The
SSC Ultimate Aero is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-built mid-engine
supercarSupercar is a term generally used for ultra-high-end exotic cars, whose performance is superior to that of its contemporaries. It has been defined specifically as "a very expensive, fast or powerful car with a centrally located engine", and stated in more general terms: "it must be very fast, with...
by Shelby SuperCars. SSC stands for Shelby SuperCars and TT stands for Twin Turbo. Its higher-performance limited production version, the
SSC Ultimate Aero TT, is the fastest production car in the world, with a recorded speed of . This speed was achieved during tests on September 13, 2007 in
West Richland, WashingtonWest Richland is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States, served by two elementary schools and a middle school , with an annual budget of about 30 million dollars. The population was 8,385 at the 2000 census...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and verified by
Guinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing an internationally recognised...
on October 9, 2007.
The Aero and the Shelby SuperCars company are the brainchildren of
Jerod ShelbyJerod O. Shelby is the founder of the American supercar automobile manufacturer Shelby SuperCars. He is not related to car designer Carroll Shelby.- Work Before SSC :...
(no relation to car designer
Carroll ShelbyCarroll Hall Shelby, is an American racing and automotive designer and former racing driver.-Automotive Executive of the Year Award - 2008 Honoree:...
), who spent over seven years designing the car.
The
SSC Ultimate Aero is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-built mid-engine
supercarSupercar is a term generally used for ultra-high-end exotic cars, whose performance is superior to that of its contemporaries. It has been defined specifically as "a very expensive, fast or powerful car with a centrally located engine", and stated in more general terms: "it must be very fast, with...
by Shelby SuperCars. SSC stands for Shelby SuperCars and TT stands for Twin Turbo. Its higher-performance limited production version, the
SSC Ultimate Aero TT, is the fastest production car in the world, with a recorded speed of . This speed was achieved during tests on September 13, 2007 in
West Richland, WashingtonWest Richland is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States, served by two elementary schools and a middle school , with an annual budget of about 30 million dollars. The population was 8,385 at the 2000 census...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and verified by
Guinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing an internationally recognised...
on October 9, 2007.
The Aero and the Shelby SuperCars company are the brainchildren of
Jerod ShelbyJerod O. Shelby is the founder of the American supercar automobile manufacturer Shelby SuperCars. He is not related to car designer Carroll Shelby.- Work Before SSC :...
(no relation to car designer
Carroll ShelbyCarroll Hall Shelby, is an American racing and automotive designer and former racing driver.-Automotive Executive of the Year Award - 2008 Honoree:...
), who spent over seven years designing the car. Although the basic Aero model is no longer produced, the Ultimate Aero is still in production with an MSRP of around $654,400.
Prototype (2004)
SSC Ultimate Aero SC/8T prototype #001 was built using a supercharged engine sourced from the Corvette C5R mated to a G-64 6-speed manual transmission (also seen in the
Dodge ViperThe Dodge Viper is a V10-powered sports car manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler LLC. Production of the two seat sports car began at New Mack Assembly in 1992 and moved to its current home at Conner Avenue Assembly in October 1995...
). It weighs .
Prototype #001 was sold in 2008 Barett-Jackson Palm Beach auction with winning bid price of $189,200.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=671&aid=243&pop=1
Specifications (2006)
Styling of the Aero includes the use of
butterfly doorsButterfly doors are a type of door often seen on high-performance automobiles. They are similar to scissor doors, but while scissor doors move up, butterfly doors also move outwards, which makes for easier entry/exit at the expense of saving space....
similar to those found on the
Mercedes/McLaren SLRThe Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is an Anglo-German supercar jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, built in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England...
,
Saleen S7The Saleen S7 is a limited-production, hand-built, high-performance automobile developed jointly by Steve Saleen for the initial concept and direction, Hidden Creek Industries for resources and initial funding, for the body and interior CAD design and development, and Ray Mallock Ltd. for the...
, Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR, and the Ferrari Enzo.
Carbon fiberCarbon fiber is a material consisting of extremely thin fibers about 0.005–0.010 mm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in microscopic crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
and
titaniumTitanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Sometimes called the “space age metal”, it has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color.Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminium, vanadium, molybdenum, among other...
are used throughout the car, helping to limit the weight to for the standard Aero. Rumors persist that the Ultimate Aero TT is nothing more than a stripped down racing version of the base Aero (rumors that the car has no air conditioning for example); however, such claims have been proven false.
The engine in the base Aero model was a Supercharged V8 Chevrolet Small Block series engine rated at at 6600 rpm and at 5800 rpm, with the supercharger at and running on 91
octaneThe octane rating is a measure of the resistance of gasoline and other fuels to detonation in spark-ignition internal combustion engines. High-performance engines typically have higher compression ratios and are therefore more prone to detonation, so they require higher octane fuel...
gasoline. The Ultimate Aero has increased engine displacement of and increased boost of , resulting in at 6950 rpm and at 6200 rpm, running on 91 octane gasoline.
Wind tunnelA wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research. It is used to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
testing indicates that the Ultimate Aero could theoretically reach a top speed of given appropriate transmission gear ratios, although the supplied transmission would result in at the car's
redlineRedline refers to the maximum engine speed at which an internal combustion engine or traction motor and its components are designed to operate without causing damage to the components themselves or other parts of the engine...
. The base Aero, however, should "only" reach about . The Ultimate Aero accelerates from 0-96 km/h in 2.78 seconds, slower than the
Bugatti VeyronThe Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engine grand tourer developed by the German car-manufacturer Volkswagen and produced by the Volkswagen-brand Bugatti Automobiles SAS at their headquarters in Château St. Jean in Molsheim , and whose production and development is often credited to Ferdinand Karl...
which achieves 0-96 km/h in 2.46 seconds because of its 4WD layout and quad-turbocharged W16.
Specifications (2007)
The engine in the base Aero model is same as the previous year, but the Ultimate Aero has a engine, rated at at 6950 rpm and torque at 6150 rpm, and the supercharger is replaced by a twin turbocharger with cabin adjustable boost pressure. The car is designed to use 91-octane gasoline. The 6-speed transmission is readjusted to increase the theoretical top speed to at 7200 rpm.
Wheels on the base model are sized at the front and at the rear, while the Ultimate Aero TT has wheels an inch larger at each end.
The 2007 models are heavier, with the base model weighing , and Ultimate version . Unlike the previous year, base models have a navigation system, 10-speaker audio/CD/DVD system, video/DVD screen, back-up camera, air-conditioning, and trunk space as standard equipment. These come optional on the Ultimate.
The first production 2007 Ultimate Aero TT car was sold on
eBayeBay Inc. is an American Internet company that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide. A majority of the sales take place through a set-time auction format, but subsequent methods include...
for US$431,100. Later cars are expected to cost US$485,000. Only 24 Ultimate Aero TTs are going to be produced from 2006-2007. The Ultimate Aero TT made its international debut on the International Show Circuit in November 2006.
Specifications (2008)
In 2008 models of Ultimate Aero, 3 changes were made:
- New Twin-Turbo V8
- All new aluminum engine block
- Standard HRE Monoblok wheels
- Azentek Atlas computer infotainment system
The '08 Aero TT was to have a theoretical top speed of 430 km/h (267.19 mph)
Specifications (2009)
The new Ultimate Aero has 15% more horsepower and theoretically capable of reaching , with 6th gear rated top speed of . In order to prevent the engine from overheating, airflow to the engine has increased 20% with new carbon fiber louvers. The nose has been redesigned to make the car more aerodynamic, and the interior has been redesigned. The new Aero also has a new AeroBrake system, which is a
spoilerSpoiler could refer to* Spoiler , a device to reduce lift in aeronautics* Spoiler , a device to modify air flow in order to increase fuel efficiency or improve handling in automobiles...
that rises up to 8 inches when the brake is pressed to slow the vehicle.
- Length reduced to 176.2 inches (4475.5 mm)
Ultimate Aero EV
SSC announced the production of the Ultimate Aero EV, an electrical version of the sports car. The released specifications include using 500 horsepower (373 kW) electric motor, with SSC also exploring the potential of using 2 engines in 2 or 4 wheel drive configuration. The SSC, once in production, will be the fastest electric car on the market. "I think we can do it faster, leaner and cleaner than any other manufacturer," claims the SSC founder, Jerod Shelby. SSC planned to produce its first prototype in February 2009, with production to begin as early as Q4 of 2009.
As part of the production plan, SSC also announced it had contracted with Sheffield International Finance Corporation to initiate the company's first acceptance of outside capital since its inception.
SSC announces electric powertrain and Ultimate Aero EV specifications. ". SSC will display its AESP in the Ultimate Aero EV in order to prove that electric-powered vehicles will not only match but also provide more linear power ... and overall performance than internal combustion cars. The Ultimate Aero EV uses a twin motor AESP producing an astounding 1,000 HP and 800 lb-ft of torque enabling it to rocket to 60 mph in a mere 2.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 208 mph. Not only does the Ultimate Aero EV have a range of 150-200 miles on a single charge, but SSC's "Charge on the RunTM" onboard charging system allows for full battery recharges in as little as 10 minutes. Mind you, this is not the solution for perpetual motion."
- Length and width reduced from Ultimate Aero engine car version
Speed attempt
SSC tested the top speed capability of the Ultimate Aero TT on March 22, 2007. The original test was scheduled for March 21, 2007 but was called off due to bad weather conditions. SSC closed down a stretch of U.S. Route 93 in Nevada for the event. Their goal was to replace the
Bugatti VeyronThe Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engine grand tourer developed by the German car-manufacturer Volkswagen and produced by the Volkswagen-brand Bugatti Automobiles SAS at their headquarters in Château St. Jean in Molsheim , and whose production and development is often credited to Ferdinand Karl...
as the fastest production car ever produced, which at the time could achieve . Simulation and testing at
NASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program. NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for...
's
Virginia facilityLangley Research Center is the oldest of NASA's field centers, located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It directly borders Poquoson, Virginia and Langley Air Force Base. LaRC focuses primarily on aeronautical research, though the Lunar Lander was flight-tested at this facility and a number...
had shown that the Ultimate Aero TT is theoretically capable of approximately . The March 22nd attempt failed to break the record, due to sub-optimal conditions. Test driver Rick Doria reported "wheel-spin" at speeds above . Despite the failure of the attempt, the car still reached .
SSC announced they had broken the speed record for the world's fastest production car with in West Richland, WA on September 13, 2007. The reported record speed came from an average of two runs in opposite directions, in accordance with Guinness Book of World Records rules. The first run clocked and the return trip . The results of this test, verified by
Guinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing an internationally recognised...
on October 9, 2007, gave the SSC Ultimate Aero the title of world's fastest production car, with a top speed of . This beat the previous record holder, the
Bugatti VeyronThe Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engine grand tourer developed by the German car-manufacturer Volkswagen and produced by the Volkswagen-brand Bugatti Automobiles SAS at their headquarters in Château St. Jean in Molsheim , and whose production and development is often credited to Ferdinand Karl...
, that has a top speed of .
In addition to the fastest production car record, SSC also applied for the world record for the highest horsepower for an emissions-legal production automobile.
The record-breaking 2007 Shelby SuperCars Ultimate Aero Chassis #TT-02 was later put into auction by Shelby SuperCars, which also included SSC World Record commemorative watch, key fob, original record-breaking wheels and tires, framed official Guinness World Records certificate with commemorative photo signed by Shelby SuperCars team.
External links