One of Britain's rarest cars - believed to be the only one of its kind left in existence <br /> - has gone on display at a museum after being restored to its former glory.<br /><br />The 1969 Hillman GT has been lovingly restored over the past 12 months after it was bought at auction for £5,300 last year. <br /><br />The classic car has now gone on display at the British Motor Museum, in Gaydon, Warks., until autumn 2024, after which time it will go under the hammer again.<br /><br />This high-performance saloon was built in Renfrewshire, Scotland and unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1969.<br /><br />The vintage motor was only called the Hillman GT in its first year of production before being replaced by the Hillman Hunter GT. <br /><br />It was the sporty offering of the Rootes Group Arrow range, boasted a top speed of 94 mph, a 1725 cc engine and 94 bhp. <br /><br />Its price from new was £962 and was primarily marketed towards “the married man who still remembers fun, free, fast, bachelor GT days". <br /><br />The car included high-backed seats with moulded head restraints which were seen by many as restricting vision for both the rear passengers and driver. <br /><br />The Hillman GT also had two bands of peelable stripes to enhance the sporty look that Rootes preferred to call “Virile GT stripes”. <br /><br />Cat Boxall, curator at the British Motor Museum, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have this fabulous iconic motor on display. <br /><br />"The Hillman GT is arguably the rarest car from the Rootes Group manufacturer and it is believed that this vehicle, built in Linwood, Renfrewshire, is the only surviving example”. <br /><br />The museum, plus the car's renovation, feature in the TV show Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics, which will be screened on November 9.<br /><br />Andy Joynson, executive producer of Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics, said, “We couldn’t think of a better place for the car to go on display than the British Motor Museum. <br /><br />"It isn’t flash, it isn’t expensive, it isn’t even an iconic car - but it is part of our motoring history at a very particular moment in the important story of the Rootes group. <br /><br />"I hope people enjoy the story of a humble and very British car”.
