Enjoy the circuit in a very rare machine, the only one of its kind in Japan
The Group C motorsport category was popular in the 1980s and 1990s, and the Ultima Can-Am Spyder from Ultima Sport is the only car in Japan that has the style of a racing machine like that. We happened to come across such an ultra-rare car at Fuji Speedway.
Although a racing car, it can be driven on streets and is equipped with an air conditioner
During the 1980s and 1990s, car enthusiasts became obsessed with motorsport. The most shocking of these was the Group C category, known as prototype racing cars, where fierce races were fought at speeds of over 400 km/h.
The aerodynamic theory led to the adoption of a ground-effect structure, which allowed downforce to come from under the floor rather than from the wings. The flat, elongated body form became etched in our memories as a new image of the racing car.
The car presented here is a version of this monster machine that was built to public road specifications while retaining its performance. The name of this car, which has the styling of a Group C car, is the Ultima Can-Am Spyder. It is an extremely rare car, only one of which exists in Japan.
The Ultima Can-Am Spyder, which looks for all intents and purposes like a C-car itself, is a kit car produced by the British company Ultima Sport in 2006. At the time, a closed-body version of the Ultima GTR with the same specifications achieved a world record 0-100-0 mph (approx. 0-160-0 km/h) acceleration + deceleration test time of 9.4 seconds. It also boasted a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 2.6 seconds and a top speed of 325 km/h.
The exterior design was inspired by the cars competing in the Le Mans 24-hour race, and its form is exactly that of a race car. Inside, however, the car is equipped with air-conditioning, power steering, navigation system, and other comforts for public road use.
The current owner is Mr Masaaki Mizobuchi, who lives in Aichi Prefecture. He had been interested in this car for a long time and happened to be offered the chance to sell it to him, so he bought it last year.
It was at Fuji Speedway that we met this car and its owner, Mizobuchi-san. What’s more, we were surprised to see this car not in the paddock, but on the circuit course.
This supermachine is so valuable that it could have been displayed in a museum. It’s a rare car, the only one in Japan, that’s going full throttle on the circuit. However, according to the owner, it is only in places like this that the true potential of this car can be demonstrated. They say that driving on public roads only adds stress to the car. For a car that was born from the idea of a racing car, this opinion is certainly correct.
Driving performance is spartan spec, comfort performance is luxury-oriented
Let’s take a look at the specifications of the Ultima Can-Am Spyder again. Firstly, the engine is a Chevrolet V8 7200cc engine mounted in the rear. The suspension is by Ultima, the brakes are AP Racing, the wheels are OZ and the tires are Hoosier Sports (F: 245/35R18, R: 335/30R18).
Also, the drivetrain to cope with the high-power engine and ultra-thick high-grip tires has all been replaced with strengthened components, with a Getrag 6-speed manual transmission and an Ultima clutch and LSD set.
A peek into the cockpit reveals bucket seats upholstered in beige genuine leather for a luxury-oriented look. And it’s interesting to note that the steering wheel is a Sparco F-10C, the audio system is a Rockford T4652-S and the car navigation system is a Carrozzeria DMH-SF700. It looks and drives like a completely spartan racing car, but it is loaded with comfort equipment and can be enjoyed cruising elegantly with the air conditioning on.
This is precisely the kind of car that is the rare model that perfectly embodies both a road-going car and a track machine.
translated by DeepL