STRONG sales in the US are behind a major sales expansion this year for Yorkshire's only surviving car manufacturer, Ginetta.

According to the Yorkshire Post sports car manufacturer Ginetta is expecting turnover to rise by 40 per cent to about £700,000 this year.

Six years ago high costs forced owner Martin Phaff to organise a creditors' voluntary arrangement in a last-ditch bid to keep the business going and the suppliers on-side.

He turned to outsourcing and now the chassis are built by Fibreform, a former employee's business in Barton-on-Humber; the bodies made at Stuart Pease Fibreglass, in Rotherham; and design is handled by TW Design in Sheffield.

The restructuring has delivered results. Mr Phaff says he expects the company to produce 100 cars this year, with more than 20 per cent heading for the growing US market, although European and Japanese sales have slowed.

Mr Phaff said: "We're a small company with turnover still under £1m but it increases year on year. Last year was a really good for us. Turnover rose by more than 40 per cent and I think we'll do that again this year. It's down to the product, we've got it right."

Ginetta was founded by the four Walklett brothers in Essex in 1958.