New Ginetta G60 Road Car Revealed
1080kgs, 310bhp, and no 'nanny-ish' driver aids...
Well that's the theory, and judging by our briefest of spells behind the wheel of Ginetta's prototype a couple of months back, we reckon they're onto something. The final production version pictured here is being launched at Silverstone next week.
Ginetta plans to build fifty G60s annually 'for global distribution' priced at £68,000, so don't expect to see many out and about. Students of automotive history will also recognise the car's origins - it started life a decade ago as the Farboud/Farbio GTS, before Ginetta's owner Lawrence Tomlinson bought the project in 2010 and renamed it the F400. Then he took it back to the drawing board...
Sharing an engine with Ginetta's GT3 racer - it's a revamped Ford Cyclone V6 - coupled to a six speed manual gearbox, the new G60 roadster is said to be good for 165mph and a 0 to 60mph time of 4.9secs.
That's quick by anyone's standards, but out-and-out performance isn't really the point of the G60 which has been developed entirely round the promise of a 'pure' type of driving pleasure unadulterated by nanny-ish add-ons. So gone are the servo brakes, power assisted steering, ABS and traction control.
In fact, Ginetta claims to have entirely 'deconstructed' the F400 keeping only the exterior shape, whilst making minor improvements to aerodynamics by adding carbon fibre cooling vents and a revised splitter.
There are new larger grooved and drilled disks with Alcon 4 pot brake callipers all round, the ECU and wiring harness is bespoke for improved reliability, and the driver's seat position has been re-evaluated. The pedals have been realigned and even the accelerator pedal grooves have been changed from a horizontal to a vertical plane for smoother throttle operation.
Over the last six years Lawrence Tomlinson has taken the Ginetta marque from what the company itself calls 'a nostalgic relic of the 60s - 70s', and turned it into a genuine force in British motorsport. With the new Ginetta G40R road car already receiving positive reviews, it will be fascinating to see how the G60 moves the marque forward.
G60 SPEC:
Engine – 3.7 litre Ford Cyclone V6
Location – Mid-rear transverse
CO2 - TBC
Power – 310bhp @ 6500rpm
Torque – 288ft/lb @ 4500rpm
Transmission– 6 speed gearbox coupled to an Automatic Torque Biasing (ATB) differential
Front / Rear Suspension – Double Wishbones with coil springs
Front Brakes– 4 pot callipers, 356mm x 32mm discs
Rear Brakes– 4 pot callipers, 355mm x 28mm discs
Wheels – 19’’ Alloy Wheels
Tyres – Michelin Pilot Sport 3. Front – 235/35/ZR19, Rear – 285/35ZR19
Weight (kerb)– 1080kg
Power-to-weight – 305.6bhp/tonne
0-60 – 4.9s
Top speed – 165mph
Front Track width - 1870mm
Rear Track width -1885mm
Front overhang- 815mm
Rear overhang- 790mm
Economy – 31mpg (average)
Controls - Satellite navigation, Bluetooth, audio and climate controls via centrally mounted 7” touchscreen.
Basic price– £68000
Available – First customer deliveries expected Feb 2012
3.7 litre engine
ATB differential
Fly-by-wire throttle
Full new wiring loom
ECU
Pedal box
Chassis
Interior modifications
New Carbon Fibre Air intake
Revised cooling vents
Air conditioning
Full Braking system (including master cylinders, callipers, discs, brake pads and handbrake)Steering column
Steering rack
Uprights
Wishbones
Touch screen instrument system
Front and rear lights
Dashboard
Clutch
Revised cooling system
Removal of power steering
Electrical window mechanism
I'll take the Exige V6.
I'll take the Exige V6.
On paper this sounds brilliant. I think the changes are just right too: making it lighter and without driving aids means it doesn't compete directly with Porsche et al, which is good.
I wish I were in the market for a two-seater (really need 4 because of my daughter) otherwise I'd be really interested. Of course, other problem is that I am in Switzerland and I doubt Ginetta are selling to that market.
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