Ginetta G40 R | Spotted
The best antidote to semi-autonomous driving? A racing car for the road...
PH has a Volkswagen Passat R-Line in at the moment; without giving away the verdict of an upcoming review, it's proving to be quite the long-distance cruiser. 272hp, long gears and adaptive dampers make munching hundreds of miles at outside lane pace an effortless occasion for the driver - especially when adaptive cruise handles the pedals, and lane keep assist reduces the steering load. It practically drives itself on the motorway, with the soft, fleshy thing behind the wheel there simply to ensure all remains in check while they listen to podcasts and work through a family-sized pack of Maltesers.
At the other end of the automotive bookshelf we find cars like the Ginetta G40R. This back-to-basics two-door does not understand how to regulate its own speed, nor does it recognise the importance of white lane lines or have space for bags of chocolate. The soft, fleshy thing behind the steering wheel is so integral to the process of driving it that they're best held tight in place via a set of harnesses, to avoid misreading the messages passed through its chassis. The G40R is a genuine G40 racing car with little more than numberplates slapped onto its nose and bum to keep the fellows at the DVLA happy. It does not, like so much and the Passat in particular, practically drive itself.
Many of those who've raced G40s will tell you of the challenge provided by these Yorkshire-made machines. Indeed, a short stint in one at Brands Hatch a few years back showed to this wannabe racer just how 'agile' they can be, with high-speed oversteer down Paddock Hill Bend confirming that the G40 is a car that needs to be learned before it gives up the goods. Learn to work with its natural nimbleness, however - enabled by a supermini-sized wheelbase and 850kg kerbweight - and the G40 quickly turns into one of the most rewarding driver's cars money can buy.
The naturally-aspirated 2.0 Duratec under the bonnet has a Fiesta ST-matching 200hp, but with so little mass 60mph comes in just 5.5 seconds - and that's with a five-speed manual gearbox, rather than the sequential bolted into the G40's higher-spec siblings. Drive is transmitted to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential, while double wishbone suspension at the front and rear gives the car fantastic body control and athletic responses to driver inputs. Where a Passat is deliberately rubberised, the G40R is unfiltered and pure. And brilliantly fast as a result.
That does, of course, all come at great cost. Only a madman would set off for a long motorway stint in the G40R, and they'd have to be a fan of heavy steering, road noise and a fidgety ride. G40Rs, even with an MOT certificate to permit their use on the streets, are often best transported on a trailer to open roads or the race track, where the car's motorsport roots enable it to hammer around lap after lap with no brake fade and consistent pace. G40Rs are not cheap, at more than £43k, but they're a league ahead of Porsche Caymans and similar sports cars in this regard.
Today's Spotted looks to be a good example that draws a nice bridge between a proper racing car and those road-focussed equivalents. This 2014 car has covered 5,500 miles, which is a decent distance for a G40R, likely thanks in part to the fitment of air conditioning and a heated windscreen, although with a roll cage and fire extinguisher on board, you'd be hard pressed to describe this as anything less than a racing car for the road. That being said, at £26,000 it's also firmly in hot hatch territory and therefore a significant chunk less than similar-aged Porsches. Although you do at least get a radio in those...
SPECIFICATION - GINETTA G40R
Engine: 1,999cc, in-line 4-cyl (Ford Duratec)
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 200@6,700rpm
Torque (lb ft): 140@5,000rpm
MPG: 29mpg (Ginetta figure)
CO2: 181g/km
First registered: 2014
Recorded mileage: 5,500
Price new: c. £43,200
Yours for: £26,000
Would this Ginetta be any worse? I’m sure it wouldn’t be as comfortable as a normal car but like my 911, much more fun when you got to the good roads.
I was nearly taken with it to be honest, until I looked at the fit and finish of these things, which from a design and engineering perspective seemed like a vehicle built in a shed.
It highlights, how far the European countries like Germany, Italy and France (not the mention other manufacturing countries like Japan) have come with engineering; hence people opting for Mazdas, Porches, Fiats and Alpines, over this little number.
Shame because at first glance, it is an attractive little pocket rocket.
I was nearly taken with it to be honest, until I looked at the fit and finish of these things, which from a design and engineering perspective seemed like a vehicle built in a shed.
It highlights, how far the European countries like Germany, Italy and France (not the mention other manufacturing countries like Japan) have come with engineering; hence people opting for Mazdas, Porches, Fiats and Alpines, over this little number.
Shame because at first glance, it is an attractive little pocket rocket.
I was nearly taken with it to be honest, until I looked at the fit and finish of these things, which from a design and engineering perspective seemed like a vehicle built in a shed.
It highlights, how far the European countries like Germany, Italy and France (not the mention other manufacturing countries like Japan) have come with engineering; hence people opting for Mazdas, Porches, Fiats and Alpines, over this little number.
Shame because at first glance, it is an attractive little pocket rocket.
That said as the GT86 shows cracking the enthusiast market is bloody hard so now it's more a case of i'm glad these Ginettas exist but realistically doubt I'l get my hands on one.
I was nearly taken with it to be honest, until I looked at the fit and finish of these things, which from a design and engineering perspective seemed like a vehicle built in a shed.
It highlights, how far the European countries like Germany, Italy and France (not the mention other manufacturing countries like Japan) have come with engineering; hence people opting for Mazdas, Porches, Fiats and Alpines, over this little number.
Shame because at first glance, it is an attractive little pocket rocket.
I was nearly taken with it to be honest, until I looked at the fit and finish of these things, which from a design and engineering perspective seemed like a vehicle built in a shed.
The handling hopefully is some recompense
Autocar got 60 in 6.3, 100 in 17.2 with a 175bhp version
28mpg average
You’d perhaps expect a little more performance as the original Lotus Elise with 118bhp achieved similar with a bit less weight
BL was a necessity merger between BMH & Leyland Motors and didn't buy up any other car makers - actually, it was the opposite, with Jaguar sold off before BL was itself sold to BAE. BL's problems, which led to collapse, nationalisation and eventual sale to by BAE to BMW, were much more to do with the 1970's labour issues (itself a bigger British industry hari-kiri story), and perhaps lack of sufficient capital from the outset.
from wiki on BMH "....The Wilson Labour Government (1964–1970) came to power at a time when British manufacturing industry was in decline and decided that the remedy was to promote more mergers, particularly in the motor industry. Chrysler was already buying into the Rootes Group, Leyland Motors had acquired Standard Triumph in 1961 (and would buy Rover in 1967) and had become a major automotive force. The British Motor Corporation (BMC) was suffering a dramatic drop in its share of the home market. Tony Benn, appointed Minister of Technology in July 1966, brought pressure to bear on the industry and one result was BMH's merger with Leyland to form British Leyland..."
I still really like them. Sure, they don’t have the fit and finish of the modern sports/GT cars, but that’s not what it’s about. I think they compete with cars like the Elise and the Seven, depending on your preference for engine location, wind in your hair, and ratio of B-road vs track driving.
These things are not great on the road. My car is touring spec, so extra sound deadening and flocked interior, but even so this is not an elise. Mine has 135bhp, no traction control, no ABS, no brake servos, no power steering, no anything. On the old dampers (changed with regs when I moved from GRDC to G40 Cup) they were either so firm the car would jump off the road or so soft it would bottom out on a small bump. It's slower than almost anything on the road, despite weighing very little, the brakes are terrible on the road and the fit and finish is race car levels (looks great from the edge of the track and a bit wonky up close, look at any race car).
That being said, it's quite comfortable on a long drive (I did a round trip to Rockingham once, about 280 miles in a day) even if you're 6'5" like me. They're reliable, rare on the road, the Ginetta team are great and they're made in the UK. I love mine to bits.
Mines done 6k miles and about 1000 were on the road. Race cars are cheaper too, you can pick them up in a road legal spec for £14-17k + VAT.
Get it on track though and all of a sudden it makes 100% absolute sense. If you get a chance (https://want2race.co.uk/) go and give one a go.
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