Photos by Jan Morgan
Driver's Notebook: Britain's Other Giant Killer
August 3, 2004
All proper British drivers’ cars
should have a starter button, and the Ginetta has a large one. A quick poke with
the index finger brings the 1.8-liter Miata engine to life. Our test car had a
sporty straight-through muffler that dumped in front of the left rear wheel, or
the driver’s left ear depending on one’s point of view.
Accompanying the
reliable Miata engine are the Miata clutch and transmission, certainly one of
the slickest-shifting in the business. Even equipped with a light aluminum
flywheel to enhance throttle response, the clutch release is smooth, and the
Ginetta pulls away without a hitch.
Weighing over 1,100 pounds less than the
Mazda Miata (roughly half the Miata’s weight), the Ginetta makes excellent use
of its 142 hp. Or, to grasp the impressive power-to-weight ratio of the G20,
imagine a 300 hp Miata. The Ginetta can sprint to 60 mph in less than 5.5
seconds and has acceleration to spare in any gear. So much torque is available
that it is possible to drive off in third gear. Of course, there are many Miata
tuners offering a variety of turbo- and supercharger applications. The Ginetta
engine bay leaves plenty of extra room for the addition of such external
horsepower enhancers, and 300 hp is certainly a possibility.
Quick response
to the controls is what makes this car so much fun to drive. Your foot is
directly attached to the engine, and your backside is plugged right into the
chassis. Everything is immediate, from control input to correction. In the
canyons, the G20 is simply a four-wheel motorcycle, with cornering power beyond
what any sane person might demand. Easy to toss around, its small size makes
roads seem much wider, so finding the “line” on your favorite corner does not
require leaving your own lane.
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