GP (United Kingdom) - AllCarIndex

G.P. was a British automotive manufacturer that operated primarily between 1968 and 1994, with its headquarters located in various locations in Middlesex and Buckinghamshire. The company was founded by John Jobber and Pierre du Plessis, who initially gained recognition for producing Britain's first domestic beach buggy. This model, launched in 1968, achieved significant success, with over 4,000 units sold during its production run.

In response to the burgeoning beach buggy market, G.P. developed the Centron, which was Britain's first VW Beetle-based 'exotic' kit car. The Centron featured a low fibreglass body and a unique forward-hinging canopy. Although only 12 units were produced in its first year, a revised version, the Centron II, was introduced in 1974, replacing the canopy with conventional doors. Despite attempts to revive the model in the 1980s, it did not achieve commercial success.

G.P. collaborated with designer Neville Trickett, who created several notable models, including a fibreglass replica of the VW Kubelwagen and the Camel, a vehicle intended for production in developing nations. However, neither model reached full production. Trickett's Talon, introduced in 1979, was a 2+2 coupé based on a VW Beetle floorpan, featuring gull-wing doors. Although only 30 units were produced initially, the Talon underwent a revamp in 1983 and continued production into the 1990s.

The company also produced the Madison, a Packard-inspired vehicle that initially utilized a VW Beetle floorpan before transitioning to a Ford Cortina-based chassis in 1983. A variant known as the Madison Coupé was also created. G.P. found significant success with the Spyder, introduced in 1982, which was an accurate replica of the Porsche 718 RSK. The Spyder was built on a shortened VW chassis and later offered a mid-engine option, with approximately 1,200 units produced by 1998.