Road-legal Ginetta G50 enters production

The first Ginetta G50 road-registered car has been taken for a spin in the streets of Garforth in the UK and is set to take part in tomorrow’s Silverstone Supercar Tour. The new car is based on the track-only ‘Cup’ car which goes by the same name and has been competing in a single-make championship since the start of the year. Both the new production model and the track car feature a 3.5L Ford petrol V6 engine with 300hp under the bonnet, and send drive to the rear wheels via a Quaife six-speed sequential gearbox. An even more powerful V8 model is in the works and is expected to develop more than 520hp when it arrives at the end of the year. Pricing for the V6 model will start around £45,000 ($90,000) and is expected to go up to £100,000 ($200,000) for the V8. The Silverstone Supercar Tour taking place tomorrow will feature more than 50 different supercars ranging from Bugattis, Maseratis, Jaguars and Ferraris and will culminate with a lap of the UK racing circuit. Ginetta G50 Cup carGinetta G50 Cup

By chris #1, Posted: 4/18/2008

why was it mentioned that this car is road legal? i was expecting something along the lines of the atom or the x-bow or something rediculous like that. 300 hp in a car that looks about as big as an elise (with a stretched hood clearly) is pretty crazy, but nothing insane. am i missing something here?
By Germandude #2, Posted: 4/18/2008

Why is this car so ridicusously expensive?
By Roy #3, Posted: 4/18/2008

Ginetta has been producing "kit-cars" in the UK for many years. They do not usually carry out (expensive) highway safety tests so usually their cars are sold in pieces to be assembled by the owner. That allows them to take advantage of a legal loophole and sell cars that could not normally be sold. It sounds like the G50 has been crash-tested and so is legal to be sold directly (at least, that was how I read the article).
My guess is that the high price stems from both the fact that this is a small relatively-exclusive, light-weight, hand-built British sportscar and that the pound is really strong right now (relative to the dollar).
TVR has been sold (I've lost track of who owns it right now), so as far as I know Ginetta is pretty much the only British sportscar manufacturer left in British hands! I would never have predicted that 20 years ago.
By MyWheelsOnWalls.com #4, Posted: 4/18/2008

Although it looks great and I'm sure it goes like s%$t off of a shovel. You can guarantee it'll be typically Britsh, not always willing to start and bits that come off in your hands.

Have you seen the youtube videos of the Caparo? A typically British effort at producing a car.
By Alan #5, Posted: 4/18/2008

Roy, don't forget about Morgan, probably the only british car manufacturer in british hand that has actually produced cars in decent numbers
By blah #6, Posted: 4/21/2008

what about noble?
by mburleigh8 #7, Posted: 12/30/2008

Im sure this car is fun, but a little to pricey for me.