Supercar limited to 20 models
British sports racing car company Ginetta has launched the production version of the brand’s new 600bhp, V8, road-going Akula supercar, based on the concept car of the same name revealed in 2019.
Priced from £275,000 (about NZ$583,000) plus taxes and shipping, the Akula marks the 20th anniversary of Dr Lawrence Tomlinson’s acquisition of Ginetta and will be limited to just 20 production models.
The mid-engined, rear-drive Akula coupe supercar has been influenced by Ginetta’s elite GT racing programme and embodies the company’s six decades of motorsport engineering expertise.
It features a state-of-the-art, ultra-high-strength lightweight carbon monocoque with carbon front and rear subframes, while a Ginetta steel motorsport roll cage adds further rigidity.
The Akula’s wind tunnel-tested aerodynamic package was derived from the Ginetta G61-LT-P1 LMP1 race car. Combining a carbon-fibre flat floor with a front splitter, turning vanes, rear wing, and rear diffuser minimises air turbulence and produces high levels of downforce to enable high and stable cornering speeds.
Weighing 1,190kg and with the power of its 6.4-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine delivers what the company describes as “blistering performance”.
The V8 produces 600bhp at 7,200rpm and 670Nm of torque at 5,100rpm, allowing the Akula to go from 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 290kph.
Customers can choose either a six-speed manual transmission mated to a triple-plate clutch or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The “standard” specification includes four-pot calipers and 360mm ventilated steel discs fitted front and rear, mated to an advanced ABS system. Opting for the Akula Race Pack upgrades the braking package to carbon ceramic brakes for enhanced braking performance and fade resistance under extreme hot-weather track driving conditions with the additional benefit of reduced unsprung mass.
The centrally mounted V8 engine’s location ensures a 50:50 weight distribution for optimum balance and turn-in to corners, with the added freedom of better aerodynamic packaging at the front and rear.
Ginetta’s engineers have also taken a motorsport-inspired approach to the Akula’s suspension system, which features a classic racing double wishbone format front and rear.
These components are combined with billet aluminium uprights and pushrod-actuated, two-way adjustable racing suspension with dampers that are in-car electrically controlled allowing the driver to change the platform stiffness while on the move.
While the Akula has been designed and engineered with track driving in mind, Ginetta has also focused on practicality requirements. The vehicle has a 100-litre fuel tank providing an estimated 720km driving range and a 473-litre boot.
Tomlinson, Ginetta owner and chairman, says: “During the 20 years I have owned Ginetta, there have been countless highlights. None, though, surpass the launch of the Akula.
“While our new supercar represents a very different direction for Ginetta, it also embodies our motorsport engineering and driver-focused values to the highest possible standards.
“At Ginetta, we focus on the thrill of driving and the visceral experience of piloting a car that performs like a racing machine.
“The Akula is designed and engineered to be driven to, around, and back from a track like the Nürburgring, having the luggage space to do so, while delivering an unmatched intense and engaging driving experience every step of the journey.”
