ONE-OFF - Owning a dream sports car is a desire cherished by automotive enthusiasts worldwide, but the fulfillment of that dream takes on a whole new level of greatness when one can proudly say they built it with their own hands. This isn't an impossible feat, as evidenced by the success stories of privateer automakers like the
Rox GT and
Tomaso One, both crafted by skilled Swedish car builders.
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Per Ajdén-built Sensor GTR based on Ulf Bolumlid design completed in 2018. (Picture from: RareComponentCars)
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Among these talents is
Ulf Bolumlid, a talented car builder and artist hailing from Sweden. While initially recognized for his skill in crafting custom guitars,
Ulf transitioned to the world of car building in 1980, driven by his passion for bringing automotive dreams to life.
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| The Mania Spyder, the first production car of Ulf Bolumlid sold as a kit under his Falköping-based studio-Designs by Ulf. (Picture from: FiberClassic.org) |
In 1992,
Ulf achieved a significant milestone with the release of the
Mania Spyder, the first production car sold as a kit under his Falköping-based studio-
Designs by Ulf. After successfully selling around
50 kit cars,
Ulf set his sights on a more ambitious project—the
Sensor GTR, a coupe inspired by
Le Mans prototypes, and early hypercars of the day like the
Bugatti EB110, and
McLaren F1.
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| Per Ajdén-built Sensor GTR featured with to unique door mechanisms akin to those on Koenigsegg cars. (Picture from: RareComponentCars) |
The car, constructed on
a triangulated steel spaceframe with independent suspension and carbon-fiber or fiberglass bodywork, aimed for
a weight as low as 750 kilograms in its lightest form,
accommodating motors from four to twelve cylinders with up to 1,000 horsepower.
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| Per
Ajdén-built Sensor GTR's interior with black-red trimmed seats,
complemented by a three-spoke racing steering wheel and two sleek
displays on the center console. (Picture from: RareComponentCars) |
The Sensor GTR's drivetrain featured Ulf's vision of a V8 engine with a 4.5-liter displacement, delivering 450 horsepower and over 500 Nm of torque. Coupled with a Porsche 5-speed transmission, the car was equipped to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds, reaching a top speed of around 190 mph.
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| Per Ajdén-built Sensor GTR's tubular chassis and 344 bhp Volvo engine at rear view. (Picture from: RareComponentCars) |
Apart from the street version, plans included a Spartan track racer named the
Superlight, priced at
$150,000 in turn-key form. Unfortunately, the market didn't respond as anticipated, leading to the closure of
Ulf Bolumlid's studio in 2005, leaving
two full size models and
three body shells – in other words, the prototype was never completed.
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| One of the two Ulf Bolumlid' design mock-ups for Sensor GTR positioned at three-quarter front view. (Picture from: RareComponentCars) |
The
Sensor GTR's story, however, found a revival in 2016 when
Per Ajdén, a Swedish colleague, acquired an original body shell with the intent to bring the car to fruition. Conducting a 3D scan,
Ajdén designed a CAD model for the chassis, drivetrain, and interior, subsequently laser-cutting and welding the tubular chassis.
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| One of the two Ulf Bolumlid' design mock-ups for Sensor GTR positioned at three-quarter rear view. (Picture from: RareComponentCars) |
Per Ajdén along with his brother took the fabrication process in his own garage, from badges and trim to unique door mechanisms akin to those on
Koenigsegg cars. Most car parts were either handmade or custom-made from OEM items. The suspension featured
a double wishbone setup at the front,
coil-overs at the rear, and
Wilwood and
Audi A4 components for the brakes, with
a mid-mounted 344 bhp Volvo engine as the drivetrain.
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| Ulf Bolumlid (left) and the Ajdén brothers with their Sensor GTR creation in the background. (Picture from: RareComponentCars) |
The completion of the
Sensor GTR in 2018 stands as a remarkable tribute to
Ulf Bolumlid's vision, brought to life through
Per Ajdén's expertise and meticulous attention to detail. While
Ulf eventually retired after contributing to
Koenigsegg's early prototype vehicles,
Ajdén continues his car-building journey, with his latest creation being
a replica of the Ford RS2000 rally car.
✨Happy Holiday...⛄ *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AJDEN.SE | RARECOMPONENTCARS | REJSA.NU | DRIVES.TODAY | FIBERCLASSIC.ORG ]
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Among these talents is Ulf Bolumlid, a talented car builder and artist hailing from Sweden. While initially recognized for his skill in crafting custom guitars, Ulf transitioned to the world of car building in 1980, driven by his passion for bringing automotive dreams to life. 
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