Engineering:Ultima GTR
| Ultima GTR | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ultima Sports Ltd |
| Production | 1999-2016[1] |
| Designer | Lee Noble (preceding Sports model) and Ted Marlow[2] |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car (S) |
| Body style | 2-door coupe |
| Layout | Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Doors | Butterfly |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
|
| Power output |
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| Transmission |
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| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,560 mm (100.8 in) |
| Length | 4,000 mm (157.5 in) |
| Width | 1,850 mm (72.8 in) |
| Height | 1,070 mm (42.1 in) |
| uk|uk|Kerb|Curb}} weight | 980 kg (2,161 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Ultima Sport |
| Successor | Ultima Evolution |
The Ultima GTR is a supercar manufactured by Ultima Sports Ltd of Hinckley, Leicestershire, England .[3][4] The car was available both in kit form and as a "turnkey" (i.e. assembled by the factory) vehicle until early 2015, when it was replaced by the Ultima Evolution. The design is mid engined, rear wheel drive layout, with a tubular steel space frame chassis and GRP bodywork. A convertible version called the Ultima Can-Am was also produced. Kit builders were free to source and fit a variety of engines and transmissions but the Chevrolet small block V8 supplied by American Speed mated to either a Porsche or Getrag transaxle was the factory recommended standard, and this configuration was fitted to all turnkey cars.
Performance
Ultima focused their marketing efforts on record-breaking activities using a model equipped with a 640 bhp (649 PS; 477 kW) American Speed engine, called the Ultima GTR640, and subsequently, a 720 bhp (730 PS; 537 kW) at 6700 rpm and a maximum torque of 855 N⋅m (631 lb⋅ft; 87 kg⋅m) at 4400 rpm Chevy V8 engine called the GTR 720.[5] As a result, they established the following official, independently verified records[6] for a production car equipped with road tyres and exhaust:
- Fastest 0–60 mph (97 km/h) time: 2.6 seconds[6]
- Fastest 0–100 mph (160 km/h) time: 5.3 seconds[6]
- Fastest 30 mph (48 km/h)–70 mph (110 km/h) time: 1.8 seconds[6]
- Fastest 100 mph (160 km/h) to 0 mph braking: 3.6 seconds[6]
- Fastest 0 – 100 mph (160 km/h) – 0 mph time: 9.4 seconds[6]
- Best performance on a skidpad: 1.176g lateral grip in a 200 ft (60 m) circle.
- Fastest road car over the 1/4 mile: 9.9 seconds @ 143 mph (230 km/h)
Due to its kerb weight of 980 kg (2,161 lb),[7] the power-to-weight ratio for the GTR720 is 745 bhp (755 PS; 556 kW) per tonne, which is a better ratio than the Bugatti Veyron, Enzo Ferrari, Ascari A10, Koenigsegg CCX or CCGT, but less than the Koenigsegg CCXR or the Caparo T1. However, the Ultima chassis is rated for engines up to 1,000 bhp (1,014 PS; 746 kW) and some of Ultima's customers, notably Jeff Schwartz, have fitted engines producing 1,000 bhp (1,014 PS; 746 kW) or more,[8] for a power-to-weight ratio of over 1,000 bhp (1,014 PS; 746 kW) per tonne, which is approximately twice the power-to-weight ratio of the aforementioned cars and nearly the same as the Caparo T1's (1,170 bhp (1,186 PS; 872 kW) per tonne, but this is a "dry" tonnage and the bhp PS kW/tonne would be reduced once oil, coolant, gasoline, etc. are added, compared to the Ultima figures above which are "wet" weights). There are also other model designations for the kits, including the GTR 660 and GTR 730.
In 2007, the GTR720 was independently timed lapping the Top Gear test track in 1 minute 12.8 seconds, at least one second faster than all other times listed on the Top Gear television programme's Power Board at the time.[9][10] In October 2009 Ultima set another time of 1 minute 9.9 seconds, but this time in a configuration not suitable for use on public highways.[11] Ultima have been keen to point out that this time is faster than those set by both the Ferrari FXX and the Caparo T1; of which neither were deemed to be acceptable road cars by the Top Gear presenters shortly after these times were set.
In 2011, Romanian workshop Black Falcon Cars mated an Ultima GTR chassis and a modified Porsche GT3 transmission with a Chevrolet V8 turbocharged by Nelson Racing Engines to achieve 1,716 bhp (1,280 kW) on racing fuel and made it fully road legal under the brand name Black Falcon SBC-TT1750.[12][13]
In 2015 the GTR and Can-Am names were retired and replaced by the Ultima Evolution range, which represents a complete reengineering of the package.
Notes
- ↑ "Ultima GTR". https://www.ultimasports.co.uk/Previous/UltimaGTR.
- ↑ Webster, Larry (April 2000). "Ultima GTR". Car and Driver. http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/ultima-gtr-specialty-file. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
- ↑ "Ultima GTR - officially the fastest super car in the world". Society of Automotive Engineers. http://www.sae-uk.org/supercar_gtr.html.
- ↑ "British supercar sets new world record". Channel 4 - Car. 2006-06-06. http://www.channel4.com/4car/news/news-story.jsp?news_id=14637.
- ↑ "Ultima GTR 720 730 PS (2007) Technical Specifications and performance figures". http://www.zeperfs.com/en/fiche3349-ultima-gtr-720.htm.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 "Ultima smashes world record - again". PistonHeads. http://www.pistonheads.com/ultima/default.asp?storyId=14082.
- ↑ "Current GTR Demonstrator". Ultima Sports Ltd. http://www.ultimasports.co.uk/gtr/specification.html.
- ↑ "Jeff Schwartz's Twin Turbo Ultima GTR". Jeff Schwartz. http://www.schwartzperformance.com/ultima-gtr-twin-turbo-ls2/.
- ↑ "Top Gear Power Laps". BBC.com. http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/show/powerlaps.shtml.
- ↑ Pattni, Vijay (2007-10-30). "Ultima GTR smashes Top Gear lap record". http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/CARS/news/37372.html.
- ↑ Siler, Wes (2009-10-27). "$50,000 Ultima GTR Shatters $1.6 Million Ferrari FXX Top Gear Track Record" (in en). https://jalopnik.com/50-000-ultima-gtr-shatters-1-6-million-ferrari-fxx-to-5390985.
- ↑ "The Black Falcon SBC-TT1750". Luxatic.com. 2013-03-26. http://luxatic.com/the-black-falcon-sbc-tt1750/.
- ↑ "Black Falcon Cars". Black Falcon Cars. http://blackfalconcars.ro/.
External links
- Ultima Sports Ltd.
- Details on the record-breaking 0-100-0 test
- MacG Racing - A British team racing the Ultima GTR in Britcar and elsewhere
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