1970 Régal Coati 1700 GTE
Description and specs
Coming back from a trip in latin america, the lead designer at Régal had the idea of making a cheap sport car for developing markets. Little did he know it would become incredibly popular in america as well.
The very striking Coati GTE is the result of this new endeavour. Offered in any color (as long as it is yellow), this 2 doors/2 seats coupe looks menacing with a very long nose, side gill-like vents and a stubby rear housing the boxer engine. With proven and patented Régal top down cooling already at work here, the extra side louvers and vent channels did not actually provide much extra cooling, but was kept because it was the team’s favorite design element. (it did not help the abysmal drag however…)
The 1.7-liter is based on the proven DOHC racing/performance Régal engine, but has a cast iron block and has been downscaled to a single overhead cam to reduce costs. Performance is not compromised however, with about 110 horsepower on this very light steel chassis weighing under 850kg resulting in acceleration to 100 km/h in around 8 seconds, and top speed reaching 188 km/h.
While fast, it is also controllable and fun to drive with independent front and rear suspensions. The 5-speed manual gearbox sending power to the rear provides dependable performance. The alloy wheels, premium leather and wood interior, AM radio, the latest security features all makes this a very coveted package for a MSRP of under 2,500 USD (in 1970) - the value here is hard to beat.
You can’t pass this up, visit your dealership today.
