SSC Ultimate Aero breaks the world speed record

[Sledgehammer]

(from SSC Press Release)

Shelby Supercars (SSC), manufacturer of the ultra high-performance Ultimate Aero Twin Turbo, set the new "World’s Fastest Production Car" record earlier today with an average top speed of 256.15 mph. Confident of the 1183 hp vehicle’s abilities, SSC set out to validate their top speed claim in accordance with the strict guidelines set by Guinness World Records. Among other requirements, in order to meet Guinness’ approval, a vehicle testing for the top speed record must drive down the course, turn around, and make a second pass in the opposite direction within one hour. The vehicle’s official “top speed” is calculated by averaging the top speeds of each pass in order to negate any favorable road or weather conditions. Today, on a temporarily-closed 2 lane stretch of public highway in Washington State, the Ultimate Aero posted a top speed of 257.41 mph (414.31 kph) on its first pass and 254.88 mph (410.24 kph) on its return pass, yielding a new top speed record: a staggering 256.15 mph (411.76 kph). The data, collected by Dewetron's world-renowned GPS tracking system, will be verified by Guinness before the Ultimate Aero is officially crowned the "World's Fastest Production Car." This breaks the current official record held by the Koenigsegg CCR at 242 mph by 11.83 mph and the Bugatti Veyron's unofficial speed of 253 mph by 3.11 mph.

SSC’s high-speed durability and aerodynamic test runs started in March on a 12-mile stretch of Highway 93 in Elko County, Nevada. After the scouting team discovered a more appropriate test site testing moved to open roads in SSC’s home state of Washington. Unlike these previous tests, which encompassed various durability trials of the Ultimate Aero’s drivetrain and powertrain, today’s session was dedicated solely to determining the vehicle’s top speed capabilities. A recently repaved two-lane section of Highway 221 in Washington was ultimately selected for the task, though navigating the road’s slight elevation changes and mid-way S-bend proved to be a challenge. Test driver Chuck Bigelow, 71 of Richland, WA, had to pass through the S-bend at a minimum of 210 mph in order to attain record speed during the following straightaway (with only 1.5 miles before braking was required); after the record-breaking run, Bigelow stated "if there was additional straight pavement on which to accelerate, the top speed would have been considerably higher and if anyone challenges your record there is tons left on the table".

Lack of a dedicated test site, which many of the larger automotive manufacturers have at their disposal, was just one of the many obstacles in SSC’s way. Led by founder and lead designer Jerod Shelby, the SSC design team spent the past seven years creating, engineering, and testing the Ultimate Aero. "From the beginning, we felt confident that the Ultimate Aero was first in its class. SSC’s design team deserves their place in the record books for their tireless determination and motivation on this project. We are enormously pleased with the progress we’ve made with the Ultimate Aero and we’re excited to put more of these impressive machines into the hands of our customers," Shelby stated.

"This is a dream come true," he said while celebrating at SSC’s production facility. "Everyone at SSC worked so hard in designing, testing, and building the Ultimate Aero, and now to accomplish this record is amazing. The fact that we are a small privately owned company and were able to do something much bigger companies haven’t done on massive budgets makes this so exciting for the entire SSC team." said Shelby.

With 1183 bhp and 1094 ft-lbs of torque, the Ultimate Aero produces more emissions-legal horsepower than any other production automobile in the world (another Guinness World Record for which SSC is currently applying). Despite being designed to run at redline for extended periods of time, the Ultimate Aero remains remarkably drivable. The proprietary twin-turbo V8 power plant retains excellent idle characteristics, and thanks to a drag coefficient of just .357, wind tunnel testing calculates the vehicle to be aerodynamically stable to speeds up to 273 mph. Featuring all the amenities found in a luxury sedan, the supple leather/suede interior is highlighted by custom Recaro seats, a 10 speaker premium system, DVD/navigation/backup camera, and a cab-controlled lift that raises the front an extra four inches to navigate road hazards.

For more information on the record testing, SSC, and the Ultimate Aero, visit Shelby Supercars - Home of the Fastest, Most Powerful Production Car Ever Made - The Ultimate Aero. or contact Motorcars of Las Vegas, the exclusive US dealer for SSC (www.MotorCarsLV.com)

Engine = 6.3 liters
Weight = 2750 lbs
Aspiration = twin turbochargers
Torque = 1094 lb-ft @ 6150 rpm
HP = 1183 hp @ 6950 rpm
HP/Weight = 2.3 lbs per hp
HP/Liter = 186.6 hp per liter
1/4 mile = 9.9 seconds @ 144 mph
0-60 mph = 2.78 seconds
Top Speed = 257 mph

[Rockefella]

The great thing about SSC breaking this record is that no one will care.

[NSXType-R]

Seriously. No one cares.

It really does get boring after a while.

[Suka]

I don't understand why these sort of things are important. Making a car go really fast in a straight line is rather unchallenging.
Getting it to do 0-100-0mph in 9.4 seconds on a serious budget (Ultima) or generating immense lateral g's through mechanical grip (that prodrive thing...)is what impresses me.

[Sledgehammer]

Originally Posted by Suka

Getting it to do 0-100-0mph in 9.4 seconds on a serious budget (Ultima) or generating immense lateral g's through mechanical grip (that prodrive thing...)is what impresses me.

Agreed. Limits of the vehicle are more interesting than the limits of the bodywork and engine. Its like this, would you rather watch a strongman bench press, or watch soccer/football (american) ect.

[blingbling]

lower it

ahem, yeah so this one time i was at this party in the ghetto. i only goto these things because you all would not believe the number of hot girls with rich parents that just want to come and let loose. but these 3 really really big and gangster looking mofos were showing off their lowered fairlane, and it was pretty much just laying on the floor. and i walked up to them and said hmmm... very nice, but dont you think it should get lowered? totally embarrasing for them.

[Blue Supra]

does it go sideways?

[cmcpokey]

repost?

SSC comes up short...kinda

[CdocZ]

How important this is, is debatable. I mean, sure, it only has shown itself as a record holder of any sort by going in a straight line. However, this is an online forum that focuses on the automotive world, and looks to learn more about past and modern cars. I agree with you guys, but I still think general news, of any sort, is important, regardless of whether or not it is your favorite type of news (it IS going to go down in history as something relatively important, and you should at least know it happened, and is official. Just for the sake of knowing whats going on in the car world, which is what we are here for).

[Bob]

Ummm... I want one. And building an 1183 hp car that will go through an s bend at 210 mph... isn't as easy as you think. It has taken a lot of hard work for the SSC guys to get to this point... don't you think they deserve some recognition? I love Nobles and Ultimas more but surely SSC deserves some credit for this.

[digitalcraft]

Sure sure, this was a big deal when it was European cars....

[Street_Dreamer]

Originally Posted by digitalcraft

Sure sure, this was a big deal when it was European cars....

The European cars were extraordinarily well-rounded machines.
McLaren F1 - held title for over 10 years, innovative, legendary,famously easy to drive and great to drive, revolutionary, etc...
Koenigsegg - Just so damn cool and sexy. (but really, the main reason was at that point they were trying to beat a 10year old record. hence the big fuss)
Bugatti Veyron - An extraordinary feat of engineering for so many reasons. Managed to work around the unaerodynamic bodywork given by designers, really. A great car, full of creature comforts. Everybody says its easy to drive, etc. Another revolution in my opinion.

The SSC was given a crappy review the other day and is supposed to be pretty bad and the McLaren's been toppled so now not as much interest cos the Bugatti's such an extraordinarily well rounded car which is great to drive, comfortable, full of accessories, yet still is that bloody fast.

[NSXType-R]

Originally Posted by Street_Dreamer

The SSC was given a crappy review the other day and is supposed to be pretty bad and the McLaren's been toppled so now not as much interest cos the Bugatti's such an extraordinarily well rounded car which is great to drive, comfortable, full of accessories, yet still is that bloody fast.

Not that I'm trying to annoy you or anything, but I'd like to see that review, just to see how bad the SSC was.

[Sweeney921]

I think that yall's comments are a little euro-biased. From the concept stage this car wasn't designed to be filled with creature-comforts, it was going to be a brutally powerful car. With that in mind SSC accomplished their goal. Am I saying the aero's the best car in the world? of course not, I firmly believe the McLaren F1 is. I don't measure a car by how fast it goes in a line, but SSC still deserves a lot of credit.

[Coventrysucks]

Originally Posted by SSC Press Release

"World’s Fastest Production Car"

I don't buy this at all.

"Production" implies they have built, or will build many.

Just because SSC intends to build many, doesn't mean that they will.

What happens if no one wants one, and they only end up building one or two?

At least Koeingsegg, whilst still dubious, had sold a few CC8Ss before the CCR, and it seemed like the sort of thing likely to find customers, but I'm not so sure that a dodgy Lamborghini Diablo kit car is going to have rich, Western tycoons, Saudi oil barons and Russian oligarchs salivating and waving their cheque books about.

As for the relevance of the speed;

I think c. 200-220mph is about the limit for roads (if you can find a quiet enough long, flat, straight, safe section) or runways. "Light speed", if you will.

That meant the Bugatti EB110, Jaguar XJ220 in the mid-nineties were pretty noteworthy. The McLaren was a point of interest because, without setting out to achieve it, it managed to hit "ridiculous speed".

Koenigsegg eyed up ridiculous speed for the press coverage, and Bugatti went one step further announcing "ludicrous speed" as the sole basis for their new car.

Now SSC want to rival that, fine, it gets headlines.

Now that it has hit 257mph, when again is an example of the car going to go that fast?

The only place you can realistically think about going that fast is probably a salt-flat, and people were beating 257mph there seventy years ago, so what is the point of it?

Get a JCB Dieselmax, do 350mph...

A load of guff, IMHO.