First Westfield XTR2 in NZ ???
Discussion
I've recently imported a Westfield XTR2 which as far as I know is the first in NZ.
I don't have any recent photos as it's all in bits trying to get "road-legal"
Anyway, the factory got some nice photos taken when it was new and bring dragged around all the shows.
18 months and 906 miles later (including customer test drivers
) it has a few scars . . . but I'm still 
I don't have any recent photos as it's all in bits trying to get "road-legal"
Anyway, the factory got some nice photos taken when it was new and bring dragged around all the shows.
18 months and 906 miles later (including customer test drivers
) it has a few scars . . . but I'm still I HATE YOU! :P But that's just the jealousy talking... if you let me blag a lift sometime, I'll love you AND have your babies (although some surgery might be needed to make this possible).... but seriously man, oyu've done what I've wanted to... it's a WONDERFUL car and you're going to have a LOT of fun if you can get it registered..... even if not, it'll make a REALLY good trck-only car.
So who's gonna bring the first Radical in? I drove it in Oz, but I don't know whether I want to commit to a car that's ineligible for every series except club events. I'd rather have an Ultima GTR (which I'm just in conversation with LVVTA on as to how I can get it past the restrictions).
darren said:
...I'd rather have an Ultima GTR (which I'm just in conversation with LVVTA on as to how I can get it past the restrictions).
Well since they only (currently) sell around 75 a year, they can't get you on that one...
are there any other restrictions that you're aware of...?
or just the usual...
"since we'll never be able to afford one, we'll just spoil your fun as well..."
p.s.
I've actually sat in one, at the factory open day, and, since money's not a problem, I was intending to bring one home with me in a year or so... provided there's no problems with our little bureaucrats in Wellington...
just a pity about them using a 2 valve pushrod, then again, if the Saker's 500 bhp, twin turbo costs NZ 85k,
I think I could get a SBC with nearly twice that for less...
Oh, did you actually buy the Saker?
Darren, what restrictions are you referring to with the GTR? Ultima certainly don't make more than 200 p.a. and you can scratch-build them, so what is the problem that you are concerned with?
I was planning on getting a GTR but I suspect any money I will have in the near future will end up being spent on real estate
I was planning on getting a GTR but I suspect any money I will have in the near future will end up being spent on real estate
peterpsg said:
...I'd rather have an Ultima GTR (which I'm just in conversation with LVVTA on as to how I can get it past the restrictions).
Well since they only (currently) sell around 75 a year, they can't get you on that one...
are there any other restrictions that you're aware of...?
or just the usual...
"since we'll never be able to afford one, we'll just spoil your fun as well..."
p.s.
I've actually sat in one, at the factory open day, and, since money's not a problem, I was intending to bring one home with me in a year or so... provided there's no problems with our little bureaucrats in Wellington...
just a pity about them using a 2 valve pushrod, then again, if the Saker's 500 bhp, twin turbo costs NZ 85k,
I think I could get a SBC with nearly twice that for less...
Oh, did you actually buy the Saker?
I didn't buy the Saker, but was considering a Radical (you can see my review in NZ Performance Car last month). Anyway, I'd rather have an Ultima GTR as it's more practical and I'd use it as promotion for our graphic design company. The main problems with it are: a) me and anything mechanical go together like Mother Theresa and karate, which means b) I'd probably best bring it in fully built by people who know the car. As it comes fully built I'm checking with LVVTA as to whether the wing is legal, the harnesses, instrument cluster, ride height, etc. As Ultima have a list of options I want to pick the right ones so I'm not having to change anything if I bring one in.
It's either that or something like an RS6 Audi (my wife's suggestion on supreme practicality and performance).They'd be similar prices at somewhere around $180k (which is all tax deductable as it's a biz expense).
Re the Saker's 500bhp engine and its $85k price tag (not including the rest of the car, which makes it approx $200k), it's a pity it has to be such a flat engine otherwise you could build up a reliable Mitsi Evo engine for $40-45k (Ohlsen Developments' figures) that would produce 500bhp and run all day.
If you're going to bring a GTR in, we'll have to start a club.
jamieheasman said:
Darren, what restrictions are you referring to with the GTR? Ultima certainly don't make more than 200 p.a. and you can scratch-build them, so what is the problem that you are concerned with?
I was planning on getting a GTR but I suspect any money I will have in the near future will end up being spent on real estate
...and if you're bring one in, that's 3 of us - a crowd! I am thinking of the real estate thing as well as I'm living in Swanson and working in Auckland - nightmare traffic every day.
darren said:
...Ultima GTR ... more practical
LOL, that's the first time I've heard the word 'practical' and 'Ultima GTR' in the same sentance!
>RS6 Audi
That's a more 'pratical' choice, and a real sleeper, well it is over here in the UK/EU where they're more common, in NZ it'd still stick out like a sore thumb!
>Fully built
Ah, is that more likely to cause you problems than a 'scratch-built' as they term it ?
>...GTR club...
Ture, then at least we'd all have something to compare the car with when something goes wrong, which is from what I've read on the Ultima forum, not all that uncommon when the car is new and getting settled in...
Though a Factory built car should probably be ok...
I thought the Saker was able to cope with a V8?
And the prices on the Dutch website are around €35k ??
If I stay in the UK/EU for that much longer, I'll just build it here, and then the Autobahns won't be all that far away...
Oh, also got to see a Bugatti Veyron in the flesh in Berlin... the wife had to wipe my chin and drag me away... ;-)
peterpsg said:
...Ultima GTR ... more practical
LOL, that's the first time I've heard the word 'practical' and 'Ultima GTR' in the same sentance!
>RS6 Audi
That's a more 'pratical' choice, and a real sleeper, well it is over here in the UK/EU where they're more common, in NZ it'd still stick out like a sore thumb!
>Fully built
Ah, is that more likely to cause you problems than a 'scratch-built' as they term it ?
>...GTR club...
Ture, then at least we'd all have something to compare the car with when something goes wrong, which is from what I've read on the Ultima forum, not all that uncommon when the car is new and getting settled in...
Though a Factory built car should probably be ok...
I thought the Saker was able to cope with a V8?
And the prices on the Dutch website are around €35k ??
If I stay in the UK/EU for that much longer, I'll just build it here, and then the Autobahns won't be all that far away...
Oh, also got to see a Bugatti Veyron in the flesh in Berlin... the wife had to wipe my chin and drag me away... ;-)
Base Saker is about NZ$100k whereas the 500hp one will be in the $200k range. The older Sakers definitely could fit a V8, but (unless Extreme Cars gave me the wrong info), the new RSC isn't designed to.
From what I understand about bringing something over fully built from my conversation last night with Allan who's the editor of Classic Car mag is that when you certify it they want to go through everything in the car, which means in some cases you'd have to take the car to bits to prove certain things about it. Allan gave me a few examples of where the certifiers had asked to see the chassis and other bits that couldn't be easily accessed without removing the body and engine, which shouldn't be too difficult.
So, I thought that I'd work out a spec list, cross-check it against what's legal and what's not (i.e. don't bother ordering 4-inch harnesses as they're not), bring it over and get someone to build it for me.
darren said:
...when you certify it they want to go through everything in the car, which means in some cases you'd have to take the car to bits to prove certain things about it.
Ah, now that you mention it... during an email conversation that I had with Neil Fraser (of Fraser cars) he did say something about having to see it as it progressed...
so, I guess it's easier for you to get someone to build it local, preferably a Certifier, so that you don't have to pull it apart!
But a list of 'legal parts' would be a usefull thing...
I'd prefer to build my own, but thats just me, had an engineer for a Dad, so I can still remember some of the 'spanner' skills I was shown...
Anyway, let us know what the LVVA boys say...
Cheers,
Peter
peterpsg said:
...when you certify it they want to go through everything in the car, which means in some cases you'd have to take the car to bits to prove certain things about it.
Ah, now that you mention it... during an email conversation that I had with Neil Fraser (of Fraser cars) he did say something about having to see it as it progressed...
so, I guess it's easier for you to get someone to build it local, preferably a Certifier, so that you don't have to pull it apart!
But a list of 'legal parts' would be a usefull thing...
I'd prefer to build my own, but thats just me, had an engineer for a Dad, so I can still remember some of the 'spanner' skills I was shown...
Anyway, let us know what the LVVA boys say...
Cheers,
Peter
I'll start a new thread as we're off the XTR2 topic now!!
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