Ginetta - marque/manufacturer information
List of all Ginetta cars
Ginetta Cars was founded in 1958 by the four Walklett brothers (Bob, Ivor, Trevers and Douglas) in Woodbridge, Suffolk, England.
Road Cars
The first car, the G2, was produced as a kit for enthusiasts and consisted of a tubular frame chassis to take Ford components and aluminium body. About 100 were made.The G3 was introduced with 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 and the suspension was updated to coil springing at the front with Ford live axle at the rear. Where the G2 and G3 had been designed for competition the G4 was usable as an everyday car but still was very competitive in Motor Sport with numerous successes. Over 500 were made up to 1969 with a variety of Ford engines. In 1963 a coupe was introduced alongside the open car and a BMC axle replaced the Ford one at the rear. On test the car reached 120 mph with a 1500 cc engine. The series III version of 1966 added the then popular pop up headlights.
The G10 and G11 from 1964 were higher powered versions with Ford V8 and MGB engines respectively. The G12 was a mid-engined competition car.
In 1967 the G15 was launched with Hillman Imp engine. This two seater coupe had a glass fibre body bolted to a tube chassis and used Imp rear and Triumph front suspension. Over 800 were made up to 1974 and the car was fully type approved allowing for the first time complete Ginetta cars to be sold.
In 1970 it was joined by the larger G21 available with 1725 cc Sunbeam Rapier or 3 litre Ford V6 engines. To cater for increased production the company moved to a new factory at Sudbury, Suffolk.
Following reorganisation the company moved to Scunthorpe and started making cars in kit form again in the 1980's starting with the G27, an update on the old G4, and the G26 and G31 using Ford parts. It was also decided to re-enter the complete car business with the mid engined G32 with a choice of 1.6 and 1.9 litre 4 cylinder engines available as a coup� or convertible and the G33 coup� with 3.9 litre V8 power capable of 145 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 5 seconds. In 1990 the G32 coup� cost �13700, the convertible �14600 and the G33 �17800.
Under the Walkletts, the company enjoyed 31 years of solvent trading without any Government handouts and under the skilful leadership of Bob Walklett the company always adapted to suit the economic conditions of the day.
Following the retirement of the Walkletts in 1989 the company was sold but failed and was then bought by an international group of enthusiasts and based in Sheffield and run by managing director Martin Phaff producing the G20 and G33.
In late 2005 Ginetta was acquired by LNT Automotive, a company run by Yorkshire businessman and racing car driver Lawrence Tomlinson. Plans were announced for an enlarged factory near Leeds to replace the Sheffield works with a target to sell 300 cars a year in 2007.
For 2007 the model line up is the G20 and GT4. The G20 is available in road, rally or race specification and the GT4 is designed for the Playstation Junior Championship for drivers aged 14 to 16.
Other companies making Ginetta designed cars
Gin1
In 1995 there was a company called Gin1 in Sweden that started producing a version of the Ginetta G34 but redesigned to use Volvo engines. The company managed to get a unique deal with Volvo so they were able to buy engines from Volvo. They also managed to get it type approved, but the project folded with only a few cars made.
Swedish G34 road testSwedish G34 photos
DARE
Confusingly there is another company producing an updated G4, as a subcontractor in the shape of Dare (Design and Research Engineering) which was founded by two of the original brothers and Trevers' son Mark in 1991. DARE came about because Martin Phaff sold the commercial rights for the G4 and G12 models to a Japanese company. Although Ginetta Cars continued to produce the G4 for Japan, they did not want to make any G12 models. Therefore, the Japanese owner asked Trevers, Ivor and Mark to build the G12. The owner to the rights of the cars was unhappy about the G4 quality and major improvement were needed. However, Ginetta Cars suddenly informed the Japanese owner that they no longer wished to make any more G4s due to their financial problem, so the Japanese approached the Walkletts for G4 production. Mark Walklett then raced a new G4R in the 750 Motor Club roadsports series with great success. DARE also went on to develop their own range of cars, the DZ and TG and both cars were received with great acclaim.
G4s are often referred to as the 'Dare G4', however there is no such model name officially existing nor authorised by the Japanese owner.
GKD
In 2005 Martin Phaff sold the rights to the Ginetta G27 to GKD Sports Cars. The G27 has since been revamped, including changes to the aerodynamics and styling of the car, and is now sold by GKD as the Evolution. The GKD Evolution had good reviews in the Kit Car magazines including car of the year 2006 from Which Kit Car magazine.also the company have lanched a new hard top and upgrades that can be fitted to the original G27
Racing Cars
Ginetta has long been associated with motor racing, both contemporary and historic.
Tom Walklett, Ivor's son will race a "bike" engined G12 in the 750MC this year. DARE also have a G12 planned for the Avon British GT Championship.
The Ginetta Cars G20 race series has been a great success in recent years gaining coverage and popularity from guest drivers such as the great Roberto Austini in 2004 who now runs top Ginetta team Rob Austin Racing then in 2005 the championship was won by his flat-mate Matt Nicholl-Jones driving for Academy Motorsport. The 2006 championship was won by Stewart Linn who was rewarded by LNT with a drive in the Panoz Le Mans race car, He impressed the team with his control and understanding of the car which lead to an offer of Employment, Stuart is now a driver for LNT. The 2007 Championship was again won by Matt Nicholl-Jones.
A Ginetta G20 GTR coup� was entered in the 2006 British GT championship, run by the Richmond Racing team. The team have also entered the 2007 Championship, posting their best result (fourth in class) in the first round at Oulton Park.
There is now also a junior race championship set up for people between 14 and 17 years old.
LNT have introduced an all new car for 2008 the G50 powered by a 3500cc V6 it is to compete in it's own single make championship in 2008
List of all Ginetta cars
Source: Wikipedia
