Just 26 MkIII 289 Cobras were made before AC collapsed in 1967 and so the enduring popular image of the marque is the Shelby 427 Cobra which became legend after winning class honours at Le Mans in 1965.

Andrew Burrows chose the rare MkIII 289 for his inspiration, not only because he regarded this as the best AC model ever made but also to differentiate his car from the majority of others available at the time. Unlike its more overtly muscular American brother, the 289 was lighter, more agile and aimed very much at the European landscape of narrow, winding roads.

With the first coil spring and wishbone chassis together with the latest lightweight V8, GD created a highly competent road and track car with superb handling. This significant development was the manifestation of the GD philosophy. The first model offered was designated GD Mk3.