2006 Ultima GTR 640 – Classified of the Week

If you want a thoroughbred race car you can just jump in and enjoy but without the faff of having to take it to a track, or a Le Mans legend evocation minus the racing license, then what you want, dear reader, is this Ultima GTR 640. Pure ridiculousness on wheels it’ll beat pretty much any other car (super or otherwise) it comes across on the road, and for a fraction of the cost of said Ferraris, Porsches or Lambos to boot.

Produced by British firm Ultima Sports, the Ultima GTR was the company’s second offering after the equally bonkers Ultima Sport, a car that could be provided in kit form or pre-assembled at the factory. The GTR continued this setup and customers could either source and fit their own engines and transmissions or choose a turnkey version from the factory with a small block Chevy V8 and Porsche transaxle. Whatever you decided, however, the tubular steel spaceframe chassis and GRP bodywork remained the same.

Mid engined and rear-wheel drive the Ultima GTR weighed less than a ton and so the power to weight figures were off the chart. Capable of truly astonishing performance the car set multiple world records, something that Ultima Sports was keen to lean into as a selling point for the GTR. And people lapped it up. Beating out such stiff (and way more expensive competition) as the Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari Enzo and McLaren F1, the Ultima GTR is a masterpiece, both from a design perspective as well as from a technological standpoint.

Unveiled in 1999 it was the later Ultima GTR 640 that really put the car on the map. Released in 2005 this particular iteration was equipped with a 6.3-litre variant of the American Speed Chevrolet V8 and it immediately took its place as one of the fastest accelerating road cars ever built. And it still is, almost 20 years later, testament to the car’s inherent abilities. We’re talking 0 to 60mph in 2.7sec, with 100mph coming up in 5.5sec and 150mph in under 12! They’re NASA numbers.

This isn’t merely a point A to point B rocket ship, however. Far from it. This is essentially a racing car and as such the grip and handling are on par with the raw performance. With precision engineered aerodynamic efficiency and balance, tested at none other than MIRA (the Motor Industry Research Association) the Ultima GTR is quite literally the ultimate package.

And that’s exactly what we have here ladies and gentlemen. This is a 2006 Ultima GTR 640 with just 5,000 miles on the clock. Still looking factory fresh thanks to a recent respray the nigh on perfect Rosso paintwork looks stunning. The car also features brand new carbon fibre additions direct from the factory and fitted last year that really finish off the body nicely. This Ultima GTR 640 also benefits from a £5K dry sump kit which prevents oil starvation during high g-loads, something that you will definitely be experiencing when pushing the GTR.

There’s not really anything that can beat the Ultima GTR 640, especially in this price bracket. If you were to buy something else with comparable performance you would have to spend a hell of a lot more money. If you’re after pure, seat of your pants excitement then this absolute weapon is most definitely the car for you. Equipped with air conditioning it could arguably be used regularly but if you really want to experience the Ultima GTR 640 the way it was intended then get to your nearest track and unleash the full potential of this frankly bonkers car. We promise you will not be disappointed.