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British sports carmaker Ginetta has revealed the first renderings and preliminary specs of its new G55 racecar. The company also announced that the Michelin Ginetta G50 Cup, a supporting series for the British Touring Car Championship, will change its name to Ginetta GT Supercup, in which both the G50 and G55 will be eligible to compete, starting from next year.

The new G55 is powered by a Ford-sourced 3.7-liter engine delivering 370 hp, coupled to a Hewland gearbox. Compared to the older G50, Ginetta's new racer boasts more powerful front and rear brakes, a new exhaust system and fresh bodywork with improved aerodynamics. The G55 will be displayed for the first time at the Autosport International exhibition on January 13th. Pricing has been set at £75,000.

Ginetta boss, Lawrence Tomlinson, commented on the changes: "The G50 has dominated GT4 since its launch 2 years ago and proved itself as a real stepping stone into the GT4 arena. By introducing the G55 into the new Ginetta GT Supercup, I want to broaden Ginetta's offering to all drivers expanding our career ladder even further and highlight a real route into GT3 - whilst still providing an affordable way to enjoy top level racing".

Teams running the Ginetta G50 will have the option to upgrade their existing car to G55 specs for £25,000 or enroll in a new, part-exchange system. According to the program, the 2011 G50 will be fitted with a 300 hp 3.5-liter Ford engine linked to the same Hewland gearbox.

As for the Ginetta GT Supercup, Mr. Tomlinson said that it will emulate the class structure of other GT championships, such as the Le Mans Series or ALMS, and competitors will benefit from separate points systems and podiums. Entry fees for the race series will be £9,750 + VAT for tge G50 and £11,750 + VAT for the G55.

By Csaba Daradics

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