Myth Buster
Gordon -Keeble GK1
Debunking the most common old wives’ tales 1 IT WAS GIUGIARO’S FIRST CAR DESIGN
The original Gordon GT debuted in 1960 at the Geneva Motor Show, designed by a fresh-faced 21-yearold stylist, Giorgetto Giugiaro, newly employed by Bertone at the time. It’s commonly believed that the GT was his first car design to be produced. However, a little earlier, Giugiaro had done some trial drawings for Nuccio Bertone – which were sold to Alfa Romeo and became the visually similar 2000 Sprint. So that was his actual opening salvo.
2 IT WAS FIRST WITH QUAD HEADLIGHTS
The Gordon Keeble is often cited as the first British production car to have four headlamps. True, when the prototype appeared in 1960, this was a ground-breaking aspect. But it then took four years to get to the model to market, by which time the Humber Super Snipe, the Lagonda Rapide and Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III had stolen its moment of headlight limelight.
3 A TORTOISE CRASHED THE PHOTOSHOOT
The story goes that the Gordon Keeble tortoise badge was chosen because one wandered into the inaugural photoshoot. The irony of a very slow creature emblazoned on a very fast car appealed to John Gordon and Jim Keeble. The actual shell-like encounter took place in August 1963, and the car was en-route to (not at) a press photo session when it was stopped by police searching for the Great Train Robbers. While officers were checking the boot, the tortoise appeared from some undergrowth. Jim Keeble picked it up and placed it on the bonnet – where it promptly peed and stripped off a patch of paint.