Top Gear Test Track Record Smashed
Ultima's Stig shows Swedish supercar who's quickest
British supercar manufacturer Ultima has celebrated its 15th anniversary in style by shattering the lap record on the Top Gear test track.
The record was held by the Koenigsegg CXX, complete with wing, but the Ultima GTR720 stopped the clock over four and half seconds before the Swedish supercar could cross the line.
In order to make the test completely kosher, the Ultima used was fully road legal, with standard tyres, and was even driven to the test track.
According to Ultima’s director, Richard Marlow, the company has approached Top Gear on a number of occasions to let the Stig take the wheel of the GTR but have been repeatedly turned down.
So, with their very own benchmark driver at the helm, the independently figured time for the Ultima is so fast that, in a head to head race with a Ferrari Enzo, the 720bhp GTR would lap it every 12 laps.
He also announced that the British firm wouldn’t rule out further attempts at lowering the record still further, with their more powerful and faster GTR800 variant.
For the record, the Ultima lapped the track in 1:12.8, making the Koenigsegg's 1:17.6 seem positively pedestrian.
Even so, it just shows that, firstly, there are British supercars out there that can wallop the opposition into the floor, and two, they can be all stripped-out and spare and don't have to pander to a market which, it's assumed, expects leather, brake distribution systems and a CD autochanger.
Seriously, well done Ultima! Another success for Leicestershire
I wasn't detracting from the Ultimas raw pace - it's mega and I hope one day to own an ultima. I'd rather live with any of the other cars daily though!
Which I, for one, can understand. I'm left a little cold by this "oh my god amazing record". So what, is my response. It's a stripped out racer. And for that, it's great. I am a Lotus owner, so understand and positively adore the lightweight approach. But why try to put the ultima in the same context as an Enzo or Koennigsegg? It's not even close.
Which I, for one, can understand. I'm left a little cold by this "oh my god amazing record". So what, is my response. It's a stripped out racer. And for that, it's great. I am a Lotus owner, so understand and positively adore the lightweight approach. But why try to put the ultima in the same context as an Enzo or Koennigsegg? It's not even close.
I'd far sooner be in an Enzo/Zonda/Koenigsegg listening to the stereo in refined air conditioned luxury than in an ally panelled tube chassis sweating my arse off and contemplating every possible variation of tinitus. (thats the ear ringing condition yes?)
But a 2 seater with luggage space, air con and a radio I would argue is more practical than an Ultima.
I'm not quite sure the point of my post. Practicality has never been a part of a track time, of course, so it is totally invalid. But I wonder whether it's in the "spirit" of the top-gear-test track. Perhaps that's the best way to put across my point? As I said, I'm just left cold by it.
I'd far sooner be in an Enzo/Zonda/Koenigsegg listening to the stereo in refined air conditioned luxury than in an ally panelled tube chassis sweating my arse off and contemplating every possible variation of tinitus. (thats the ear ringing condition yes?)
Not only that, they have a Noble on the Leaderboard and there's no more luggage space in one of those than in an Ultima. Similar concept which originated from the same person (although I applaud what the current owners have done with the Ultima).
Their own criteria for cars they will consider is for any road legal car which can manage a road hump. Can anyone confirm whether the Ultima could? I assume it's no lower than the supercars they took over the Millau Bridge a couple of years ago (and which struggled to get out of an underground Hotel car park).
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff