Ultima Claims Top Gear Lap Record Without Their Permission

By Zack Newmark
October 26, 2009 9:16 PM
Filed Under: European, Specialty Marques, Supercars

A small, British car company is laying claim to the Top Gear test track lap record.  The only problem, is that Top Gear was not involved.

Ultima Sports alleges they made requests to Top Gear producers through the years to challenge the current record holder, the Ferrari FXX.  With those efforts supposedly falling on deaf ears at the popular television show's offices, company execs decided to take things into their own hands.

Setting up their own private run on the same Dunsfold airport course Top Gear uses, Ultima brought the GTR720 to Surrey, England.  Using a Chevrolet V8-engine that produces 720 horsepower, the GTR720 finished the lap in just 1 minute, 9.9 seconds.  That time is 0.8 seconds faster than the previous record, set by Michael Schumacher in a track-only Ferrari FXX.

Although modifications were made to the car, Ultima claims it was still street legal unlike the FXX.  The test is said to have been verified by independent parties.  No word yet on how many attempts Ultima made.  And no, that is not the Stig in the driver's seat.

The question is, "How will Top Gear respond?"

Source: evo.co.uk

Comments

Joe_Limon
October 26, 2009 9:34 PM
Strange, I would have thought Top Gear would have been all for promoting a British Supercar.

Max_Speed
October 26, 2009 11:55 PM
Maybe because it has an American engine, but then again Lotus has a toyota engine and they do promote it...

jerry05cod4
October 26, 2009 9:35 PM
this car is insane... though i think this one was highly modified because they did this test about a year or so ago and the lap time was 1:12.8


Edited by user on October 26, 2009 at 9:37 PM
norther
October 26, 2009 9:54 PM
if they had got their data right, they would know that top gear pulled the fxx off the lap board because, as jeremy said..."it was running on slicks which are moraly wrong". so the fastest car on Tg's track is... still is, the gumpert apollo. and even if it would be faster than the gumpert, they are some pretty cocky, nerdy.... id shut them up

acrane7073
October 26, 2009 10:07 PM
They should respond by not caring at all. The point of the lap system is effective because they use the same driver each time. There claim has no standing with top gears laps. Top Gear should ban that car from the track for doing it themselves.

Airbag
October 27, 2009 5:12 AM
The Stig isn't always the same driver, and the Ultima has been able to do this for ages, Top Gear don't care and won't run it because it would embarrass the expensive Italians and they'd stop lending them cars, or that's the prevailing wisdom anyways. Besides, anyone who thinks an Ultima is a Ferrari or Lamborghini competitor then you're kidding yourself.

jerry05cod4
October 27, 2009 5:46 PM
they don't test this car "officially" because it's just superior to everything else which would take the excitement away from the leaderboard because you won't be looking forward to a possible new record... if the fxx can't beat it what will?!... now lets see how it does around the nordschleife

scratchy996
October 26, 2009 11:19 PM
it's not the first time they used the track without TG's permission. and also Caparo T1, Aston Martin DBR9, Renault F1 car and a BAE Sea Harrier were faster than the FXX, but taken off the board.


Edited by user on October 26, 2009 at 11:23 PM
EDavis
October 26, 2009 11:23 PM
I've never even seen one in person but based on what I know I absolutely adore the Ultima GTR. It reminds me of an old Can-Am car or a LeMans car from the 70s. It's kind of like a grown-up yet highly refined go-cart but with a glorious NASCAR soundtrack, and it's Cobra-like in that it marries an American V8 to an English chassis, a marriage made in heaven.

Furthermore, it's rude, it's crude, and it carries a kit-car stigma. It's disliked by those who are more concerned about brand heritage and maintaining a Concours d'Elegance level of engine compartment cleanliness than feeling the thrust of acceleration and trying to find a better line through turn 15 of their favorite twisty road. If I ever acquire Ferrari money I'll likely get something like an Ultima and spend some of the savings on tuition for high performance driving schools.

Also; The engine supplier, American Speed (from the U.S.) offers 35(!) Chevy V8s to choose from ranging from 300 to 800hp.


Edited by user on October 27, 2009 at 3:50 AM
9TNine
October 27, 2009 12:44 AM
Dunlop Groundhog... GT, of course!


Edited by user on October 27, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Xanavi23
October 27, 2009 12:48 AM
I hear you Edavis, i think of the Ultima essentially like an LMP for the street.

If you ask me, all is fair, the cars street legal, so if the data has been verified by Independant party, its the official un-official record holder.

Captain Scarlett
October 27, 2009 1:43 AM
This footage is years old!

joelynn
October 27, 2009 1:45 AM
a real raw supercar, not some poser car for footballers.

TheAlchemist
October 27, 2009 3:37 AM
agreed, pure road/race car. I've always loved the Ultima GTR.

erzhik
October 27, 2009 6:01 AM
At least FXX doesn't look like a backyard kit car.

Xanavi23
October 27, 2009 3:43 PM
If youve seen an actual Ultima in action and up close it doesn't really look like a kit car. I guess thats the only defense you could find of your non road legal FXX though given even you know the Ultima is faster.

The FXX is a great car but sometimes rather than taking cheap shots at a better(faster) car, just take the defeat and let it be that.

sideskraper
October 27, 2009 5:06 PM
Babow.

The Ultima is fantastic. Sensational even. But erzhik is on the money. It is in desperate need of a restyling. It has gone from being a fringe supercar to being completely marginalised by it's 30 year old Group C styling.

Not to mention its lack of amenities, practicality, or safety features. Sure it's great in terms of FIA safety requirements but they take into account different usage to a lot of road driving.

The ownership experience of a hypercar has moved on from where it was when the current generation Ultima came to market. Not to mention for many builds, an archaic powerplant. Safety, comfort, and performance are all great friends in today's super/hyper car.

People that say "but but but the ultima owner doesn't care about things like luggage space or stereo or leather or styling (etc) because they are busy enjoying the purest performance they can get from a car" or something of the like need to remember that you can buy many track day specials (kit or delivered) that will give you similar thrills for the price. Or you can buy yourself a stripped out roadcar (like one of the gazillion 911 gt3 variants). Or you will be the sort of person in the market for a real racing car without the compromises for legality.

The Ultima GTR is great. One of the most rewarding driving experiences I've had is at the wheel of one, but it is compromised AND to get one to perform at this level would not be a simple/cheap tweak of the basic GTR.

greenacre
October 27, 2009 6:41 AM
they should respond by doing to it what they did to the toyota hilux.

jerry05cod4
October 27, 2009 5:13 PM
that car is indestructible

Sedaer
October 27, 2009 11:53 AM
I thought Topgear own dunsfold air strip.

sideskraper
October 27, 2009 4:47 PM
No, they are one of MANY tenants of the "business park" that is Dunsfold today.

ricer8
October 27, 2009 1:00 PM
They should get rid of Jeremy who is too impressed with a cars snob appeal and hire Tiff who is a far superior driver and auto journalist

Xanavi23
October 27, 2009 3:44 PM
Ild keep Jeremy, he is full of it but i like him. So i ild say bring in Tiff Needle as well, to counterbalance Jeremys snob appeal.

Airbag
October 27, 2009 10:25 PM
Keep Clarkson, he's too important to the franchise, like him or not. Kill Hammond with a frozen carp and replace him with Tiff. I think Tiff, James and Jeremy would be a great team.

GRAVE
October 27, 2009 5:15 PM
I like JC because he is funny and always making jokes which makes you not feeling bored,

Shark
October 27, 2009 6:30 PM
Interesting how car makers like this choose a Chevy engine over anything else, even though most people will go on to bash the good old reliable and durable pushrod engine!

sideskraper
October 27, 2009 6:52 PM
Yeah they should use a (insert whatever you want here) engine because they are used the world over, readily available in crate form, for very little money, and have many people familiar with them because they have been overused for generations. As opposed to something modern.....

View Comment Rules

Add Comment

You are modifying your comment

Exisiting User

Username
Password
remember me

New Users

Username
Email
Password
Comment

Your account

username
password

Other links