Sunday Times DRIVING section !!
Discussion
Anyone seen the sunday times driving section today? The "fastest car" article? It say that they are trying to find the fastest 0-60 car.... they said they invited Ultima but that the factory "pulled out at the last minute because they were worried about the competition"! If this is true, it wasnt a smart move. Sunday times wanted to test the ultima, but they didnt/couldnt oblige. Who writes in the sunday times.... clarkson, who run top-gear - clarkson! So this would put paid to ever seeing Ultima on Top gear!!
Anyone know why Ultima didnt want to try a 0-60 test?
Anyone know why Ultima didnt want to try a 0-60 test?
Gman... I have sent an email (as the sunday times requests at the end of the article) saying that Ultimas can do a sub 3 second time. The sunday-times record is now 3.28 secs, with a caterhamCSR260. Why not send then a mail saying a privatly owned car could do it if the factory wont!!
speed@sunday-times.co.uk. they can only say no!!
speed@sunday-times.co.uk. they can only say no!!
John Lloyd said:
The sunday-times record is now 3.28 secs, with a caterhamCSR260.
When is a tyer legal or not legal??We won and WE WILL BE BACK......
>> Edited by John Lloyd on Sunday 26th June 22:44
caterham always use bearly legal track rubber at these event, even with it the R500 could only just match my times with very hard old Goddyears (not F1's).
Interesting comments from the factory.
Such are the pitfalls of a one way dialogue with a jurno and the relative risks of what they will write.
Not taking anything away, the two facinating things for me was the description of the launch technique for the Atom (2nd gear, floor it, let the clutch out) and the closeness of the Atom and the Ultima in absolute terms (a mere few %).
Still - if you will drive around in a bunch of scaffold poles and get flies in your teeth, then what do you expect, there has to be some upside
Whichever way you look at it these cars are sodding fast (including the rather 'pedestrian' by comparison M400) - it's clearly a shame though that the test didn't meet the factory's criteria and hence gain them some significant broadsheet exposure - anything to keep promoting our lovely, and somewhat mad, British sportscar industry has to be a good thing!
J
>> Edited by joust on Monday 27th June 18:58
Such are the pitfalls of a one way dialogue with a jurno and the relative risks of what they will write.
Not taking anything away, the two facinating things for me was the description of the launch technique for the Atom (2nd gear, floor it, let the clutch out) and the closeness of the Atom and the Ultima in absolute terms (a mere few %).
Still - if you will drive around in a bunch of scaffold poles and get flies in your teeth, then what do you expect, there has to be some upside
Whichever way you look at it these cars are sodding fast (including the rather 'pedestrian' by comparison M400) - it's clearly a shame though that the test didn't meet the factory's criteria and hence gain them some significant broadsheet exposure - anything to keep promoting our lovely, and somewhat mad, British sportscar industry has to be a good thing!
J
>> Edited by joust on Monday 27th June 18:58
joust said:I agree! - must say though if I wanted to sell/expose my expensive cars and could have a free 3 page advert in the weekly publication that goes to the richest readership in the UK, and show my product was the best, whatever the task was..... I would probably have taken it. But thats just me...
Interesting comments from the factory.
Such are the pitfalls of a one way dialogue with a jurno and the relative risks of what they will write.
Not taking anything away, the two facinating things for me was the description of the launch technique for the Atom (2nd gear, floor it, let the clutch out) and the closeness of the Atom and the Ultima in absolute terms (a mere few %).
Still - if you will drive around in a bunch of scaffold poles and get flies in your teeth, then what do you expect, there has to be some upside
Whichever way you look at it these cars are sodding fast (including the rather 'pedestrian' by comparison M400) - it's clearly a shame though that the test didn't meet the factory's criteria and hence gain them some significant broadsheet exposure - anything to keep promoting our lovely, and somewhat mad, British sportscar industry has to be a good thing!
J
>> Edited by joust on Monday 27th June 18:58
Does the factory really have to prove its 0-60 recor-holding time over, and over again? Datron has the official stamp on the results, right? Sounds like an editor flexing for public opinion. What's the right expression?... "Be he bu@@ard." As far as delivering facts on this topic to his readership, it sounds like he fornicated the canine.
stig said:
0-60 in 2.8 secs
0-100 in 5.8 secs
Datron timed.
Can I add 0-60 2.8 on 2 separate occasions, 0-60 in 2.7, 0-100mph in 5.5 (Bruntingthorpe run, where they also recorded 10 back to back 0-100mph runs in the 5secs).
0-150mph in 11.8
1/4 mile 10.5@140mph
On road tyres - Goodyear F1 Fioranos (relatively hard compound tyres). On a runway, not on a dragstrip.
Datron timed.
Call me a fanboy but simply amazing for a roadlegal car that was driven to and back.
andygtt said:
We all know the Ultima is capable of these times but IMO the general public will always be very sceptical if you record fabulous times behind closed doors and then back away from back to back comparisons.
I have to agree on the public being sceptical. Autocar have published their anual 0-100-0 speed fest this week. Not only was there no Ultima, but not even a mention of the world record holder. Why was this? Were Ultima invited and declined? If so, maybe the Autocar team thought "... well bugger this, if we can't have the fastest car, we'll not mention it's existance ...."
Publicity to the cars would hugely improve the percived negative image kit cars have. Also, what would an Ultima winning the Sunday Time and Autocar tests have done for the residual values of your car? Added £££££'s at a guess.
Shame not to see the point pushed firmly home. (And down a few pricey alternatives breathing tubes!)
Edited to add: On the flip side, if Autocar never invited Ultima then they should be totally ashamed. I would think it would bring into question the percived neutrallity that Autocar are meant to have!
Paul.B
>> Edited by Paul.B on Tuesday 28th June 11:08
>> Edited by Paul.B on Tuesday 28th June 13:46
Gassing Station | Ultima | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff