SSC Ultimate Aero TT: The Fastest Car in the World
The title of World’s Fastest Production Car is back on the table. Over the past five years, this title has changed hands time and time again, going from Britain’s McLaren to Sweden’s Koenigsegg to the king of supercars, the Bugatti Veyron. Its next move will see it travel across the Atlantic Ocean to a small super car maker founded in Washington State, SSC.
SSC, or Shelby Super Cars (unrelated to Shelby Automobiles of Carroll Shelby fame) has more or less one goal as a carmaker: to make the world’s fastest cars. A close look at their Ultimate Aero TT shows how serious the brand is, making few concessions to luxury or convention in order to claim the highest top speed. The slippery, wind-tested-to-perfection carbon fibre body weighs just 60 kilos (132 lbs), while the car has a curb weight of just 1,250 kg (2,012 lbs) and is moved along by an engine that could be described as making nothing short of brute force.
The powertrain that SSC has chosen for the Ultimate Aero is in direct contrast to the ultra-complicated setup used in the Veyron, with its four turbochargers and special 7-speed twin-clutch DSG gearbox. Mounted midship is the LS6 engine found in the previous generation Chevrolet Corvette Z06, but with a larger displacement that’s been bumped to 6.3 litres. With pushrods and two valves per cylinder, the engine doesn’t boast any new-fangled technologies, but it’s tried, tested and true, and what’s more it’s capable of providing the power reliably. The engine also receives two high-pressure turbochargers to deliver its astronomical output of 1,183 horsepower and 1,094 lb-ft of torque. The Veyron makes “only†1,001 horsepower and 922 lb-ft of torque.
All of this power is fed through the rear wheels by a regular non-automated manual transmission (with a clutch, no less), and the car doesn’t have any fancy electronics to help aid the driver along to its top speed. No, it doesn’t have launch control, stability control or even traction control, features that you’d see in a Ferrari, Maserati or Lamborghini.
This has therefore allowed the Ultimate Aero TT to attain a top speed of 411.89 km/h (253.88 mph) over a two-way average with a peak one-way speed of 413.94 km/h (257.11 mph). What is interesting is that the record wasn’t set at the Nardo high-speed bowl, the Ehra-Lessein VW test facility or even the Bonneville Salt Flats, the usual locations for record setting. No, SSC broke the record on a regular public road in Washington State that was cordoned off by police.
For now the record hasn’t been officially verified by Guinness, but when it does SSC will become the new world record holder. The Ultimate Aero TT also happens to be the world’s most powerful production vehicle.
September 21st, 2007 at 3:28 am
SSC Ultimate Aero TT: The Fastest Car in the World
A close look at their Ultimate Aero TT shows how serious the brand is, making few concessions to luxury or convention in order to claim the highest top speed.
November 30th, 2007 at 11:13 am
WOW
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:37 am
this is the baddest muthafuckn car i ever seen!
December 4th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
It’s amazing. I never even heard of this car until I did a Google shearch for fastest car. I was trying to find the name of the land speed record car and came up with this. Crazy.
So, it’s the title of fastest car worth anything if it doesn’t have a name like Veyron?
Jon
http://www.sportscardriven.com
January 25th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
i wanna see a race, talladega superspeedway veyron vs. ultimate aero. props already to bugatti for coming up with the cooler name but that could be put to the test at the high banks
January 25th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Not only does it blow the doors off of any other car..but destroys them in the slalom too!..
Americas love for fast cars will always lead the way!
January 26th, 2008 at 9:10 am
inteorior is not so good
January 26th, 2008 at 9:12 am
i think the bugatti is much more better
January 29th, 2008 at 4:02 am
Wow thats WICKED. I love the fact its a Manual with a good old fashion clutch. Nothing can beat a clutch and stick shift for control. It looks awesome too.
March 5th, 2008 at 6:56 am
holy shit this the best car out there no street legal car can beat it
March 17th, 2008 at 5:18 am
I LOVE THIS CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT’S HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:17 pm
title is worth itself. doesn’t matter what name follows it. that car is the god of cars of its time. this thing is current. and it will stay there for a while most likely.
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:58 am
The gas on this beast alone will cost a fortune. Of course almost anyone can afford this car at that price. And i like the sleek body frame. Plus, i like the close up of the interior. Gives u a feel of wat it would look like if u were inside sitting it. But, there only making a limited amount. I should place an order quick. LOL!!! Already got a Enzo.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I wish I also had a car like this,good luck to u
April 17th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
“holy shit this the best car out there no street legal car can beat it”
Incorrect, this is the fastest PRODUCTION car.. Meaning the fastest car that came from a manufacture. My Mitsubishi 3000GT would walk the SSC Aero in the 1/4, no problem.
The trick isn’t to put a big ass engine in a car and a carbon fiber body, if they wanted to do it and make it something amazing, they should have made a car identical to my 3000GT with a full carbon fiber body and the same engine that I have in mine, its a V6 with twin 15G turbos amongst other mods, 1124HP. Street legal completely, you just have to know what you are doing and they did a good job with this car but it is far from the fastest car in the world - Keep in mind its the record for the fastest PRODUCTION car in the world. Go up to a drag strip if you want to see the REAL fast cars, ones that people put their heart and soul into building in their own garage, not ones that will be produced for the general public if they have enough money.
May 12th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
how much does this car cost?:O
August 7th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Holy Mother of God ! I have never seen such a sleek looking car ! if you ask me it looks a hel of a lot better than the veyron, it shows that the drvelopers have gon through a lot of trouble to remove any form of drag being created on the body, with that top speed! I must give it to the americans, they do know how to burn up more petrol than any one in the world, with that monster 6 liter engine ! whats that like 3 miles to the galon with that amount of power lol?
August 29th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
2 valve, pushrod engine….lol….the competition isn’t really trying. hey Dai, how much is it?…you didn’t post the price.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
another interesting thing is the super car dudes never quote the top boost figure….hot, it’s not! just proof that the prestige car market is a farce.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Yeah Dai, that R/C Enzo must be pretty luxurious.
Dream Big.
September 11th, 2008 at 11:34 am
LS6 are you kidding, that’s unreal!!!