The GL-1

The GL-1 was the first Soviet factory sportscar ever produced, which set speed records before the World War. Unfortunately all the copies of the car and its records were destroyed, and until recently the automobile existed only in archive photos.

The project GL-1 was built in 1938 from a serial model GAZ M-1. An open two seater body was put onto the standard frame along with most of the parts of the M-1, but the total weight was reduced. The “M” engine was forced, the valve diameter was widened and the machine gained 15 horsepower to a whopping 65 horses. A test driver from the GAZ factory recorded 147 km/hr runs out of this car.

The second generation GL-1 was introduced in 1940 with a 3.2 ltr engine and two carburettors. The power was raised to 100 horsepower. Externally a more steamline cabin was designed. The new version was much faster and the new top speed record was set at 161.84 km/hr, which at that time seemed a triumph.

In 1941 the work on the third generation started, unfortunately very soon the country would cease to care about speed records and all the prototypes and road variants were destroyed and most likely melted.

In 2006 Alexander Bushuyev’s body manufacturer decided to reconstruct the legendary car, basing it on an original GAZ M-1 chassis and the numerous pictures of that time.

This beauty is what he came up with.....