Driver - Scaff
Car Ginetta G4
Deep Forest Time - 120.613 (no driver aids)
Report
The Ginetta G4 started life as a rival to the immensely popular Lotus Seven range, but like the 7, the Ginetta grew up all by itself.
In various guises and developments across the years the G4s heritage can be traced to the present day Ginetta race series, that is so popular in the UK at a club level. Just like the seven, which became a Caterham Seven, the Ginetta G4 is still in production today. Manufactured in the UK by Dare, the G4 and other Ginetta models are still produced in modest quantities to satisfy the modern enthusiast.
Today however is not about the current car, Ive got a bit of a treat in store, an original race specification G4 is waiting for me at the Deep Forest race track. Built and modified for competition in the mid-sixties, the car is older than I am, but just for today its owner has let me loose with it.
Not that I am worried it will let me down, as the car is still regularly used in historic racing series across the UK.
As I climb out of my own car at the Deep Forest paddock the G4 is being rolled out of the garage, its been stripped of its racing decal as a fresh coat of pain has been applied in the last few weeks. Looks like the car is being preped ready for the upcoming season.
The cars owner firmly shakes my hand as we stroll around the tiny G4, it really does look a bit like a toy, a beautifully crafted and styled toy. The (for its size) long bonnet and cab back design clearly give away the era it belongs too, but quite simply its not lost any of its charm or character.
I squeeze my frame into the seat, bloody hell its small in here, at six foot I dont consider myself freakishly tall, but I can only just get in here. Buckling up the four point harness the owner continues to pour out facts about the car, apparently its been set-up specifically for Deep Forest as the first race of the season will be held here in a few months time. That and the G4 is a car very sensitive to set-up, apparently needing to be dialled in for almost every track its visits, also the gearing will let it hit a top speed of just over 180mph.
A speed which quite frankly sounds like a death wish in a car this small and old, its just the gearing lets you get there, the owner continues. We did it once at a test facility and the nose gets very, very light above 100 120mph; after that if you breath to hard its will spin. Very reassuring, and fortunately we shouldnt be getting much past those speeds today.
Scaffs 👍
So Im off around the track and after a few laps to get acclimatised to the car its time to see what it will do.
Given its very light weight (further reduced in competition trim) and turbo charged engine (added only recently) it has tremendous go, with the dash to sixty dismissed in under five seconds, which is quick in anyones book.
Given that its a recent addition to the car, the turbo is fortunately very lag free, its still a car that loves to rev, but wont totally cripple you if let the revs drop to much.
The gear seems well suited to the track, and its doesnt feel to slow even on the two long straights at Deep Forest, often an issue with the lower bhp cars. But its not straight-line speed that the G4 specialises in.
This is a car that loves the corners, but first those used to modern cars need a quick reminder of how cars were built back in the day. Im talking tyres here, the compound is not the topic, these are of a very stick medium racing slick type. No its the size, the Ginetta runs on 185/60 R13 tyres, to put that into context a Merc A-class fits wider, lower profile rubber.
If you have not driven on tyres this narrow before its a learning experience. First off you must get youre corner entry speed right, too fast and the fronts will just scrub wide. Brake hard and deep into the corner, let off the brake to balance the car as you turn in and then use the throttle to steer the car around the corner.
Once you have the knack its addictive, allowing very rapid transitions from apex to apex using minimal steering input, rather you can use the throttle to control the cars direction. No wonder they still race these things.
Should the desire take you, very long slides are the order of the day. In fact its easier to be a hooligan in the G4 than it is to keep it neat and tidy, and as neat and tidy in the order of the day when racing these little cars must provide a unique and very enjoyable challenge.
Scaffs 👎
Im a bit reluctant to mention the cars understeer here, as its only really present if you enter a corner to hot, and thats not really the cars fault. You just have to understand the nature of the skinny tyres and work with them.
The scariest moment around Deep Forest is a slight cause for concern, at the end of the back straight, just as you start to brake for the left hand sweeper, a combination of factor start to come together in a very worrying way. The cars instability at speed, the track surface and the soft damper as you come out of the dip mid-tunnel cause the car to get very, very light on its feet. Not what you want as you start to brake for a fast left, more than once the car felt in the verge of a spin. When I mentioned this to the owner his only words were I know, its fun that bit, particularly with another car each side of you.
Overall
Proof that its not just the big horsepower cars that require skill to extract the most from them.
Anyone interested in a challenge of not just driving ability, but also the skills required to adapt a cars set-up to each and every track they visit should join the waiting list, just behind me.
Spec
220bhp@6,000rpm
203ft/lb@4,500rpm
426kg
0-30 1.98 secs
0-60 4.65 secs
0-100 9.46 secs
0-100-0 13.50 secs
¼ mile 12.697 secs @ 117 mph
V Max 184.40 mph
Modifications & Settings
See attached .pdf document