SSC unleashes 970kW Ultimate Aero XT
North American supercar builder produces a limited-edition version of its record-setting Ultimate AeroSSC North America (Shelby SuperCars North America) is giving its ballistic Ultimate Aero a rousing send-off by rolling out five limited-edition ‘XT’ versions that incorporate many elements from the newly developed Tuatara that hits the road next year.
By way of background, the SSC Ultimate Aero is an American-built mid-engine sports car that rose to prominence by going down in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest production car in the world, eclipsing the 407km/h Bugatti Veyron in the process.
However, Bugatti went on to reclaim the honour by unleashing the Veyron Super Sport, which clocked 431.072 km/h.
The Ultimate Aero uses a highly modified, supercharged Chevrolet Corvette engine, with its massive grunt being channeled to the rear wheels by a sequential gearbox.
The last-hurrah XT version ups the ante to a claimed 970kW, and it scores the Tuatara’s seven-speed paddle-shift gearbox and cooling and fuel systems.
The company claims each of the five Aero XTs will be painted in the owner’s colour of choice and promises that the hue won’t be repeated on any of its future offerings.
“The demand for us to deliver additional Ultimate Aeros has been overwhelming,” says Jerod Shelby, lead designer and CEO of SSC. “We have just raised the bar again by adding some of the cutting-edge elements from our Tuatara to this very small production run of Ultimate Aero XTs.”
The SSC Ultimate Aero does not have electronic aids such as ABS or traction control, as, according to Shelby: “Early design philosophy on the car was to make it a driver's car. I wanted a car that you not only throttled with your right foot but at times you could steer with your right foot.”
The Aero and SSC are the brainchildren of Shelby (no relation to late racing driver and sportscar builder Carroll Shelby), who started out building exotic ‘replicars’ including a Pontiac Fiero-based Ferrari F355 replica and a Lamborghini Diablo replica based on a spaceframe that was later used in the Ultimate Aero prototype.
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