Chevrolet WTCC Ultra - a ready-to-drive race and road car study

September Chevrolet Europe will be showing an exciting racecar study called the WTCC Ultra at the Paris Motor Show from September 30 to October 15, 2006. The ready-to-drive concept car was developed by a global GM team and illustrates Chevrolet’s commitment to using GM’s global resources. The vehicle was styled by 25-year old designer Ewan Kingsbury, who works for GM in Australia, while development work on the concept was carried out in the UK, Germany and Switzerland. The Ultra’s engine was built in Korea, and the prototype was assembled in Japan and will be presented as a fully working vehicle, that’s not just ready for the road, but raring to go on the racetrack. It’s equipped with a 190PS common rail turbodiesel engine, based on the 2.0-litre unit that will debut in the Captiva SUV and Lacetti models next year, and unlike most motor show styling studies is a fully-working vehicle, with performance to rival high performance petrol cars.

The concept exists as a vision of a new generation of World Touring Cars, and follows on from the success of Chevrolet’s WTCC race team, which took its second victory of the season earlier this month at Brno in the Czech Republic. British driver Rob Huff successfully held off championship leader Andy Priaulx in his BMW, and set the fastest lap time, to lead from the first lap.

Words like "aggressive, muscular and dramatic" describe the car's design. Sharp lines contrast with more organic, flowing surfaces. The WTCC Ultra is propelled by a 190 hp diesel engine. Its proportions give the impression of a car that looks fast even when it's standing still. The compact Chevrolet WTCC Ultra (length/width/height: 4.325/1.905/1.570 metres) will celebrate its world premiere on the Chevrolet stand in Paris.