Ginetta G40

Ginetta G40

Piranha Motorsport's Ginetta G40 at Britcar 24 Hours 2011.
Overview
Manufacturer Ginetta Cars
Production 2010-
Assembly Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Body and chassis
Class Sports car
Body style 2-door coupé
Layout Front-engine, RWD
Powertrain
Engine Mazda MZR 2 litre I4 (road version)
Ford Zetec 1.8 litre I4 (race version)
Transmission Mazda 6-speed manual (road version)
5-speed manual (early race versions)
Quaife 6-speed sequential manual (later race versions)
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,250 mm (88.6 in)[1]
Length 3,748 mm (147.6 in)
Width 1,642 mm (64.6 in)
Height 1,045 mm (41.1 in)
Kerb weight 795 kg (1,753 lb) (road version)
800 kg (1,764 lb)-850 kg (1,874 lb) (race version)
Chronology
Predecessor Ginetta G50 (road version)
Ginetta G20 (race version)

The Ginetta G40 is a specialist 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 G40 Challenge, the other is the G40 Junior, which were designed for the Ginetta GT5 Challenge and the Ginetta Junior Championship respectively. The G40 replaced the Ginetta G20 race car, and also replaced the road version of the Ginetta G50.

Race versions

The Ginetta G40 Challenge was introduced in 2010, supplementing the Ginetta G20 in the one-make Ginetta GT5 Challenge. At launch, the car used a 1.8-litre Ford Zetec-based inline-four engine, producing 140 hp (104 kW; 142 PS), and using a 5-speed gearbox, with the car weighing 850 kg (1,874 lb).[2] The car was available in 2010 for £24,950, plus VAT, and featured 280mm discs all round.[2] The most recent versions produce 165 hp (123 kW; 167 PS), and weigh 800 kg (1,764 lb), using 6-speed Quaife sequential gearboxes.[3] It received Autosport's National Car of the Year Award for 2010, two years after the G50 had received the same award.[3]

In addition to the Ginetta Junior Championship, the G40 has been entered in the Britcar series. In the latter series, it won its class at the Britcar 24 Hours, held at the Silverstone Circuit on its debut in 2010, and finished 12th overall, driven by the works Team LNT team's drivers Lawrence Tomlinson, Mike Simpson, Steve Linn and Nigel Moore, also proving to be the fastest Ginetta, as it finished one place ahead of a GT4-class Ginetta G50.[4] At the 2011 edition of the race, the top G40 finished 26th overall, and fourth in class; this time entered by Rollcentre Racing, and driven by Richard Skyes, Jake Rattenbury, Brian Saunders and Mark Davies.[5] In 2012, a G40 once again finished 12th overall, and fourth in class; this time, driven by Piranha Motorsport's Simon Mason, Rory Bryant, Ryan Ratcliffe and Chris Bialan.[6]

Ginetta also built a less powerful variant of the G40, named the G40 Junior. This utilizes a restricted 100 hp (75 kW; 101 PS) version of the 1.8 litre Zetec engine, to comply with MSA regulations, and was used in the Ginetta Junior Championship (replacing the G20), a series for 14- to 17-year-olds that is part of the British Touring Car Championship's support package. Initially run on Michelin Pilot Cup tyres, which were treaded,[7] the series moved to slick tyres for 2012,[8] only to revert to treaded tyres for 2013.[9]

Road version

Ginetta G40 road car

In 2010, Ginetta decided to cancel plans to produce a road-going version of the bigger Ginetta G50, and instead built a road-going variant of the G40, named the G40R.[10] The race car's 1.8 litre Zetec engine was replaced with a tuned 2-litre Mazda MZR engine, producing 175 hp (130 kW; 177 PS) at 7000rpm, and the 6-speed manual gearbox from a Mazda MX5;[11] however, the road car also includes the full race-spec rollcage.[12] This configuration gives a claimed 0-60 time of 5.8 seconds, whilst the car is capable of a claimed 140 mph (225 km/h),[13] the performance figures aided by its low weight of 795 kg (1,753 lb).[14] Ginetta claim a fuel economy figure of 29 mpg, and carbon dioxide emissions of 181g/km.[15] Prices started at £29,950.[13] Autocar gave the car a rating of 4 out of 5; praising the car's engine note and driving feel, but criticizing it for inconsistent steering weight and for an unfinished cabin.[16] What Car? gave the car a rating of 3 out of 5,[17] praising its performance and handling,[18] but criticizing its lack of safety features, its poor refinement, and its lack of equipment.[17] The Telegraph gave the car 4 out of 5 stars, praising its driving feel, but criticizing the body's finish.[19] Auto Express gave the car 3 out of 5, praising its on-track behaviour, but stating that it wasn't really suited to everyday usage.[20] Ginetta planned to sell 100 G40s annually.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "2011 Ginetta G40R". Carfolio.com. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Ginetta G40 review". Evo. March 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Cars - G40". Ginetta Cars. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  4. ↑ "2010 BRITCAR 24 HOUR" (PDF). British Racing and Sports Car Club. 1 October 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  5. ↑ "2011 BRITCAR 24 HOUR" (PDF). British Racing and Sports Car Club. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  6. ↑ "2012 BRITCAR 24 HOUR" (PDF). British Racing and Sports Car Club. 23 September 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "The Ginetta G40 Junior Car" (PDF). Ginetta Cars. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  8. ↑ "GINETTA TO BOOST JUNIOR MOTORSPORT CAREER LADDER, ROOKIE STYLE!". Ginetta Cars. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  9. ↑ "GINETTA SLASH 2013 SEASON COSTS BY SWITCHING TO ROAD TYRES". Ginetta Cars. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  10. ↑ "Ginetta G50 replaced by G40". Autocar. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  11. ↑ "Ginetta G40 review - performance and engineering". Autocar. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  12. ↑ "Ginetta - G40R Road Car". Ginetta Cars. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  13. 1 2 "Ginetta G40 review - specs". Autocar. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  14. ↑ "Track Tested: Ginetta G40 R". SkiddMark. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  15. ↑ "Ginetta G40 review - mpg". Autocar. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  16. ↑ "Ginetta G40 review - verdict". Autocar. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  17. 1 2 "Ginetta G40 Coupe Review". What Car?. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  18. ↑ "Full review of Ginetta G40 Coupe". What Car?. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  19. ↑ English, Andrew (23 August 2011). "Ginetta G40R review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  20. ↑ Madden, Luke (24 August 2012). "Ginetta G40R". Auto Express. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  21. ↑ "Ginetta launches G40 'race car for the road'". Michelin UK Motorsport. Retrieved 16 May 2013.

See also

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