1999 Ultima GTR

Launched in 1999, Última's new GTR has guaranteed the company the strongest possible start to the 21st century.

The exciting GTR was no less than fourteen months in development and the result is a product that takes the low-volume supercar to new levels of fit, finish and performance. And the GTR really is a supercar in every sense of the word. With a top speed of over 200 miles per hour (using the company's high performance engine option) the new car is more than a match for all but a handful of competitors. Add into the equation the huge cost of any of these alternatives and the short list ceases to be a list at all - you're simply left with Última!

The GTR uses the chassis and suspension package already road and race tested in the company's existing Sports model, but from here on the GTR has required a comprehensive redesign. Not a single panel is carried over onto the new car and, whilst the result gives the GTR a smoother more productionised feel, there's considerably more to it than just a fashion upgrade...

Aerodynamic efficiency has been of paramount importance on a car that is capable of over 200mph. Attention has centred around lengthening the rear of the car to help clean up the airflow and thus improve downforce. These developments have been comprehensively tested at MIRA (the Motor Industry Research Association) where the group was so impressed by the results that it was happy to have the Última GTR as the centre of its show display at the 2000 Autosport International show at the NEC in Birmingham.

Whilst the GTR can be ordered as a turnkey supercar, it is also available in component form, for assembly by the home enthusiast. As part of the GTR's gestation period, a great deal of time was spent to ensure that this is the easiest of all Última's models to put together and enjoy.

The ultra clean look of the GTR has not been achieved through luck, but rather by design. The production car feel of this latest model is immediately apparent, from the specially moulded headlight housings and covers to the immaculate panel fit and lack of any external body catches. Larger 18' wheels front and back help to fill the re-profiled wheelarches while even items such as the purpose-made wing mirrors combine to create the complete picture.

The end result is a car that's causing a real sensation wherever it's seen. David Vivian, one of the ÚK's leading magazine test drivers recently commented, 'Never mind the new 911 Turbo, be unconcerned about any Ferrari, F50 included. The only road car swifter than the Última is the McLaren F1, and then not by much. On a performance-per-£ reckoning, of course, the GTR destroys that, too.'

Further afield, the GTR is also gaining momentum following major launches in America, South Africa, Australia and Japan. The official Última web site now has a large section specifically for ÚS customers.

So, whichever way you look at it, the GTR looks set to continue Última's tradition for producing some of the most exciting road cars available anywhere in the world today.

Source - Ultima Sports Ltd