Ginetta G60 arrived, with a rich history behind it

Ginetta released its new flagship model, a mid-engine G60 road car. Many people may not know the long story behind the development of automobiles. It was originally conceived as GTS in 2002 by the sports car company Farboud and Farbio founder Arash Farboud. When his first attempt failed, he began his second attempt in 2004, bringing this car to the market as the 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.

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.

Due to the lightweight design of the G60, the G60 runs at a speed of 0-60 mph in less than 4 seconds. Although Ginetta is cold due to lack of technology, their hearts are not so pure. The G60 includes a navigation system, Bluetooth, and a 7-inch touch screen that can handle audio and climate control. The basic price of the G60 starts at 68,000 pounds, which is approximately $105,159 at the current exchange rate. The first deliveries are scheduled to begin in February 2012.