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ALTHOUGH the faithful MGB presents an excellent value-for-money buy for potential sports car motorists, the Triumph GT6 offers a great deal for a somewhat smaller outlay. With a basic tax-paid price of f:1373, the GT6 gives a great deal of performance combined with attractive looks. We haven't been able to try a new model, but the Chequered Flag at Chiswick loaned us a really pristine 1971 (K-registration) model to give us an idea of relatively inexpensive GT driving.

Despite a modest tally of around 14,000 miles in its one year and a bit life, the bright red GT6 really was in superb condition. The paintwork was unblemished and obviously the car had been the property of an enthusiast. Powered by the six-cylinder 2- litre motor which used to propel the Vitesse, the GT6 was fitted with overdrive, very much a worthwhile option.

While hardly stunning in appearance, the GT6, with its ancestry in the Spitfire range, certainly is a pretty car. Everywhere we went people admired it, and certainly the flowing rear roofline is a distinct improvement over the Spitfire series. Inside the Triumph is tastefully fitted out and every- thing falls to hand pretty readily, although it does feel rather narrow.

Being Triumph, the steering is excellent and precise, and the car has a fabulous lock. The gearbox is light to use, as is the clutch, while the overdrive, combined with the 2-litre power, gives plenty of opportunity for fairly quick driving. From a standing start, for example, 60mph comes up in just over 10 secs, and in overdrive top 110 mph can be reached, although we would put the true long-distance cruising speed more in the 95mph bracket. But these figures are very much to the credit of the GT6, certainly compared to the more expensive MGB GT, which takes almost 2secs longer to 60mph.

For its size, the two litres under the bonnet make the Triumph a good proposition, unlike some of the smaller range lie Midget and Spitfire) sports cars where the performance potential is being used all the time. Fuel consumption works out at around 30mpg average, which puts this very much above most comparable saloons in this respect. The combination of the light and responsive steering and a compact car make the GT6 pretty easy to handle, although the brakes on the test car left something to be desired.

With good instrumentation and comfortable seating for two, and a brisk performance, the GT6 has more than looks on its side. We look forward to testing it fully later this year, and in the. meantime the Chequered Flag always have one or two in stock.