G2
Ginetta's first car, the G2, was produced as a kit car for enthusiasts and consisted of a tubular frame chassis to take Ford components and aluminium body. About 100 were produced.
G3 and G4
The glass fibre-bodied G3 arrived in 1959 and was succeeded by the G4 in 1961.[8] Unlike Ginetta's earlier efforts, the G4 could also be used as an everyday car while remaining competitive in motorsports. Production stopped in 1968 after about 500 had been built, but was revived in 1981 with the Series IV which was 2 in wider and 3 in longer than the III; production of this version ended in 1984.[9]
G10 and G11
Launched at the 1965 Racing car show, the Ginetta G10 was meant to be a more powerful racing car than its predecessors. Weighing around 2000 lb and fitted with a 289 cuin V8 engine from the Ford Mustang, it was well received by the enthusiasts. Ginetta works driver Chris Meek secured a win with a prototype at the car's debut at Brands Hatch, beating a Jaguar E-Type which was considered to be the most successful GT racing car. However Ginetta failed to make a homologated version of the G10 in order for it to keep competing and as a result, it was forced out of the competition with a total production of only three cars. Following the reception the G10 had generated, Ginetta produced the G11, a street legal version of the G10 with the same body but with the Ford V8 replaced by the MGB 1800 engine. However, slow deliveries of the engine curbed production of the car and therefore only a handful were made.[10]
G12
Unveiled in 1966, the G12 was an evolution of the G4 but had many new features that made it stand apart from its predecessors. The car had a new tubular steel space frame chassis, with the cockpit section mounted to it for extra strength, while removable body work allowed for easy repair. The front suspension consisted of Triumph-derived uprights and double wishbones (with camber adjustment courtesy of rose-joints on the upper items) and coil springs. While, at the rear, the usual arrangement of single upper transverse links with lower reversed wishbones (with rose-joints) and radius arms was present, along with coil springs. The car was fitted with anti-roll bars for increased safety, and the Triumph-sourced Girling disc brakes at the front and rear ensured increased stopping power. Power came from a 1.0-litre Cosworth SCA inline-four engine, though larger engines were fitted later such as an Aston Martin V8, but were less successful. The G12 dominated the competition in its class, outclassing Lotus Elan 26Rs and Coventry Climaxes, winning the 1,150 cc MN series. Outside track racing, the G12 also found success at hill climb events, before it was replaced by the G16. Approximately 28 were built, though at least 1 was converted into the Jerboa SP.[11]
G15
In 1967 the G15, utilizing a rear-mounted 875 cc Sunbeam Imp engine, was launched.[12] This two-seat coupé had a glass fibre body bolted to a tube chassis and used Imp rear and Triumph front suspension. Approximately 800 were produced from 1967 to 1974[12] and the car was fully type approved allowing for complete Ginetta cars to be sold for the first time. Eight G15s were produced with Volkswagen engines and called "Super S".
G16
The G16 was produced as a Group 6 sports-racer in 1968-1969.[13] Buyers installed engines of choice; known fitments include BRM, Coventry Climax, Cosworth FVA and BMW units of 2 litres capacity.[13] Ten examples were built, but it did not prove particularly successful in competition.[13]
G19
The G19 was a single seater Formula 3 racing car of which only one was produced.
G20
Appearing in 2001 the G20 was a light racing car, similar to the earlier G27 which it gradually replaced.[14] It competed in the Ginetta Championship single-make racing series; about 200 examples were built. The G20 was cheapier and easier to build than the G27, lacking doors and various other items required in a street-legal car.[14] "G20" was also the name for a projected single-seat Formula 1 racer with a BRM V12 engine; the name was also considered for a V6-engined road car discussed in the 1970s.[15]
G21
In 1970, the G15 was joined by the larger G21, which was initially available with either a four-cylinder, 1.7-litre sourced from the Rootes Group (Sunbeam) or a 3.0-litre Ford Essex V6 engine. The car largely used Rootes components.[16] The 1.7-litre Sunbeam Rapier engine subsequently became the standard four-cylinder engine for the car. 80 cars in total were produced before production ceased in 1974 due to the oil crisis. The car was later morphed into an open top G23 and G24 coupé version but none of those variants went to production.
GRS Tora
Trevor Walklett owned a 1968 Hillman Hunter which had been put up due to rust.[17] Inspired by the success of the Dutton Sierra estate kit car, Ginetta developed a Range Rover-inspired fibreglass station wagon body for installation onto the Hunter's underpinnings. Called the GRS Tora Mark I it was first shown in October 1982, going on sale the next year. Although it was a two-door estate, it used the front doors of a four-door Hunter. These are shorter than a normal two-door design, leading to limited rear seat access and somewhat awkward proportions. More troubling was that the Hunter's fuel tank and filler location meant that the rear gate opening was very high, limiting the cars utility. In October 1983, a GRS Tora Pickup was shown.[18] In August 1984, the GRS Tora Mark II started deliveries.[18] This version rectified the concerns with the rear opening, with a relocated fuel tank (and filler now mounted on the flank of the car) allowing for a full-height rear gate. Being more expensive than the simpler Mark I model the two were offered side by side. Sales of the GRS Tora helped Ginetta stay afloat in the 1980s, but by 1988 Tora production gradually came to a halt as the market was changing and donor cars were becoming rarer.
At the July 1989 Newark Kit Car Show, Ginetta showed a GRS Tora Mark III.
G26, G28, G30 and G31
Following reorganization, the company moved to Scunthorpe and began making cars in kit form again in the 1980s starting with the G27 and followed by the G26, G28, G30 and G31, with all cars using Ford parts. The G26 was the first model to arrive, in 1984.[19] The G26 and G31 both used flip-up headlamps; the G26 and G30 were fastback coupés while the G28 and G31 had a notchback profile.[20]
The design used the Ford Cortina Mk3/Mk4 drivetrain and parts installed in a galvanized steel chassis of Ginetta's own construction. Originally, only four-cylinder engines could be fitted, but the G28's taller bonnetline made room for Ford's Cologne V6 engine. The bodywork was fibreglass, although the doors were the Ford Fiesta's steel units. The rear window on the fastback designs was also from the Fiesta, while the sportier notchbacks used the small window from the Sierra XR4i.[21] 280 G26 were built.[19] While the G31 was the last addition to the G26 line, it sold pretty well, with around 70 cars finished.
G27, G33, and G34
Introduced in 1985, the G27 was a two-seater sports car derived from the G4.[23] Designed by Mark Walklett, it uses the front suspension from the Triumph Vitesse, a modified Jaguar independent rear suspension, and could be fitted with a wide range of engines up to the Rover V8.[22] The G33 speedster was introduced in 1990; derived from the G27 it was typically equipped with a Rover V8 engine and was accordingly faster. In terms of appearance, the windshield, with its body-coloured frame, was the main difference compared to the G27, while the overall appearance was smoothed off, with various creases and folds removed. The G33 was soon offered as a kit as well, which left room for the G34, a version with a turbocharged Volvo four-cylinder engine and only offered as a fully built and type approved car.[24] After considerable delays, 21 examples were built by Ginetta's Swedish importer in 1997 and 1998 after.[25]
G32
It was decided to re-enter the complete car business with the mid-engined G32 with a choice of 1.6- or 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine, available as a coupé or convertible. In 1990, the G32 coupé cost £13,700, the convertible £14,600 , and the G33 £17,800. The G32 used a significant amount of parts from the contemporary Ford Fiesta.
G50
After Ginetta was acquired by Lawrence Tomlinson in 2005, the company began work on the design of the Ginetta G50 - utilizing a 3.5-litre V6 engine, generating a power output of 300 hp kW - to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. In 2007, the car competed in its first race in the European GT4 Cup, in Nogaro France, finishing second.
Soon after this success, the car was officially launched at Autosport International in early 2008 alongside its sister car, the Ginetta G50 GT4. Together, they have become Ginetta's best selling cars.
G60
In March 2010, Lawrence acquired the Somerset-based sports car manufacturer Farbio Sports Cars, and in doing so inherited the F400, which was subsequently redesigned, redeveloped and rebranded into the Ginetta G60. This is a two-door mid-engined sports car which shares the same 3.7-litre V6 engine as its G55 GT3 stablemate and is capable of 0 - 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 165 mph.
G40
In 2010, Lawrence implemented a newer, safer car into the existing Ginetta Junior series and in doing so, replaced the old Ginetta G20 race car with a G40J.
Following the success of the G40J, Ginetta decided to introduce a Ginetta G40 Challenge car for the adult racers in its Challenge series. With the same engine as its sister car, the G40 Challenge car is capable of 165 hp and competes against existing G20 models. Today, the car features heavily in the Total Quartz Ginetta GT5 Challenge.
Ginetta unveiled its second road car, the Ginetta G40R, in 2011. It was designed to mimic the Walklett brothers' original vision of 'a race car for the road'. Capable of 0 - 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, the G40R shares a number of characteristics with its racing siblings.
G55
2011 saw the introduction of the G55 Cup car to the Ginetta GT Supercup, which, until that point, had only featured the G50 Cup car. Offering a 3.7-litre V6 engine generating a maximum power output of 380 hp, the car provided Ginetta with the basis for their Ginetta G55 GT3 car; a larger spec car which gives GT teams a 4.35 L V8 powerplant.
Akula
On 5 March 2019, at the Geneva International Motor Show, Ginetta announced a new 6.0-litre Ginetta/Chevrolet LS2 OHV V8 600 hp supercar called the Akula (Акула), Russian for "shark".
