Ginetta Akula makes UK public debut at FOS

The car came as a surprise when Ginetta announced it earlier in the year, but it revealed a completed car at Geneva in March. Its appearance on the Michelin stand in the Manufacturer Stands marks the first time the UK public have seen the car.

Sam Tomlinson, Ginetta’s International Sales and Business Development Manager, told us: “We started a few years ago. We felt as though we’d ticked every box in GT and prototype racing. Lawrence [Tomlinson], the owner of the business, thought that we would look at producing a supercar.”

Named for the Russian word for “shark” (you’ll find the shark motif sprinkled around the car), the Akula takes inspiration from Ginetta’s race cars. The front and rear aero is derived from the company’s LMP1 car, the G60-LT-P1, which Ginetta has developed for the Akula with Williams Advanced Engineering. “This is what this car’s about; it’s all about aero. It gives more downforce than a current LMP3 car – 376kg at 100mph – and cars pitched three or four times its price,” says Tomlinson.

Perhaps the most unusual feature of the Akula is the engine. Ginetta has developed a naturally aspirated, dry-sumped, 6.0-litre V8, producing around 600hp. However, it’s placed entirely behind the front axle and almost alongside the driver’s legs, in a position Ginetta calls “mid-mid”.

Viewed from above, all eight cylinders are beneath the windscreen. That drives a Ginetta-developed six-speed sequential manual gearbox behind the driver. “With the engine located where it is, in the mid-mid section, the weight distribution is 49:51,” says Tomlinson.

Ginetta quotes a dry weight for the Akula of 1,150kg. That’s achieved by the carbon fibre vehicle structure and panels, and also the light weight of the engine and gearbox. This gives the Akula a power-to-weight ratio of 522hp/tonne.

The Akula comes in at £340,000 including VAT, but the entire first year’s production is already accounted for. “We launched at the Geneva Motor Show earlier in the year with a run of 20 units, and all 20 have now gone, which is fantastic and unprecedented for a first launch. We’re really happy, and we’ve had good feedback from customers worldwide. We’re still tweaking a few things with it but we’re really pleased with the outcome,” says Tomlinson.

Along with the car, the purchase price gives each owner the option to specify their car through a bespoke personalisation scheme. This includes a tailored driver’s seat, just for them. There’s more beside too, with Ginetta offering Akula owners access to its racing programs. Tomlinson explains: “You’re not just buying into the car – you’re not just one of hundreds or thousands of consumers, we’re very much a family orientated business. Part of the package is opportunities to get involved in our five one-make championships and our G58 prototype track day car.”

Photography by James Lynch.