GKD Legend
Encyclopedia
The GKD LEGEND is a light-weight performance sports car manufactured by
British
company GKD Sports Cars
, based in Boughton Monchelsea
, near Maidstone
with workshops at Lenham
. The LEGEND is available in component form, or fully built.It was the first seven inspired car on the market using BMW E36/46 running gear.
. The donor pack includes differential, half-shafts, brakes, steering column and lower steering shaft and if required, engine and gearbox. The chassis comes with BMW engine mounts already welded to the chassis to ease fitment.
Kits start at around £2,995, with an estimated build price from £8,000 (as of late 2008).
Fully built cars are also supplied to foreign markets, countering crash test requirements. Prices start at around £10,500, with the donor pack left to the customer to source. Or GKD can supply all the donor pack components to order.
The body shell is made from GRP fibreglass
, with a bespoke chassis housing the engine and suspension.
British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company GKD Sports Cars
GKD sports cars
GKD Sports Cars is a small volume car manufacturer based in Boughton Monchelsea, near Maidstone, Kent, with workshops at Lenham. GKD Sports Cars produce two models, the GKD Evolution and the GKD Legend.- History :...
, based in Boughton Monchelsea
Boughton Monchelsea
For other Boughtons in Kent see Boughton Aluph; Boughton under Blean and Boughton MalherbeThe village and civil parish of Boughton Monchelsea is in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The civil parish lies on a ragstone ridge situated between the North Downs and the Weald of Kent and has...
, near Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
with workshops at Lenham
Lenham
Lenham is a market village in Kent situated on the southern edge of the North Downs, halfway between Maidstone and Ashford. The picturesque square in the village has two public houses , a couple of restaurants, and a tea-room....
. The LEGEND is available in component form, or fully built.It was the first seven inspired car on the market using BMW E36/46 running gear.
History
The GKD LEGEND was a byproduct of the work to convert the GKD EVOLUTION to BMW donor parts. Creater Peter Lathrope saw a gap in the market for a BMW based seven and developed the LEGEND. After its first show preview at Exeter kit car show the press hailed the car as "the next big thing" in the kit car market as most of the Lotus Seven Style cars are still Ford Sierra based.After the success of the initial Legend GKD Sports Cars bridged the gap between the Legend and the Evolution by introducing a new variant known as the Legend six. This model is a slightly longer chassis to accommodate the BMW straight 6 engine and running gear but still keeping the classic 7 style.Car components
The car uses a donor pack from a BMW 3 SeriesBMW 3 Series
The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different body styles. It is BMW's best-selling model, accounting for around 30% of the...
. The donor pack includes differential, half-shafts, brakes, steering column and lower steering shaft and if required, engine and gearbox. The chassis comes with BMW engine mounts already welded to the chassis to ease fitment.
Kits start at around £2,995, with an estimated build price from £8,000 (as of late 2008).
Fully built cars are also supplied to foreign markets, countering crash test requirements. Prices start at around £10,500, with the donor pack left to the customer to source. Or GKD can supply all the donor pack components to order.
The body shell is made from GRP fibreglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
, with a bespoke chassis housing the engine and suspension.
Example cars
The LEGEND can utilise most engines. The chart below indicates performance with a BMW E46 1.8 with different states of tune. Also including the Legend six with the E46 M3 engine and running gear| Trim | Weight | Power | Transmission | Estimated 0-60 mph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Car | 595 kg (1,312 lb) | 140 hp | 5-Speed | 4.8 sec |
| Road Car | 595 kg (1,312 lb) | 165 hp | 5-Speed | 4.5 sec |
| Road Car | 595 kg (1,312 lb) | 200 hp | 5-Speed | 3.8 sec |
| Race/track car | 500 kg (1,102 lb) | 200 hp | 5-Speed | 3.5 sec |
| Road/track car | 650 kg (1,433 lb) | 343 hp | 6-Speed | 3 sec |