Description
"The Giant Killer"
Ginetta G4R
FIA HTP certified until 2036
Recently refurbished by the factory
Founded in 1957 by the four Walklett brothers – Bob, Ivor, Trevers and Douglas – Ginetta began in North Yorkshire as a specialist sportscar maker before moving to Essex in 1962. Their new G4 was inspired by its predecessor, the G3, and was the first Ginetta not specifically designed for circuit racing. It quickly took to competition nonetheless, factory-backed driver Chris Meek achieving success behind the wheel of a 1. 5-litre bored to 1, 650 cm³ version. Meek suggested to Ivor Walklett – the designer among the four brothers – that the G4 could transfer its power far more effectively through the use of independent rear suspension.
The G4R was born from this idea and, fitted with the 1. 6-litre Lotus Twin-Cam engine derived from Ford, which is also found in the Lotus Elan, it established itself as a winning race car in regional events at Silverstone, Snetterton and Mallory Park, while also competing in international events at the Nürburgring, Montlhéry and Sebring. In total, 12 G4Rs were built at the time. After selling Ginetta, the Walkletts relaunched the model in the 1990s by founding a new company called Design And Research Engineering (DARE) UK Ltd.
More recently, in the field of historic racing, the powerful G4R has made a name for itself with its ability to beat the giants in pre-1966 GT races. Although it typically outpaced its class rival the Elan, the Ginetta G4R scored overall podiums and came close to outright wins before finally succeeding in the Masters Gentlemen Drivers race at Brands Hatch in 2024. Amassing class wins, the G4R also took the Gentleman Drivers Championship overall title in 2022, as well as overall victory in the Spa 3 Hours in 2025.
The car put up for sale began its life as an original, well-regarded G4 race car driven successfully by Dave Randall in the United Kingdom. It graced the cover of The History of the Ginetta G4 by Trevor Pynam, the marque expert, and comes with a certificate of authenticity. It was converted to G4R spec by DARE in 2025; work included a full rebuild, addition of independent rear suspension and installation of a new Craig Beck Twincam 195 hp engine.
Some technical specifications
- Only around 2 hours of running for the 195 hp engine
- Tony Thomson race gearbox, 2 hours
- Dry-sump system
- 4 wheels and spare tyres
- Spare engine available for separate negotiation
- More details on request
