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There Is No Universe Where A Street Legal 800-HP 2008 Ultima GTR Ends Well For Me

2008 Ultima GTR

Photo: Cars & Bids

Like a lot of readers, I have to admit Iā€™m addicted to speed. Motorcycles and EVs that make absurd amounts of power have also ruined me, making cars that are objectively quick feel normal and sometimes slow, even. If I want to get my fix, I need to be behind the wheel of something seriously fast and preferably lightweight. And yet, even I know better than to go near the 2008 Ultima GTR on Cars & Bids thatā€™s also allegedly street-legal. I just got done almost dying and have no intention of trying that again.

If youā€™ve never heard of the Ultima GTR, it probably looks like the kind of kit car youā€™d build with your cousin in a garage. Legally, youā€™re right, but itā€™s a little more serious than that. These things were designed to be absolute track monsters. It doesnā€™t weigh much more than 2,000 pounds, and yet thereā€™s a Chevrolet-sourced, American Speedā€“built 7.0-liter V8 under the hood that sends more than 800 horsepower to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.

2008 Ultima GTR side

Photo: Cars & Bids

Yes, you read that correctly. The Ultima GTRā€™s naturally aspirated V8 makes more power than a Hellcat in a car that weighs less than an ND Miata. Thatā€™s 403 hp per powered wheel. Thatā€™s less than three pounds per horsepower. Doing some quick back-of-the-napkin math, it has a better power-to-weight ratio than the Bugatti Chiron, and again, itā€™s only rear-wheel drive. Also, did I mention that itā€™s reportedly street-legal? Yeah, I did, but I have to bring it up again because itā€™s important that you donā€™t miss the part where you should be able to drive it to the track if you want. Heck, it even has air conditioning and a rear-view camera.

Call me a coward all you want, but Iā€™m almost certain driving this car would end in a massive explosion that I wouldnā€™t walk away from. No, cars donā€™t explode in real life like they do in movies, but with that much power in such a light car, I guarantee Iā€™d find a way to cause an explosion anyway. It would be worth a few million clicks, but at what cost? You, though? I bet youā€™re built different. You could totally buy this car and not die. Probably. Maybe.

2008 Ultima GTR

Photo: Cars & Bids

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