When someone talks about a two-seater race car for the street we normally picture the Caparo T1. The Ginetta G40 is like that, except it'll only cost around $40,000.
Built by British race car builder Ginetta for the BTCC-supporting 2010 Ginetta Junior Championship, the G40 has an un-Caparo-like 1.8-liter Ford Zetec motor modified for racing. Also, there's no carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb monocoque like the Caparo either. Both probably help account for a price of 1/10 the Caparo's princely $480,000 sticker. But, even with the Focus powerplant, it's still designed for light-weight speed, weighing in at a paltry 1,800 pounds and sporting a roll cage 50 times stronger than the FIA required last year for homologation.
Despite its street legal status, it's expected most of the 26 units will actually end up in touring car racing as a cheaper alternative to the old standbys. Too bad, this seems like a fun alternative to the common Elise.
This news comes on the same day Ginetta announced its plans for an electric two-seater, called the G50, were put on hold due to inadequate funding. Whatever, you know how heavy it would have been?
[Ginetta via World Car Fans]