The European GTM Coupe that never was

The so-called Baumann Coupe, said to be a French version of the Midas Gold (which turns out to be a hoax - story here), prompted reader Paul Beradi to write me about another European version of a well-known Mini based kit car I'd completely forgotten about: the GTM Coupe. An Export version, which received a different front to comply to European legislation was made with the Belgian market in mind. I found two photos of the car with the different front, with GTM's Paddy Fitch and Peter Beck proudly standing behind it. Which Kit magazine wrote about it. This is what the article said:

"In late 1985, early 1986, a Belgian enthusiast, Benny Massy, got the GTM duo all in a flutter with big talk of selling the Coupe in turnkey form with 1275cc Mini engines. The project got particularly serious when Peter and Paddy actually drove the current Coupe demo car out to Belgium for it to be inspected by the Belgian customers talking big. As for the bonnet, even UK customers gradually came to their senses and returned to the purer original design." Do any cars with the Euro-front survive?

Patrick Fitch (left) and Peter Beck with the Euro-fronted GTM Coupe in 1986

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

And now smile! Restyled front was not a success and Belgian export plans totally failed

Picture Jeroen Booij archive

This is the car's original front with standard Mini bumper, separate indicators and straight spoiler

Picture Jeroen Booij

The same front but now with the standard indicators and the bumper removed

Picture Jeroen Booij

This Coupe's front is even more modified with the bumper-lip removed. This car is in South-Africa

Picture courtesy Leon Daniels