An extremely important & special automobile. This is the unbelievably rare 1967 Ikenga GT. Notably, this car is said to be the first supercar ever designed by an African American. Only one Ikenga GT was produced, and was redeveloped and restyled from 1967-1969, resulting in three variants. The project began after Brooklyn-born artist and designer, David Gittens, purchased a McLaren MK l chassis from a man named Ken Sheppard. Gittens wanted to create a car with inspiration from the Igbo culture of Eastern Nigeria. To complete the first iteration of the vehicle, Gittens reached out to coachbuilder, Charles Williams, of Williams & Pritchard. In 1967, the first concept was complete, finished in extremely bright reflective green paint, and later to be known as the MK I. Just one year later, the vehicle went through some various cosmetic updates, as well as a number of other changes, now being known as the MK II. Now finished in a slightly darker shade of green, the MK II received customer leather, Gucci luggage, luminescent roof panels, and much more. MK II made appearances at multiple shows and in multiple publications, & the success of the Ikenga project was just starting to come to life. Tragically, around this same time, Charles Williams had sadly passed away. The project was continued by formula two designer/engineer/driver, Roger Nathans, and of course, David Gittens. In 1969, the Ikenga GT MK II would undergo some substantial changes. Unlike the first two iterations, the MK III now featured a much smoother design. As the car continued to be developed, so did the technology, and MK III features notable technologies such as ultra-sound proximity sensors, and a closed circuit TV for rear vision. MK III’s restyling was handled by Radford Coachworks. After being displayed at the the Manx Motor Museum for a while, it was sold once in 1998, and again in 2008.
How many made? 1 of 1
Engine: first a 3.5 litre Rover V8 ..later a Chevrolet OHV V8 engine - around 325hp
Debut: Banking Hall of Harrod's in London 1968
Top Speed: 162mph (estimated)
0-60mph: N/A•Photo Credit: dwij.org & Sergei Yakovlev
Research: @rarecarsonly