff (1983) - Schweizer "Special", die Karosserie stammt von Nova, die Motoren werden von Ford oder Porsche bezogen und haben jeweils sechs Zylinder

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Gryff (1983) - das ganze Dach wird wie beim Nova hochgehoben, um einzusteigen

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Nova VW (1972) - im Feld der Sport- und Rennwagen aus der Nachkriegszeit am GP Mutschellen 2012

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Summary

When the Sterling GT appears anywhere, open mouths and wide eyes are the normal reaction. The ultra-flat sports car is reminiscent of American concept cars of the sixties, but also of Italian exotics of the seventies. The extravagant body was held together by a plain Beetle chassis and hardly any of the cars had more than four air-cooled cylinders. Better known in this country under the name Nova, the coupés were sold in the States under the name Sterling GT. This report portrays the striking coupé and tells the story of this sensational design.

This article contains the following chapters

Drawn in Great Britain
Successful (also) in America
From Nova to Sterling
Offshoots in many countries
Long life, many metamorphoses
Film career
Living individualism
A survivor
Flat and striking
Further information

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

When the Sterling GT appears anywhere, open mouths and wide eyes are the normal reaction. The ultra-flat sports car is reminiscent of American concept cars of the sixties, but also of Italian exotics of the seventies. The British kit car scene had actually practically disappeared after the change in tax legislation in the sixties, but the buggy and other plastic bodies for Volkswagen chassis gave the do-it-yourself car a second life. Car designer Richard Oakes also designed one of these buggies, called the "Tramp", which was a success with 75 units sold. However, the open and yet very rustic buggy did not quite satisfy him. Together with his friend Phil Sayers, he began to think about a sports car that would be as technically uncomplicated as a VW-based buggy, but with a much more elegant and exotic body.

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