Makes › Lightning › GT · Rare production
Lightning
GT
British electric sports car project (Lightning Car Company) that planned 250 cars a year but was repeatedly delayed.
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Photo: --JimboJimbo online[online] · Public domain
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- Not yet verified
- Years
- Not yet verified
- Engine
- electric, twin-motor system
- Power
- 300 kW / 408 PSFactory: 300 kW
- Top speed
- 209 km/hFactory: 130 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Daniel Durrant (Lightning principal designer), with the Drive design consultancy
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The Lightning GT was an all-electric British sports car from the Lightning Car Company, shown in 2008 with performance claims meant to match the Tesla Roadster. Its design was done by an outside consultancy in about eight months.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
Photos
Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.
Lightning GT (Wikimedia Commons search)
Photo: --JimboJimbo online[online] · Public domain
Lightning GT (Wikimedia Commons search)
Photo: davidgsteadman · Public domain
Lightning GT (Wikimedia Commons search)
Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
![--JimboJimbo online[online]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lightning_GT_side.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
No production figures recorded yet.
History
The concept was made in foam and digital form by the Drive design consultancy with principal designer Daniel Durrant. The car was revealed at the British International Motor Show in July 2008.
The 2008 report says the car was available to pre-order with a GBP 15,000 deposit and estimated at GBP 120,000 to 150,000, citing reports.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard GT.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | electric, twin-motor system1 Independently researchedS3 (2008) describes four in-wheel motors of 120 kW each, which conflicts; the later company page is used. |
| Displacement | Not yet verified |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 300 kW / 408 PSFactory: 300 kW1 Independently researchedSource states 400 PS as well. The 2008 report gives 700 hp, which conflicts and is a claim made before the car was built. |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | single-speed reduction gearbox1 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | rear1 Independently researched |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 209 km/hFactory: 130 mph · converted1,2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| 0–60 mph | 5 s1 Independently researchedStated as sub 5 seconds on the 2015 page. The 2008 CNET report gives 4 s as a company claim. |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Electric drive with a twin-motor system, rear-wheel drive, and a single-speed reduction gearbox according to the company's later performance page. The 2008 reports describe in-wheel motors, so the drive layout needs checking against the car.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
Lightning GT performance Level C The Lightning Car Company
- Twin motor system
- 300 kw/400 ps
- Single speed reduction gearbox
- Rear 2 wheel drive
- a top speed electronically limited to 130 MPH
- sub 5 seconds
-
2
Lightning strikes Tesla at London motor show Level C CNET · 2008-07-23
- accelerate to speeds over 130 mph
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