Ginetta Akula, the new English supercar that looks like it has come straight out of a movie

If you’re lucky enough to come across one on the road, you might think a film is being shot in your neighbourhood, but nothing could be further from the truth: it’s the Akula, the latest and spectacular creation of Ginetta Cars, the Leeds-based English manufacturer of exotic sports cars. A creation that, incidentally, was recently unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show.

The Ginetta Akula is exotic even in its name, a word of Russian origin meaning “shark”, which during the Soviet era was also used to designate the class of attack submarines powered by nuclear propulsion. Some of these units are still in use today due to their great efficiency, and they also served as the basis for the Akula submarine models that Russia uses today.

Historical facts aside, the Ginetta Akula has sought to carve out a place at a Geneva Motor Show dominated by hybrids and electric cars, where old-school vehicles have had to stand out thanks to a good number of horsepower, as is only fitting, along with truly beautiful designs. In the words of Lawrence Tomlinson, owner of Ginetta, the Akula is a supercar created with the idea of being completely individual and radical, producing a product that other brands could not make because of the corporate constraints they are subject to.

Inside the Ginetta Akula, carbon fibre has been used in large quantities, both for the chassis and for the body panels, since the main premise was to achieve a contained weight, which has ultimately been set at just 1,150 kilograms. Once this was done, the company focused on designing elaborate aerodynamics, which were fine-tuned in the wind tunnel of the Williams Formula 1 team, thus generating a downforce of 376 kilograms at 160 km/h, which translates to only 5% less than the prototype Ginetta uses in the LMP3 category.

Positioned centrally, the Ginetta Akula uses a 6,000 cc naturally aspirated V8 engine, entirely developed in-house by the brand, which delivers 600 CV and 700 Nm of torque. It is paired with a six-speed sequential gearbox, also developed by Ginetta, along with a differential connected to the engine via a carbon fibre driveshaft. To ensure this beast has excellent braking, the brand has turned to ceramic brakes, while the grip is handled by 19-inch front wheels and 20-inch rear wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.

Technologically, the Ginetta Akula is a vehicle that, although it can be driven normally on open roads, where it will feel right at home, is really in its element on the tarmac of racing circuits. Some concessions are nevertheless included, such as air conditioning, traction control, parking sensors, a rear-view camera and wireless charging for smartphones. Also, as a curiosity, the Akula can be classed as the supercar with the largest boot capacity: no less than 675 litres.

Ginetta plans to begin production of the Akula at the end of this year, with deliveries starting in early 2020, and production limited to 20 units in its first year. Incidentally, 60% of that production has already been ordered at a price the brand has set at £340,000. In addition, the price includes a track day in its G58 prototype.