1997

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In 1998 Erich Bitter and his former colleague Abarth factory rider Toine Hezemans investigated the building of a race car based on the Lotus Elise GT1 but with a more powerful engine.

Several adaptations to the chassis and body were needed to fit the Dodge Viper 8-litre V10 engine that was also planned for the Bitter TASCO. In the Bitter GT1 the engine would deliver 640 bhp.

Two cars were built. One for Hezemans' own racing team and another one for a Swiss customer.

At first Bitter's involvement was mainly needed for the homologation of the cars but it seems that they also considered a small series of street legal cars.

From the start the Bitter GT1's had technical problems, mainly with the gearbox. They were no match for the McLarens, Mercedes and Porsches in the GT1 class. The project was stopped after a few races only and the plans for a street legal version were also dropped.