Wednesday 5th May 2010

Skelta Takes Second Place On Targa Tasmania

Weird-looking car shames more glamorous rivals in famous Aussie road race

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Queenslander Ray Vandersee created the, er, unique-looking Skelta G-Force to achieve his dream of winning the legendary Targa Tasmania road race and, over the past few days (27 April - 2 May), oh-so nearly managed it.

Vandersee and the rear-drive Skelta, which uses a Honda 340bhp supercharged Honda S2000 motor, eventually came home second to a Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Strada - a car with the undoubted advantages of vastly more power than the Skelta can muster and four-wheel drive.

Along the way to a podium, the Skelta - a product of a company that has only produced 12 cars to date - despatched a paddock-full of Nissan GT-Rs, Mitsubishi Evos, Subaru Imprezas and Porsche 911s.

"It is hard to see what more co-driver Cameron Reeves and I could have done in the unusually tricky conditions, which inevitably favoured a four-wheel-drive set up," says Vandersee. "However, yet again we have proved just how competitive the car can be, especially on the faster, more open stages where its ground-effect aerodynamics really come into play."

The Skelta G-Force and its V8 Spyder siblling are now available in the UK, and a G-Force identical to the one last week's Targa Tasmania is currently being prepared for UK competition by Stratton Motor Company of Norfolk.

[soulfood9]

Impressive result, for sure, but it does look like a melted welly-boot doesn't it? Eeew.

[SAndals]

Think I'd rather come in 3rd in a 911

[Emubiker]

SAndals said:

Think I'd rather come in 3rd in a 911

really? You'd prefer to come in third in your well known sports car behind someone who made his car in a shed? Not a racer are you.

[Speedracer329]

That's a great result...............but my eye's, my eye's!!!!!

[vit4]

I read it as Skoda at first, and now don't know whether to be disappointed or more impressed

[Gibby78]

it looks like that for a reason people, "Ground Effects" the real mans downforce where its grip grip grip grip Tree.

Whilst its not the prettiest who cares, if it can dispatch all manner of exotica, Speed Matters.

[5harp3y]

Saw this car run at the Cootha Classic in Brisbane, sounds awesome and is silly quick!

[Caractacus]

SAndals said:

Think I'd rather come in 3rd in a 911

I'd have to agree with you on that one.

Each to their own, etc, but the Skelta is fugly, sounds horrid and has no appeal apart from being quick. The other thing is that it's one thing to compare car spec sheets and say one is better than the other, but to say a car itself beat other makes/models is daft. Driver input, anyone?

Yes, this car is quick.

Would I buy one? Not a chance.

I'd rather come third in my 911 (or any other 911 for that matter!).

[Family Guy]

Not pretty, but good on them for taking it to the big boys.

[hairykrishna]

I like it. Purposefully ugly. Racing's supposed to be about coming in front, not posing.

[Vetteran]

How boring," rather have a 911". Well done david beating the Goliaths, just imagine the different budgets.Apparently the car was designed to win a race not a beauty contest.

[Caractacus]

Vetteran said:

How boring," rather have a 911". Well done david beating the Goliaths, just imagine the different budgets.Apparently the car was designed to win a race not a beauty contest.

Not driven many classic 911's, have we? Boring? LMAO.

Yes, this piece of fugliness was designed to win the Targa Tasmania. One trick pony. A 911? How many different events/types of motorsport has the 911 won?

The attached photo of the Skelta lets the punter off the hook with regards to the full in yer face fugliness only a walk-around can offer. I was nearly ill in Gracing Green when I first saw the Skelta. It was in yellow, so that didn't do it any favours! Black could be an option.

Stevie Wonder would probably love it, mind.

[Rex Ironstone]

good to see Targa Tas get a mention on PH. I'm a Tassie Boy and usually a post chief for Targa but my stage was pulled this year.

[Caractacus]

Rex Ironstone said:

good to see Targa Tas get a mention on PH. I'm a Tassie Boy and usually a post chief for Targa but my stage was pulled this year.

Indeed.

It's almost as good as the Targa NZ

[hairykrishna]

Caractacus said:

Yes, this piece of fugliness was designed to win the Targa Tasmania. One trick pony.

The Targa Tasmania's a road race though so it's probably a good indication of it's pace on the road, or on road like tracks.

[Forbes82]

An ugly car starts looking better with a few wins under its belt!

As for the 'rather be 3rd in a 911' brigade... what kind of racing attitude is that! Winning is everything, doing it in an underdog of a car makes it even better, i wish them luck in the future.

[Caractacus]

hairykrishna said:

Caractacus said:

Yes, this piece of fugliness was designed to win the Targa Tasmania. One trick pony.

The Targa Tasmania's a road race though so it's probably a good indication of it's pace on the road, or on road like tracks.

Very good point.

Still, let's see it at Le mans (24hr)? Nurburgring(24hr)? Silverstone...against all the rest, of course. Only then will we be able to ascertain the extent of the Skelta's abilities.

[Caractacus]

Forbes82 said:

An ugly car starts looking better with a few wins under its belt!

As for the 'rather be 3rd in a 911' brigade... what kind of racing attitude is that! Winning is everything, doing it in an underdog of a car makes it even better, i wish them luck in the future.

Winning is everything to some, not to all.

Do you play any sports? Are you the best in the world at any, or all of them? Some folk like to partake in sport as a means to relaxation. Some derive pleasure from getting better each time they play, knowing full well they'll plateau at some stage.

Me, I know I'll never be a Tiger Woods, but I enjoy the challenge of a golf course.

Each to their own...

[jimjim150]

SAndals said:

Think I'd rather come in 3rd in a 911

Haha - what a ridiculous comment on a forum like this, could have sworn the PistonHeads tag line was 'Speed matters' - correct me if I'm wrong.

[militantmandy]

There's a point at which function over form doesn't cut it for me. This thing is mind-breakingly ugly.