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Ginetta G60 Arrives, Has an Eventful History Behind It

Ginetta has revealed its new flagship vehicle, the mid-engined G60 road car. What many may not know is the long story behind the car’s development. It was originally conceived as the GTS in 2002 by Arash Farboud, founder of sports car companies Farboud and Farbio. When his first effort failed, a second effort was started in 2004 to bring the car to market as a Farbio.

Four years later it was shown in production-ready form as the GTS, but after a failure to truly get it off the ground, Ginetta purchased the company in March 2010. Ginetta dubbed the car the F400 and planned for a quick rollout. Those plans were interrupted though as Ginetta’s owner Lawrence Tomlinson thought the F400 needed to be upgraded before going on sale. The Ginetta G60 is the result of over a year’s effort to do just that.

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The G60 looks the same as the GTS, but is said to be entirely different underneath. It’s a shape some enthusiasts have known for years as the Farboud GTS, Farbio GTS, Ginetta F400 and now the G60. A design lasting that long has to be good, and it is.

The reason it made it to production as the Ginetta G60 today is a testament to the enduring qualities of Arash Farboud’s original design. Tomlinson said his reason for purchase was that he “couldn’t let such a beautiful car go to the wall.” Aside from a new splitter and carbon fiber air vents, the G60’s look remains the same.

Under the skin, things have been changed up significantly though. Weight has been reduced thanks to the elimination of all safety and electronic aids. Driving purists, here is your car: the G60 has no electronic stability program, power steering, servo-assisted brakes, or even anti-lock braking (!). That and the other changes Ginetta has undertaken have cut 881 pounds from the GTS’ curb weight, bringing it to just 2,425 pounds.

The G60’s body is made from carbon fiber that overlays a tubular steel space frame chassis with new aluminum elements that aim to increase stiffness and aid handling. Power comes from Ford’s naturally-aspirated 3.7-liter V-6, which is used in the Mustang. It makes 310 horsepower and is mated a six-speed manual transmission.

Thanks to the G60’s lightweight design, the G60 posts a sub-4-second 0-60 mph run. While Ginetta went cold turkey with the lack of technology underneath, they weren’t so pure inside. The G60 includes a navigation system, Bluetooth and a 7-inch touchscreen that handles audio and climate controls. The G60’s base price starts at £68,000, or about $105,159 USD at current exchange rates. First deliveries are scheduled to begin in February of 2012.

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