Thursday 2nd August 2018

Ginetta G40 GRDC: Spotted

Lusting after a proper racing car that you can drive onto the road for £17k? What a coincidence...

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Today's Spotted, we'll admit, is not for everyone. Certainly it is not for most people's other half. Or indeed anyone hoping to be transported about the place quietly or comfortably. But for those of us who'd like to see a calendar organised around race weekends, it's potentially the best of both worlds.

The model in question, a Ginetta G40 GRDC, is a road-legal race car. Not a race-inspired road car, or a road-adapted racing car, but a racing car that has been squeezed through all the mandatory road regulation tests, had a pair of number plates on it and then been let loose on the A64 outside HQ.

Buying a G40 means those with a racing licence are granted permission to enter the Ginetta Racing Drivers Club championship, where cars can (in theory) be driven to the circuit, raced to win and then driven home without making a single technical change (tyre tread permitting).

While Ginetta’s history stretches back to 1958, the G40 is a fairly new offering in its ranks. It was launched in 2010 and represented a big stride forward from the G20 open-top racer that came before it. It got more power and grip, but it stayed true to the G20’s simple, lightweight philosophy (it weighs 820kg) to ensure it remained relatively cheap to buy and run.

Power in the GRDC comes from a Ford Zetec 1.8-litre four-cylinder producing around 150hp (it’s sealed to prevent racers from fiddling with its internals), with drive sent rearwards through a Quaife ATB diff and a Mazda MX-5-sourced H-pattern five-speed manual gearbox. Grip is provided by a set of Avon ZZR tyres, which offer outstanding bite when hot, When cold… well, let’s just say you better have your wits about you.

Yet the feature most non-seasoned racers will notice upon their first stint in a G40 is the unassisted brake pedal, which requires muscle just to pull up onto the driveway without ploughing through the front room. Somewhat predictably, there’s also nothing in the way of electronic nannying controls, so you’re on your own. If you do stuff it though, at least the G40 comes with a full roll cage, bucket seats and harnesses…

This particular car comes ready to rock and roll. Fresh from receiving a new MOT it has a Racelogic VBOX data recorder so you can see on a laptop why you’re losing two tenths through turn five (or, perhaps, why your entry into Sainsbury's was off-line). There’s also an air conditioning system to prevent the G40 from turning into a two-door sauna, as many racing cars often do.

Admittedly, the 13,000 miles displayed on the odometer means it'll have had its fair share of use – that’s about 5,343 laps of Brands Hatch, for example. But read the description and you’ll notice that it hasn't raced since it was ‘upgraded’, which suggests that many of those miles could have been acquired away from the circuit. This is backed by the straightness of the car’s exterior, which, as far as we can tell, is battle scar-free.

Even with this in mind, splashing out £17k on a used car that’s completely one-dimensional will undoubtedly seem absurd to many people. We, of course, know better.

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SPECIFICATION – GINETTA G40 GRDC
Engine: 1,800cc, four-cylinder
Transmission: five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 150@ 7000rpm
Torque (lb ft): N/A
MPG: N/A
CO2: 182g/km
First registered: 2015
Recorded mileage: 13,000
Price new: £35,000
Yours for: £16,995

See the full ad here.

[Turbobanana]

Excellent car, deeply flawed mathematics:

"that’s about 5,343 laps of Brands Hatch Indy" - no, it isn't. You used the track length for the Grand Prix Circuit (2.433 miles) not the Indy (1.198).

[Justin S]

Looked at buying a 3000 mile car. Yes its a race car on the road, but the boot was full of bits that had already fallen off, the doors were sagging and the bonnet was grinding at the bodywork. Also made getting into an Exige easy work for a larger guy. But this is 10k less that the one I was looking at , so just beware of mileage / condition if you do. I liked them but was disappointed, so built a Wesfield.

[DMN]

Turbobanana said:

Excellent car, deeply flawed mathematics:

"that’s about 5,343 laps of Brands Hatch Indy" - no, it isn't. You used the track length for the Grand Prix Circuit (2.433 miles) not the Indy (1.198).

Also the A64 is some way from their HQ in Garforth. Perhaps they mean A63?

Great cars when they work. My friend runs in the GT5 series and he's constantly having to replace parts that have failed.

[Jimbo89]

I've raced one of these for the last two years (in GRDC then G40 Cup) and they're brilliant on track. Yes theyre a bit shonkily built in places but only about 500 of the 3000+ miles on mine have not been thrashing it round a track and I've had no major mechanical failures. They're not quick on the road, the rules limit them to 135bhp for racing and the track suspension means unless you have it full stiff on the road (almost undriveable) they bottom out everywhere! On track though they stick like glue through the corners.
They're also strong, having been hit by another car doing 70mph while stopped on track I can assure you that they hold up well in a bump!

At Spa 2 weeks ago before and after....

[turboblag]

This has been in the classifieds for an actual age ... just wish I had £17k to get it purchased!

[Krikkit]

The G40 is on my short-list for a look in a couple of years for a fun car, the cockpit and driving position felt great sitting in one at the PH:SS

[MerriDave]

I raced a G20 for a while a few years back. All the regulations for the championship referred to 'Manufacturers specification' but unfortunately there wasn't one. At that time the brilliantly named Martin Phaff who owned Ginetta built them from whatever crap he could find so every car was, lets be kind and say... bespoke.

I've heard they are worlds apart from those days.

[WCZ]

is the build quality really that bad?

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

this looks like insane value for money vs an mx5 or something

[dgmx5]

Jimbo89 said:

Congratulations sir on a well executed race car livery, bold, stylish and simple, something that seems to be beyond the wit of many racing teams these days including F1.

[Bazza79]

I've done a couple of days at Blyton Park with the Want 2 Race team and they are awesome fun!

The tyres definitely need some heat in them though, I span on my first session of the 2nd day on cold tyres - schoolboy error!

This one has been for sale for at least 12 months if not more, but pretty niche market I guess. If I had £17k spare for a track car this would be it - great car for learning the art of circuit driving.

[Mtreadwell]

It even has a cup holder. What more could you want?

[Jimbo89]

dgmx5 said:

Congratulations sir on a well executed race car livery, bold, stylish and simple, something that seems to be beyond the wit of many racing teams these days including F1.

Thanks! I suppose it's easier when you've only got one sponsor but I agree there are some very busy liveres out there these days.

[CM954]

What’s the road version of these like?
Barely ever see one for sale, just the GRDC cars

[CDP]

Surely it's a more practical proposition than a Caterham and much cheaper than a lot of old Ford Escorts?

17K looks pretty good value to me.

[Krikkit]

CM954 said:

What’s the road version of these like?
Barely ever see one for sale, just the GRDC cars

Apparently there's no separate, specific road version, just an option pack to make it legal.

[Riversides]

I owned a road going G40 for about a year. I ended up selling it because it had a terrible issue with exhaust fumes being sucked into the cabin. The factory were well aware of this issue on the road cars. Apparently it was aerodynamics at the tail causing the fumes to enter the cabin - they said they were working on a fix but I was so fed up with stinging eyes and sore throats that I gave up waiting. Im not sure if they did eventually find a solution?
The car was fun, but even with the 2 litre Duratec on throttle bodies it didn't feel that fast.

[lezdix]

Krikkit said:

CM954 said:

What’s the road version of these like?
Barely ever see one for sale, just the GRDC cars

Apparently there's no separate, specific road version, just an option pack to make it legal.

There was/is a road version, but my understanding is that they can barely keep up with GRDC and other Race car production so the road cars take a bit of aback seat (if they had one)

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ginetta/g40/f...

Edited by lezdix on Friday 3rd August 10:48

[ceebmoj]

lezdix said:

There was/is a road version, but my understanding is that they can barely keep up with GRDC and other Race car production so the road cars take a bit of aback seat (if they had one)

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ginetta/g40/f...

Edited by lezdix on Friday 3rd August 10:48

Indeed there is.

https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-spottedyky...

When Pistonheads ran this article a couple of years a go, I bought the car in the article and its amassing. I love driving it, last weak end I drove from Manchester to Gleneagles and then round and about on some of the amassing roads in the area before returning home on Sunday. It has taken me a couple of other fairly silly cars (sazuki capachino, Marcos Mantula, S1 Elise, Westfield clone with a Bike engine to name a couple) to come to the Ginetta G40R and wile there are things about each of the other cars that I love for example the Elise's stearing and the sequential gear box and bike engine an 430kg of car is something every one should experience at lease once. The Ginetta as a compleat package is my favorite and so engaging to drive. Unfortunately their are so many other things I want to try, so at some point it will have to sell it on but it will be a very sad day for me when that happens, I have never felt so attached to a car before.

In case thee was any doubt, if you are looking for something light, fun, which seams to get similes from every one and relay can relay can do it all. Go and check the G40 family out.

PS I may be bias but who isn't?

[ceebmoj]

Krikkit said:

CM954 said:

What’s the road version of these like?
Barely ever see one for sale, just the GRDC cars

Apparently there's no separate, specific road version, just an option pack to make it legal.

Not entirely true, I have one of the very small number of G40R's R for Road going. differences include the Duratec rather than Zetec engine for startes.

[lezdix]

ceebmoj said:

Krikkit said:

CM954 said:

What’s the road version of these like?
Barely ever see one for sale, just the GRDC cars

Apparently there's no separate, specific road version, just an option pack to make it legal.

Not entirely true, I have one of the very small number of G40R's R for Road going. differences include the Duratec rather than Zetec engine for startes.

Next weekend is the Owner's club 60th anniversary celebrations: Open to all. If you're in the first 100 Ginettas (99 actually because the events coordinator has already took one) you get a 60th anniversary dashboard plaque.

https://www.ginetta.com/news/free-event-ginetta-60...