It’s taken longer than expected, but Ginetta is ready to deliver on what it promised.

The boutique British sports car maker has announced that that it will finally put its lightweight track beast, the Akula, into production. The news comes over a half decade after the hardcore speed machine made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in early 2019.

Deliveries of the Akula were supposed to begin in January 2020, but, as is frequently the case with niche brands, that target was missed (the Covid-19 pandemic that followed probably didn’t help either). But Ginetta didn’t give up, and five years later, the finished customer version of the coupé is finally here. A lot can change over that much time, but the Akula remains remarkably close to what was initially shown off. And the few changes that have been made are unlikely to turn anyone off.

The production Akula will be powered by a mid-mounted naturally aspirated 6.4-litre V-8. That’s 0.4 more litres of displacement than was originally announced. The naturally aspirated mill pumps out 592 hp at 7,200 rpm and 494 ft lbs of torque at 5,100 rpm. As Motor1.com points out, that last figure is 26 ft lbs of torque less than promised, but it’s still a respectable figure, especially when you consider that the Akula tips the scales at just 2,624 pounds. That puts it in the same neighbourhood as a zippy little sports car like the Mazda Miata.

It also comes equipped with a six-speed manual and is actually street-legal, two things we imagine will appeal to the purists out there. Its performance numbers are attractive as well. Ginetta says the two-door can rocket from zero to 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 180 mph.

Based on the images of the finished Akula, its all-carbon-fibre body has been revised a little. The car’s front is more substantial than before, giving it a much more powerful, GT-like feel and stance. Its aero package features plenty of sharp edges, ducts, and a giant rear spoiler, but drivers in search of more downforce won’t mind all that unsubtle aggressiveness one bit. The interior, meanwhile, is relatively stripped down, with the exception of loads of racing-style gear like a competition-grade steering wheel.

In the market for a new track machine? Ginetta plans to build just 20 examples of the Akula, so you may want to register your interest with the company as soon as possible. Pricing starts at £275,000, or roughly US$360,000 (HK$2.8 million), which is around US$80,000 (HK$623,775) lower than the cost quoted back in 2019.