Racing a Ginetta G20 Cup Car

Ginetta
Britain's smallest car company
By John Rettie

The late '50s and early '60s were great decades for the British motor industry and the numerous companies created at that time. Such enduring names as Lotus, Marcos and TVR come to mind, but let's not forget Ginetta. It's a name that might not ring a bell with many, but it's a survivor, no mean feat. Officially it's Britain's smallest car company, a well-earned title considering that small car companies are a major cottage industry in Britain.

It isn't the "smallest" because it produces so few cars. There are companies with lower production, but they aren't, as is Ginetta, regarded as a legitimate car manufacturer by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Don't misunderstand, though. Ginetta is tiny: There are only two full-time employees in the UK and still Ginetta produces over 50 cars a year which are sold all over the world. There is even a one-make race series for the car in the UK. The company parcels out construction of the chassis and body for its two current models to outside suppliers, hence its ability to function with only those two lonely souls. While most Ginettas are sold as kit cars, many are assembled as complete cars for customers.

Ivor Walklett and his three brothers, who ran an agricultural engineering business, started Ginetta in 1958. Like Lotus, the first road cars were derived from home-made race cars and sold as kit cars for road or track use. The first Ginetta developed primarily for the steet was displayed at London's Racing Car Show in 1961. Named the G4, it immediately drew attention for its pretty lines and was favorably compared with the old Lotus Eleven, at least in looks. The open cockpit G4 was powered by a Ford 997cc 105E engine (39 hp). Like a Lotus, it offered tremendous road grip, a key attribute of British sports cars.

Two years later, the Series II G4 became available with an optional hardtop. The rear trunk was reshaped and with its hardtop the car was very successful both on and off the track. Some 500 G4s were sold by the time production stopped in 1969.

During the following years, Ginetta produced several different models and sold a small number of cars in the U.S. The most successful was the G15, which was a coupe powered by a Hillman Imp engine mounted in back. Like the G4 before, the G15 proved to be a successful club racer.

The company also designed and produced single-seat racecars for Formula Ford, F3 and F2. The Walkletts even started design on an F1, car but it never came to fruition. As the company pursued dreams of becoming a more mainstream manufacturer, its fortunes waned. Difficulties with suppliers, the introduction of sales tax on kit cars in Britain and the fuel crisis all conspired to hit at once and almost put the company out of business. Somehow, it survived through the 1970s and '80s supplying parts for cars and even building a short run of G15 models to accommodate an aircooled VW engine for the U.S. market. The G4 was revived for a few years, and some rather unfortunate attempts were made to produce small pickup trucks and SUVs. There was also a foray into producing a sports sedan kit car using a Ford Cortina as donor.

In 1989, Martin Phaff bought the company with help from some venture capitalists. Ivor Walklett stayed on for a while, but the new company then fell into financial troubles and nearly went bankrupt. The Japanese, however, love Ginettas, and it was not surprising that the company was bailed out with financing from European dealers and a Japanese investor, who bought the rights to the G4 and G12 names as part of the deal.

In a further strange twist, the Japanese investor helped Ivor Walklett form a new company in England, called Dare, to build replicas of the G4 and G12 models primarily for the Japanese market. Officially, Dare is unable to use the Ginetta name, even though the cars are essentially identical to the original Ginetta models. It does mean, though, that now there are two companies selling kit cars based on the Ginetta G4! Dare has also introduced a couple of totally different cars, but that's another story.

Ginetta offers the G20, introduced in 2000 as a modern derivation of the G4 and the G27 (soon to be renamed the G40), which is slightly bigger. Both are offered as a kit, although a third of them are sold fully built. The G20's major selling point is its road holding, so it's not surprising to find it appeals to the same people who lust after such cars as the Caterham Seven. The Ginetta G20 race series (see sidebar) is a popular budget race series in the UK, which helps keep enthusiasm for the marque alive.

Moto America has recently started importing the G20 through a handful of dealers in America (www.motoramericainc.com). Ginetta developed a modified version of the tube-frame chassis to accept a Mazda Miata engine, drivetrain, engine wiring harness and fuel tank in place of the Ford components used in the UK model. This allows the car to be registered as a modified Miata, thus meeting emissions standards nationwide.

The G20 has no doors, so getting in and out involves stepping over the side. But at least there's no top to get in the way. In the UK, the G20 is offered with small flyscreens, but federal safety requirements insist on a real windshield for the U.S. version. Fortunately, it blends in quite nicely with the G20's flowing lines. The driver's bucket seat is adjustable, but the passenger seat is not. There's virtually no storage space save for a small area accessible between the two seats over the rear axle. Unlike the old G4, there's no trunk opening.

However, it's when you stomp on the gas pedal and aim for a corner that the G20's raison d'etre becomes apparent. With only about 130 bhp available from the stock Miata engine, the car's no rocketship, but it does grip with tenacity. In road-going form the ride is surprisingly pliant, and there are few rattles or squeaks. It's easy to see why it doesn't take much more than a different set of shocks to turn this into a racecar.

From the front, the G20 has styling cues from the Miata and Jaguar E-Type, while from the rear there's some strong hints of Cobra. In many ways the G20 is the quintessential British sports car of days gone by. It's kind of appropriate that it should be built using the Miata as a donor.

For those who lust after a more powerful and slightly bigger car, the G40, which will go on sale later in 2004, should fulfill a certain kind of fantasy. Based on the G33, which is powered by a Rover V8 engine in the UK, the U.S.-spec G40 isengineered to accept a Chevy V8 engine using a Camaro as a donor.

If the G20 is a Lotus eater, the G40 should be a Cobra eater.

FastTracks Specialty Cars
(805) 260-1442