01
Origins
Jerod Shelby's SSC built the Ultimate Aero in West Richland, Washington, and in September 2007 did the improbable: on a closed stretch of Highway 221, the twin-turbo V8 coupé averaged 256.18 mph over two runs, taking the production-car speed record from the Bugatti Veyron and putting a tiny American constructor atop the Guinness listings. The car itself was raw by hypercar standards — over 1,180 horsepower in later form, no electronic safety nets, a price a fraction of Molsheim's — which made the achievement more striking, not less. SSC held the record until the Veyron Super Sport's 2010 reply. The Ultimate Aero remains the definitive underdog entry in the speed wars: proof the record could be taken with conviction, cleverness and a straight enough road.
SSC Ultimate Aero · Shane K · CC BY-SA 2.0
