Production numbers

[jamieheasman]

Anyone know how many Ultimas are produced each year? Is it less than 200?

[Stig]

Jamie - I think it's around 75-80.

[davefiddes]

Ted was saying about 12 factory cars and 50 total at the beginning of the year and it was a bit lower the year before. So things look like they are on the way up...

It's a shame that some parts of the construction of the car feels like they've only ever made about a dozen.

[mkoch1]

so you are saying they build 12 a year. And that they have only made 50 total. I wonder how many they have sold in kit form.

[jamieheasman]

NZ's new restrictions on imports means the Ultima would only be allowed in under a limited manufacture clause which is set at 200 vehicles per year.

This would mean that Ultimas could still be imported into NZ which is good news seeing as the tighted regs have excluded a lot of other marques.

[davefiddes]

mkoch1 said: so you are saying they build 12 a year. And that they have only made 50 total. I wonder how many they have sold in kit form.

No. Per year!! (Stigs figures sound more accurate for this year)

My chassis number is 257 and Cliff Hudson's is 197 which was bought a year previously. You do the math!

>> Edited by davefiddes on Friday 1st November 09:59

[GTRCLIVE]

I spoke to Ted Marlow in 2000 and it was discussed that the maxium amount of Bodies that could be produced from one Set of moulds in a year is about 90ish.
Due to the 8 weeks waiting list for bodies, then they must be getting close.
IF they hit 90 I'm sure they will be able to aford to make another set to double production.

[davefiddes]

I have just had a brief conversation with Ted Marlow at Ultimasports regarding the comments I made in this thread yesterday.

I realise that it was wrong of me to complain in a public forum about some slight build issues I have been having without first having raised it with Ultimasports. My comments on the whole were unjustified as the general quality of Ultima parts is outstanding.

As an example of this: I recently finished finally fixing my sidepods to the rest of the car. On the first attempt at dropping the rear bodywork on it was about 5 mm misaligned between the sides...after 2 mins of adjusting the hinges the fit was as near perfect as I could possibly determine (<0.5 mm). Far better than any other "kit car" and certainly as good as any production car (and a damn sight easier to adjust to boot!)

[GTRCLIVE]

Naughty Boy

[k wright]

I've complained also, however after seeing a Cobra replica recently there is no comparison between an Ultima and anything else.

They should include on the website a photo series that details how well the car is packed into "subassemblies" that are in single boxes. The manual calls for installation of the heater: it is all here in this box, wrapped in labeled plastic bags. No parts hunting or garage engineering.

[JCof T.O.]

I spoke with Dave earlier this year at the Carlisle, PA show and he said to date around 266 chasis have been shipped.

[ultiman]

.....Far better than any other "kit car" and certainly as good as any production car (and a damn sight easier to adjust to boot!)

---

I guess that is why Ultima call it a component car, not a kit. When people ask that question, usually at petrol stations, I bristle as having seen many so called kits, I can see why SVA was applied. I went to a local show back in the summer and even the best cars were poorly made rubbish in comparison to Ultima. No way would I associate my car with theirs, hence mine was nowhere to be seen. Kit car my a**e!

[stig]

Which is why it's a 'Self Build Supercar'.

Anyone who wants to argue, come down my workshop and I'll show you exactly WHY it deserves to be called a Supercar.

Oh, and when my moderately powered beasty hits the road - I'll demonstrate first hand too!