BODYWORK
The original Tiga GC85 bodywork was unchanged in its transition to QVX trim.
Sleek exterior panels were fashioned from 70:30 Kevlar-fibreglass composite with detachable single-piece front and rear clamshells.
The QVX stood just 1003mm high, was 4674mm long and 1930mm wide.
The GC85 was a conventionally styled but very handsome car. At the front, the central nose panel sunk away from the bulbous fenders and a trio of NACA ducts were carved out to feed fresh air to the radiators and cockpit. Headlights were mounted underneath contoured Plexiglas covers.
The bubble roof canopy housed a large NACA duct for the engine, butterfly doors and a quick fuel filler neck mounted on each sail panel. There was another huge intake on the upper body next to each door along with an equally substantial exit vent a foot-or-so back.
At the rear of the car was single plane adjustable rear spoiler mounted on three pylons. The tail fascia incorporated rectangular tail light clusters set within a red-painted trapezoidal surround to give a Countach-esque appearance. In the middle, four centrally exiting exhausts emerged from in between the massive underfloor venturis.
The completed car was painted black with red and blue stripes to reflect Unipart’s new Supreme brand of oil.
INTERIOR
Inside, simplicity and weight-saving was the name of the game.
A black metal dash spanned the full width of the cockpit. Directly behind the small diameter three-spoke steering wheel was a rev counter flanked by a number of smaller read outs on both sides (oil pressure, oil temperature, water temperature, fuel, ammeter etc.). There were also fresh air vents, an array of flick switches, the mandatory cut-off switches and an exposed fuseboard.
The QVX was right-hand drive with an open gate gear lever off to the driver’s right.
Flimsy butterfly doors opened with simple wire cables.
A single bucket seat was given some rudimentary padding but there was no other upholstery to speak of.
Safety gear extended to a set of Willans harnesses and apllmbed-in fire system.
WEIGHT / PERFORMANCE
The QVX was quoted with a weight of around 850kg.
In high downforce trim, circa 195mph was expected. In a more slippery low drag trim for Le Mans 210mph may have been possible.
Depending on gearing, 0-62mph required between 2.5 and 3.5 seconds.
1986 SEASON
Portman had hoped to debut the QVX at Monza for the opening round of the 1986 World Sportscar Championship (April 20th).
However, much to the disappointment of Unipart and the drivers, Lamborghini’s home event had to be missed because the car had only just been equipped with a transmission and remained completely untested.
The QVX subsequently missed the Silverstone 1000km (May 5th) and the all-important Le Mans 24 Hours (May 31st / June 1st).
Finally, after several months of delays owing to a second sponsor failing to materialise, the QVX finally emerged for its maiden test which took place at Silverstone during the fourth week of June.
Tiff Needell drove the car for 40 trouble-free laps and, although the suspension was far too soft and a basic cooking engine was installed, Needell managed an encouraging best of 1 minute 23 seconds which would have been good enough for 19th on the grid at the 1000km race a few weeks earlier. With a full-fat motor and properly configured suspension geometry, the team expected to be able to improve by several seconds.
Although future race plans were dependent on finding another sponsor, Portman were optimistic of appearing at the Brands Hatch 1000km on July 20th.
Unfortunately, that optimism turned out to be misplaced and a secondary sponsor never was found. With cash running out, Brian Gillibrand severed his connection with the team in the middle of July and defected to CBC Motorsport which ran a Metro 6R4 in the National Rally Championship.
Needless to say, hoped-for outings at Brands Hatch, the Nurburgring and Spa did not happen.
