How many mid-engine sports cars with a manual gearbox are on sale in 2015? We can only come up with one: the Porsche Cayman. If that thought depresses you, we’ have good news: the Ultima Evolution, which boasts a wicked combination of British style, German engineering and classic American V8 grunt is on its way. Earlier this month, Ultima Sports teased the first moving images of the car in this two-and-a-half minute video:
Founded in 1992, Ultima Sports is a low-volume supercar manufacturer based in the United Kingdom. It sells just one model: the Ultima, which debuted in 2005. When the 720-horsepower version of the Ultima GTR hit the Top Gear test track, it clocked an unofficial time reported to be more than one second faster than any car on the show’s Power Lap rankings. Nonetheless, the company has seen fit to replace the GTR after a decade of noble service.
Its successor, the Evolution, is not only lighter than the outgoing GTR, it’s also substantially more powerful in its highest specification. That leads us to believe that the Ultima will once again embarrass other supercars on road courses around the world.
Powered by a GM-sourced LS motor, the Evolution is available in no less than 15 different levels of tune—starting at 350 horsepower and climbing all the way to a bonkers 1,020 horsepower. Moreover, all of that thrust is channeled through a six-speed manual gearbox that is sourced from Porsche.
Getting all that power to the ground is accomplished by a serious set of meats, with the Evolution’s 18-inch forged wheels wearing 245/35 R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires at the front and 335/30 R18 at the rear. Apparently it’s enough to help this 2,100-pound monster get the power to the ground. Zero to to 60 mph is reportedly dispatched in a mere 2.3 seconds on its way to a top speed of 240 miles per hour.
For cornering duties, the Ultima uses a double wishbone suspension design with fully adjustable custom-made coil spring dampers to allow drivers to tweak suspension height and stiffness to taste, while a double-element carbon fiber wing helps keep the car pressed to the ground at high speeds.
In terms of amenities, the Evolution sports all-LED external lighting, an Alpine infotainment system with optional satellite navigation system, an optional leather-wrapped roll cage, and even an Ultima-branded luggage set for good measure.
Interested? It only takes about $150,000 to put the fully assembled high-output model in your driveway. Ultima also sells do-it-yourself kits shipped from its factory in Leicestershire, England - opens in new window or tab..
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