Galag TG1

As the over-hyped extravaganza of wealth, bad taste, bad driving and unbridled machismo that is the Gumball 3000 got underway yesterday in Denmark, there was one car on”grid” which looked like nothing else. It’s the number 73 car, run by Team Galag from Saudi Arabia (who also brought along a replica of Batman’s Tumbler). It’s called the Galag TG1, and basically it’s a heavily modified Nissan GT-R. However it’s undergone such a transformation, that from the outside the only giveaway is the GT-R’s distinctive roofline.

Now I’m not going to say the TG1 is the ugliest car I’ve ever seen. I remember seeing a Robin Reliant with go-faster stripes and three-spoke alloy wheels back in the ’90s that was probably worse. But that’s about it. The TG1 really is a prime example of the old adage, “money can’t buy taste”.

However one thing it can buy is the services of an engine builder like Litchfield. Who’ve managed to tune the 3.8 litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine so it now produces 750 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque. It takes just 2.6 seconds for the Galag TG1 to reach 62 mph (100 km/h) from standstill, while the top speed is a blistering 211 mph (340 km/h). Those performance numbers are both impressive, and a blessing. If you are unlucky enough to set eyes on it. At least it won’t be for long.