Ultima RS

 

The Ultima RS is a race car for the road that few outside of the car community have ever heard of or are familiar with. It was introduced in 2020 as the latest vehicle from British sports car manufacturer Ultima. The RS is inspired by Le Mans Group C prototype race cars and offers three different Chevy V8 options: a naturally-aspirated LT1 with around 480 horsepower, a 6.2-liter supercharged LT4 with around 650 horsepower, or a supercharged 6.2-liter LT5 with around 800 to 1,200 horsepower. Ultima claims that the RS can launch from zero to 60 mph in as quick as 2.3 seconds, zero to 100 mph in under five seconds, and hit a top speed of over 250 mph. Every Chevy V8 option with the Ultima RS is paired to a Porsche six-speed manual transaxle gearbox. On the exterior, it contains several aerodynamic elements, such as a roof scoop, crafted front splitter, front dive planes, vortex generators, quad wheel arch vents, and a massive rear wing. Its interior is typical race car spartan with its layout and lack of driver aids. However, its rounded dashboard is lined in leather and features buttons for the lights, turn signals, wiper, and ventilation system along with a suede-wrapped steering wheel and a basic touchscreen infotainment system located on the passenger side of the cabin. In addition, besides the dashboard, the Ultima RS' roll bars are wrapped in leather as well. Notable options include a backup/rear-view camera, parking sensors, and a system that increases front ground clearance to clear speed bumps more easily. The RS contains a body made of fiberglass, and its 19-inch rims are exclusive to this vehicle. It weighs in at an ultra-light 2,050 pounds, but this figure varies and may increase depending on how many optional extras it has.

Pricing for the Ultima RS starts at around $90,000 for lower-end models, while the top-end RS with the supercharged LT5 starts at around $120,000. Like many of the vehicles from the most recent Exotics on Broadway held in August that I have featured on this site so far, this is a first-time moment for me seeing the Ultima RS in person. At first glance, it looked familiar to me since I previously knew of an earlier Ultima model from 1999 to 2016 known as the GTR, but I was easily able to determine what the vehicle was after seeing its badges. Overall, the Ultima RS is an absolutely bonkers and underrated supercar and track toy. It looks and sounds incredibly thrilling, offers a marvelous array of engine options, and can hang with any other supercar based on its performance figures.

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