The Triumph Herald, introduced in 1959, had a backbone chassis, independent suspension on all four wheels and swing axles at the back. The Herald's layout of separate chassis and body allowed the introduction of other models based on the car, including the Vitesse, Spitfire and the GT6. The GT6 sports coupé was basically a fastback Spitfire but with a 2 litre, 6 cylinder engine.

The GT6 was introduced in 1966 and continued in production until 1973. It was developed through Mark I, II and III forms, together with the GT6 Plus which was for the North American export market. A total of 40,926 GT6 models were made in that time.