Letters From Readers - Speed with Real Economy, March 1975

Sir,

I have read with interest the readers’ letters published in MOTOR SPORT recently regarding the economy and performance of various MG-As and small Fiats and would like to put forward for consideration on these two points my Ginetta G15. It is a practical two-seater closed coupe powered by a Sunbeam Imp Sport 875 c.c. engine and has given me reliable and enjoyable service since its purchase in May, 1974. This is the second such car I have owned, having bought and quickly sold both a Morgan and an MG Midget between owning the Ginettas.

The outstanding features of the G.15 are that it can out-perform an MG-A in both acceleration and top speed (road test figures show this) and exceed the economy of the small Fiats as quoted in the correspondence. In the course of my employment, I have recently had cause to travel a number of times from my horns near Rickmansworth to Weston-Super-Mare, a journey predominately made up of motorways. By cruising at between 60 and 65 m.p.h. my G.15 does over 60 m.p.g., when cruising between 70 and 75 m.p.h. this drops to 50 m.p.g. Daily commuting to London, with a passenger, reduces this to 45 to 50 m.p.g., while a fortnight’s holiday with the car loaded with camping equipment and a passenger, during which the car covered a very hurried 2,944 miles, the fuel consumption averaged 46 m.p.g.

The new Triumph Spitfire 1500 would appear to be the Ginetta’s nearest rival but until a lot of weight is trimmed from it, its frontal area reduced and suspension sorted out I cannot give it serious consideration as an alternative to my G.15.

Croxley Green M. STEERE