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Ginetta Cars Limited is a British specialist builder of racing and sports cars based in Garforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire.


History


20th century

Ginetta was founded in 1958 by four Walklett brothers (Bob, Ivor, Trevers and Douglas) in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Their first product, the Fairlight, was a glass-fibre body shell priced at £49 for fitting to a Ford chassis. The first car, not destined for production, which subsequently became known as the Ginetta G1, was based on a pre-war
Wolseley Hornet six The Wolseley Hornet is a six-cylinder twelve fiscal horsepower lightweight automobile which was offered as a saloon car, coupé and open two-seater as well as the usual rolling chassis for bespoke coachwork. Produced by Wolseley Motors Limited ...
. The four Walklett brothers each had their areas of expertise: Bob was the managing director, Douglas was the mechanical engineer and also handled the electrical work, Ivor was the designer and Trevers was the stylist, working closely with Ivor. From their original base, the company moved to Witham, Essex, in 1962, and between 1972 and 1974 operated from larger premises in Ballingdon Street adjacent to the railway bridge Sudbury, Suffolk, before returning to Witham. In 1988, the Walklett brothers needed bigger premises and so moved the company to Scunthorpe where they could expand. On 7 November 1989, the Walkletts sold Ginetta to an international group of enthusiasts, based in Sheffield and run by managing director Martin Phaff. Ginetta was in a strong financial position at the time of its sale and the Walkletts went on to retire. Under Phaff, the company went on to produce the Ginetta G20 and the Ginetta G33. It was during this period that the company hit troubled times.


21st century

In late 2005, Ginetta was acquired by LNT Automotive, a company run by racing car driver, engineer and businessman Lawrence Tomlinson. His aims were in line with the founders; to produce innovative, capable and great value sports cars. In mid-2007, Ginetta moved to a factory near Leeds, with a target to sell 200 cars per year. Tomlinson himself penned the base specification for the Ginetta G50, which marked 50 years of Ginetta production and became a successful GT4 car. In March 2010, Ginetta acquired the Somerset-based sports car manufacturer Farbio, and re-badged their car as the Ginetta F400. In March 2011, Ginetta launched the G55, which competed in the
Michelin Michelin (; ; full name: ) is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ''région'' of France. It is the second largest tyre manufacturer in the world behind Bridgestone and la ...
Ginetta GT Supercup and was built to comply to the GT3 class regulations. In October 2011, Ginetta launched the G60, a two-door mid-engine sports car developed from the F400 and powered by a Ford-sourced 3.7 litre V6 engine. In 2017, Ginetta acquired Blyton Park test circuit near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, as a proving track to help develop road and race models.


Models

Models produced by Ginetta include the following:


G2

Ginetta's first car, the G2, was produced as a kit car for enthusiasts and consisted of a tubular frame chassis to take Ford components and aluminium body. About 100 were produced.


G3 and G4

The G3 was introduced with a glass fibre body in 1959 to be followed by the G4 in 1961. The G4 used the new Ford 105E engine and had a glass fibre GT-style body along with the suspension updated to coil springing at the front with a Ford live axle at the rear. Whereas the G2 and G3 had been designed for racing, the G4 was usable as an everyday car but still was very competitive in motorsport with numerous successes. In 1963, a coupé variant was introduced alongside the open-top variant and a BMC axle replaced the Ford unit at the rear. In road tests, the car attains a top speed of with a 1,500 cc engine. The series III version of 1966 added pop-up headlights. Production stopped in 1968 but was revived in 1981 with the Series IV which was wider and longer than the III. Over 500 units were made up to 1969 with a variety of Ford engines.


G4 Series IV

The G4 was re-introduced in 1981 as the G4 Series IV, with a new chassis.Peter Higston, The Enthusiasts' Guide to Buying a Classic British Sports Car, 2007, page 60 It was produced through to 1984 with approximately 35 examples built. The Series IV was powered by a 1,599 cc Ford four-cylinder engine.


G10, G11 and G12

Launched at the 1965 Racing car show, the Ginetta G10 was meant to be a more powerful racing car than its predecessors. Weighing around and fitted with a V8 engine from the
Ford Mustang The Ford Mustang is a series of American automobiles manufactured by Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its sixth generation, it is the fifth-best selli ...
, it was well received by the enthusiasts. Ginetta works driver Chris Meek secured a win with a prototype at the car's debut at Brands Hatch, beating a
Jaguar E-Type The Jaguar E-Type, or the Jaguar XK-E for the North American market, is a British sports car that was manufactured by Jaguar Cars Ltd between 1961 and 1974. Its combination of beauty, high performance, and competitive pricing established the m ...
which was considered to be the most successful GT racing car. However Ginetta failed to make a homologated version of the G10 in order for it to keep competing and as a result, it was forced out of the competition with a total production of only three cars. Following the reception the G10 had generated, Ginetta produced the G11, a street legal version of the G10 with the same body but with the Ford V8 replaced by the MGB 1800 engine. However, slow deliveries of the engine curbed production of the car and therefore only a handful were made. Unveiled in 1966, the G12 was an evolution of the G4 but had many new features that made it stand apart from its predecessors. The car had a new tubular steel space frame chassis, with the cockpit section mounted to it for extra strength, while removable body work allowed for easy repair. The front suspension consisted of Triumph-derived uprights and double wishbones (with camber adjustment courtesy of rose-joints on the upper items) and coil springs. While, at the rear, the usual arrangement of single upper transverse links with lower reversed wishbones (with rose-joints) and radius arms was present, along with coil springs. The car was fitted with anti-roll bars for increased safety, and the Triumph-sourced Girling disc brakes at the front and rear ensured increased stopping power. Power came from a 1.0 litre Cosworth SCA inline-four engine, though larger engines were fitted later such as an
Aston Martin Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC is an English manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers. Its predecessor was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Steered from 1947 by David Brown, it became associated with ...
V8, but were less successful. The G12 dominated the competition in its class, outclassing Lotus Elan 26Rs and Coventry Climaxes, winning the 1,150 cc MN series. Outside track racing, the G12 also found success at hill climb events, before it was replaced by the G16. Approximately 28 were built.


G15

In 1967 the
G15 The Group of 15 (G-15)Thofficial website adopts the "G-15" orthography (with a hyphen) in order to distinguish an abbreviated reference to this group -- contrasts with other similarly named entities. is an informal forum set up to foster coopera ...
, utilizing a rear-mounted 875 cc
Sunbeam Imp An imp is a European mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ''ympe'', used to denote a young grafted tree. Imps are often described as trou ...
engine, was launched.Michael Sedgwick & Mark Gillies, A-Z of Cars 1945-1970, page 82 This two-seat coupé had a glass fibre body bolted to a tube chassis and used Imp rear and Triumph front suspension. Approximately 800 were produced from 1967 to 1974 and the car was fully type approved allowing for complete Ginetta cars to be sold for the first time. Eight G15s were produced with Volkswagen engines and called "Super S".


G21

In 1970, the G15 was joined by the larger G21, which was initially available with either a 4-cylinder 1.75 litre sourced from the Rootes Group (Sunbeam) or a 3.0 litre Ford Essex V6 engine. The car largely used Rootes components. The 1.7 litre Sunbeam Rapier engine subsequently became the standard four-cylinder engine for the car. 80 cars in total were produced before production ceased in 1974 due to the oil crisis. The car was later morphed into an open top G23 and G24 coupé version but none of those variants went to production.


G19 and G20

The G19 was a single seater
Formula 3 Formula Three, also called Formula 3, abbreviated as F3, is a third-tier class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One driv ...
racing car of which only one was produced.


GRS Tora

Trevor Walklett owned a 1968
Hillman Hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
which had been put up due to rust. Inspired by the success of the
Dutton Sierra Dutton Cars, based in Worthing, Sussex, England, was a maker of kit cars between 1970 and 1989. In terms of number of kits produced, it was the largest kit-car manufacturer in the world. The company was founded by Tim Dutton-Woolley and run fro ...
estate kit car, Ginetta developed a Range Rover-inspired fibreglass station wagon body for installation onto the Hunter's underpinnings. Called the GRS Tora Mark I it was first shown in October 1982, going on sale the next year. Although it was a two-door estate, it used the front doors of a four-door Hunter. These are shorter than a normal two-door design, leading to limited rear seat access and somewhat awkward proportions. More troubling was that the Hunter's fuel tank and filler location meant that the rear gate opening was very high, limiting the cars utility. In October 1983, a GRS Tora Pickup was shown. Pyman, p. 6 In August 1984, the GRS Tora Mark II started deliveries. This version rectified the concerns with the rear opening, with a relocated fuel tank (and filler now mounted on the flank of the car) allowing for a full-height rear gate. Being more expensive than the simpler Mark I model the two were offered side by side. Sales of the GRS Tora helped Ginetta stay afloat in the 1980s, but by 1988 Tora production gradually came to a halt as the market was changing and donor cars were becoming rarer. At the July 1989 Newark Kit Car Show, Ginetta showed a GRS Tora Mark III. Unlike previous models, this was a four-door estate (of a rather beefy appearance) on Ford Cortina saloon underpinnings. It used the doors as well as the taillights of a Mark IV Cortina four-door saloon, and had Cortina engines or the option of a Perkins diesel. Only two were built, and Ginetta went back to its main business of making sports cars. All in all, about 320 Toras of all variants were built.


G26, G28, G30 and G31

Following reorganisation, the company moved to Scunthorpe and began making cars in kit form again in the 1980s starting with the G27 and followed by the G26, G28, G30 and G31, with all cars using Ford parts. The G26 was the first model to arrive, in 1984. The G26 and G31 both used flip-up headlamps; the G26 and G30 were fastback coupés while the G28 and G31 had a
notchback A notchback is a design of a car with the rearmost section that is distinct from the passenger compartment and where the back of the passenger compartment is at an angle to the top of what is typically the rear baggage compartment. Notchback cars ...
profile. The design used the Ford Cortina Mk3/Mk4 drivetrain and parts installed in a galvanized steel chassis of Ginetta's own construction. Originally, only four-cylinder engines could be fitted, but the G28's taller bonnetline made room for Ford's Cologne V6 engine. The bodywork was fibreglass, although the doors were the
Ford Fiesta The Ford Fiesta is a supermini car marketed by Ford since 1976 over seven generations. Over the years, the Fiesta has mainly been developed and manufactured by Ford's European operations, and has been positioned below the Escort (later the ...
's steel units. The rear window on the fastback designs was also from the Fiesta, while the sportier notchbacks used the small window from the Sierra XR4i. 280 G26 were built. While the G31 was the last addition to the G26 line, it sold pretty well, with around 70 cars finished. Six G28 and fourteen G30 were finished, although since these cars were only available as kits it is unknown how many kits were actually sold. The total production of the G26 and its derivatives is about 370 cars. The G29 code was assigned to a one-off competition car for the Thundersports racing series.


G27

The G27, which was introduced in November 1985, was a two-seater sports car derived from the G4. It uses the front suspension from the Triumph Vitesse, a modified Jaguar independent rear suspension, and could be fitted with a wide range of engines up to the Rover V8. This design was then used for the G33's bodywork as well.


G32 and G33

It was decided to re-enter the complete car business with the mid-engined G32 with a choice of 1.6 or 1.9 litre four-cylinder engine, available as a coupé or convertible and the G33 speedster which was equipped with a 3.9 litre Rover V8 capable of a top speed of and a acceleration time of 5 seconds. In 1990, the G32 coupé cost £13,700 (), the convertible £14,600 (), and the G33 £17,800 (). The G33 was a development of the G27, itself derived from the G4. Unlike the G27, the G33 was only available as a complete car. In terms of appearance, the windshield, with its body-coloured frame, was the main difference compared to the G27. Under the body, the G33 used the suspension parts from the rear-wheel drive Ford Sierra Cosworth, rather than the mixed setup from the G27.


G50

After Ginetta was acquired by Lawrence Tomlinson in 2005, the company began work on the design of the Ginetta G50 - utilising a 3.5 litre V6 engine, generating a power output of - to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. In 2007, the car competed in its first race in the European GT4 Cup, in Nogaro France, finishing second. Soon after this success, the car was officially launched at Autosport International in early 2008 alongside its sister car, the Ginetta G50 GT4. Together, they have become Ginetta's best selling cars, and have race wins that include the Dubai 24 Hour endurance race in 2012 with
Optimum Motorsport Optimum Motorsport is a motorsport team known for success in sportscar racing, primarily with Ginetta and McLaren GT cars. Optimum also race under the Inception Racing banner. Their record includes championship wins in 2013 British GT4, class ...
.


G60

In March 2010, Lawrence acquired the Somerset-based sports car manufacturer Farbio, and in doing so inherited the F400, which was subsequently redesigned, redeveloped and rebranded from the Farbio Marque, into the Ginetta G60; a two-door mid-engined sports car which shares the same 3.7-litre V6 engine as its G55 GT3 stablemate and is capable of in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of .


G40

In 2010, Lawrence implemented a newer, safer car into the existing Ginetta Junior series and in doing so, replaced the old Ginetta G20 race car with a G40J. Following the success of the G40J, Ginetta decided to introduce a Ginetta G40 Challenge car for the adult racers in its Challenge series. With the same engine as its sister car, the G40 Challenge car is capable of and competes against existing G20 models. Today, the car features heavily in the Total Quartz Ginetta GT5 Challenge. Ginetta unveiled its second road car, the
Ginetta G40R The Ginetta G40 is a sports car which has been built by Ginetta Cars since 2010. It is available in two versions; a road-going version, named the G40R, and the race version, the G40, which is available in two specifications; one of which is the G ...
, in 2011. It was designed to mimic the Walklett brothers' original vision of 'a race car for the road'. Capable of in 5.8 seconds, the G40R shares a number of characteristics with its racing siblings.


G55

2011 saw the introduction of the G55 Cup car to the Ginetta GT Supercup, which, until that point, had only featured the G50 Cup car. Offering a 3.7 litre V6 engine generating a maximum power output of , the car provided Ginetta with the basis for their Ginetta G55 GT3 car; a larger spec car which gives GT teams a 4.35 L V8 powerplant.


Akula

On 5 March 2019, at the Geneva International Motor Show, Ginetta announced a new 6.0L Ginetta/Chevrolet LS2 OHV V8 supercar called the Akula (Акула), Russian for "shark".


Motorsport


Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup

The Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup is a single-class race series which features the Ginetta G50 and G55 sports cars; running in support of the British Touring Car Championship. The championship began as the Ginetta G50 Cup in 2008, supporting the
British Formula Three Championship British Formula Three Championship may refer to: *British Formula 3 International Series, a class of auto racing for Formula 3 open wheeled single seater racing cars, which took place from 1951 to 2014 *BRDC British Formula 3 Championship Th ...
and British GT Championship. In 2009, it moved to support the BTCC. In 2011, with the introduction of the Ginetta G55, the championship became the Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup. The 2014 season will be the fourth running of the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, but it will be the first year in which the G50 GT4 and G55 GT4 cars are consolidated into one single class. In order to maintain fair competition, the two models will be equalised through a balance of performance test.


Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge

The Protyre Motorsport
Ginetta GT5 Challenge The Ginetta GT5 Challenge, currently known as the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge for sponsorship reasons (It has also been previously known as the Ginetta 20 Challenge) is a one-make racing series based in the United Kingdom. The seri ...
offers a unique, low-cost opportunity to race in a single-make racing championship, over seven race weekends supporting the
British GT The British GT Championship is a sports car racing series based predominantly in the United Kingdom. The series was originally created by the British Racing Drivers' Club in 1993 and, for its first two seasons, was known as the National Sports GT ...
package. For 2014, the series will once again return to Spa for an international round alongside the Swedish Ginetta Challenge series. A popular entry-level championship for many GT racers, the series boasts packed grids with close racing. All weekends are triple headers, providing 21 races throughout the season, with all races counting towards the final championship positions.


Prototype

Ginetta supplies customer
LMP3 A Le Mans Prototype (LMP) is the type of sports prototype race car used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA SportsCar Championship, European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series. Le Mans Prototypes were create ...
cars for the
European Le Mans Series The European Le Mans Series (abbreviated as ELMS) is a European sports car racing endurance series inspired by the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The European Le Mans Series is similar to the fo ...
and Asian Le Mans Series as well as the
IMSA Prototype Challenge IMSA Prototype Challenge (formerly IMSA Prototype Lites) is a racing series featuring two classes of single-seat prototype cars racing simultaneously. The series is sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). Most races are ...
. In 2017, Ginetta developed a LMP1 class car the
Ginetta G60-LT-P1 The Ginetta G60-LT-P1 is a non-hybrid Le Mans Prototype built by Ginetta for use in the LMP1 category for the FIA World Endurance Championship, as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The G60-LT-P1 had its competition debut at the 2018 24 Hours Of L ...
. For the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship season Ginetta entered 2 G60-LT-P1 in the WEC series in conjunction with TRSM Racing Manor. At the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans, the #5 car finished 5th in class, while the #6 car retired after 10 hours due to persistent electrical issues.


See also

*
List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom :''This list is incomplete. You can help by adding correctly sourced information about other manufacturers.'' As of 2018 there are approximately 35 active British car manufacturers and over 500 defunct British car manufacturers. This page lists ...


References


Bibliography

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External links


Official Ginetta Cars website

Ginetta Owners Club

Ginetta Racing Site

Ginetta Club
{{Ginetta seasons 1958 establishments in England British racecar constructors Car brands Car manufacturers of the United Kingdom Kit car manufacturers Motor vehicle manufacturers of England Privately held companies of the United Kingdom Sports car manufacturers Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1958