Under 2-Liter Grand Touring Cars – 2012 Market & Price Guide

The under 2-liter Grand Touring (GT) cars have always had a place to compete within the ever-changing regulations of international motorsports; the World Sports Car Championship from 1953–1961, the Speedworld Challenge from 1962–1963, the International Championship of Makes from 1964–1971 and the World Championship of Makes from 1972–1981. This included racing in the great endurance races such as the  24 Hours of Le Mans, Nürburgring, Spa and Monza 1000Kms and the Targa Florio—not to mention national races throughout Europe and SCCA races throughout the U.S. Alfa Romeo, Lotus, Porsche and Triumph all designed very successful lightweight competition cars. Abarth, an Italian specialty tuner, modified small-bore GT cars from Fiat and Simca, all with great success. These under 2-liter GT cars filled up the racing grids on both sides of the Atlantic and provided some exciting automobile racing.

Today under 2-liter GT cars qualify to race in many great historic events worldwide from the Rolex Reunion at Monterey to the Tour (de France) Auto because they are dual-purpose race and street cars. Due to their technology, great designs, eligibility and low production numbers, legitimate GT competition cars have steadily been increasing in value.

The value today of an under 2-liter GT car is determined by many factors, including the car still having its unique competition features available on a race version that were not available on a production version, the quality of restoration and good provenance.

1964 Ginetta G4R

Ginetta was a sports car manufacturer based out of Suffolk, England. Founded in the 1950s by the four Walklett Brothers, Bob was director, Ivor was the designer, Trevers/Trevor the chassis man and Douglas the works manager. By the early 1960s they had achieved considerable racing success with their G4 and G4R two-seat sports cars. The G4 was a multi-tubular space frame design with a beautiful lightweight fiberglass body. Power came from a front-mounted Ford 105E series engine. In 1963 the Series II received a BMC axle instead of the Ford Anglia. The BMC axle offered two inches more width, was 40 pounds lighter and allowed for a better variety of gear ratios.

Introduced in 1964, the ultimate G4 was the G4R, “R” (for racing), with 1.6-liter Lotus twin-cam power, a close-ratio 4-speed gearbox, limited-slip differential, independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes these features enabled the lightweight G4R to be a race winner, often beating larger-displacement cars. The G4R was replaced in 1966 by the mid-engine two-seat G12. Today one can still see a G4R racing against its main competition, the Lotus  Elan 26R, and other mid ’60s GT cars. Approximately 500 Ginetta G4s were built in the 1960s, making the G4R quite a good looking, rare car that is very fast and offers good eligibility.

1961 Porsche 356B Carrera GT

Porsche AG in Stuttgart, Germany, was well known for their production-based competition cars. Using the unique competition parts of the RSK and RS60 Spyders on the 356 series cars brought Porsche considerable race and rally success.  The 1961 Porsche 356B Carrera GT was such a car.

It was equipped with all of the factory GT options: A 1.6-liter 692/3 four-cam engine mated to a close-ratio gearbox with limited-slip differential. A special sport exhaust, an 80-liter long-distance fuel tank, 60-mm alloy vented brakes and alloy wheels.  Porsche had Reutter build a special lightweight body shell with louvered aluminum engine lid, aluminum front hood and doors, and GT bumpers. The windows were light plexiglas, the interior had lightweight trim and aluminum sport seats.

Equipped this way, the 356BGT had competition success in the Tour de France, Monte Carlo Rally and circuit races from the Nürburgring to the Targa Florio. Only 20 odd 356BGT were built that year, making it a rare and desirable car. Today these cars have eligibility to enter the great historic racing venues across the globe. They are an excellent example of the design and engineering excellence of Porsche. A link between the purpose-built competition car and the production-based competition car, they’ve proven to be sound investments.

Criteria Used For Assessing Valuations for this Guide:

• Degree of Originality
• Overall Condition, Restoration
• Technology, Design, Coachbuilder
• Production Numbers/Rarity
• Competition History
• Ownership History, Documentation
• Modern Event Eligibility

Regional Variances

The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT. Most of the time, we are able to document known sales or closed escrows, as they say in real estate. When this is not possible, a logical estimate of the car’s value is given, based on its sales history and relationship to cars of its type.

The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT.