The Bugatti Super Sport tops the list.

If you ever see me giving stock tips on RideLust, be afraid. I’m not a “play the stock market” kind of guy, and every spare dollar I’ve ever made has gone into cars, bikes, racing or travel (usually centered around cars, bikes or racing). With that in mind, you have a certain right to be skeptical when Forbes publishes a list of the most expensive cars. First, it’s only a snapshot in time, as new supercars are introduced every year. Next, there’s no clarification on where the prices are from, so I assume they’re a manufacturer’s list price, translated in to U.S. dollars. That’s hardly an accurate representation, as cars typically sell for higher prices in the EU than they do in the United States. Finally, any car’s price is based on supply and demand: since the entire run of Bugatti Veyron Super Sports has been spoken for, good luck finding one at the list price of $2.6 million.

Here’s Forbes’ list of the ten most expensive cars for 2010. I know that some of them don’t yet exist (like the Ferrari F70), so pricing is sheer speculation. Likewise, the list has a few glaring omissions (like the $550,000 Gumpert Apollo), so take it for what it’s worth. Just remember that there’s a reason we don’t give you investment advice on RideLust.

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, $2.6 million

Koenigsegg Agera, $1.5 million

Maybach Laudaulet, $1.405 million

Pagani Zonda C9, $1.3 million

Ferrari F70, $870,000

SSC Ultimate Aero, $750,000

LeBlanc Mirabeau, $728,000

Ferrari SA Aperta, $520,000

Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce, $455,400

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, $447,000

Remember when 450 hp in a car was unheard of? No… well, then you’re a very lucky person because it wasn’t too long ago that that number was reserved for cars with high 6-figure price tags. Take the iconic Ferrari F40 for example, back when it was released in 1987 it put out a then astonishing 471 hp from it’s twin-turbo V8 and was priced at around $400,000. Back then this was the pinnacle of what a super car was and by all accounts the motoring press didn’t think it would ever be topped. Nowadays though you can run out to your local Cadillac dealer and order up a car like the CTS-V, a four door sedan that makes 556 hp and more torque than the Ferrari could ever dream of.

We are living in the golden age of the automobile and in this age there are two cars that have been battling it out for the title of “Fastest Production Car in the World”. The Bugatti Veyron set the standard back in 2005 by producing 1,001 hp and a top speed of 253 mph. Then the American SSC Ultimate Aero showed up and took the title by running 257 mph, but then Bugatti got pissed and ran 267 mph in the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, bla, bla, bla…

Now instead of just giving the standard Ultimate Aero more power to catch Bugatti, SSC has simply decided to build an entirely new car. The 2011 Ultimate Aero II pumps out an astonishing 1,350 horses from its 6.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 which will hopefully propel the car to a targeted top speed of 275 mph. SSC has done everything they can think of to lighten the new car as much as possible. The body for example is made from carbon fiber and aluminum, with the wheels being carbon fiber as well.

The body is unbelievably slick and looks to be more aircraft than automobile, which is good when your trying to hit almost 300 mph in a street legal production car. The Ultimate Aero II has put a lot of pressure on itself to get the title back from Bugatti next year and with a curb weight of only 2,600 lbs and an engine that makes the aforementioned 1,350 hp we have no doubt the title will be back on American soil in no time.

Source: Top Gear via Autoblog

Now here is something that should have happened a long time ago. Carroll Shelby has finally decided to stop building cars and concentrate on aftermarket parts only. I mean lets face it, the last bunch of Shelby offerings, albeit being good cars, aren’t much more than Mustang GT’s with a supercharger and some stickers on them and because of this, the brand, in my opinion has become devalued. It used to be that when you saw Shelby on a car it meant something, but in today’s marketplace seeing Shelby’s name is like seeing a car with “Limited” on the back, it just doesn’t have that much of an impact.

At 87 years old Shelby just completed what was probably his last build in the form of the 2011 Shelby GT350. With the amount of Shelby Mustangs on the road concentrating on the parts business simply makes sense. He can still capitalize on all the cars he’s sold by providing them with even more aftermarket support. In a recent interview Shelby said:

“I want to build fewer cars and sell more parts. It’s hard to make any money on a car. But our parts business is growing 15 to 20 percent a year. We are downsizing and going for the parts business… Simplify the business – that’s what I’m saying. And that’s what I’m doing in Las Vegas.”

Like I said, it just makes sense.

Photo: Shelby American

When the new Shelby GT350 was introduced last year, SCCA Club Racers let out a collective groan. The SCCA does not allow aftermarket supercharging or turbocharging to a factory motor, hence the supercharged GT350 was ineligible for SCCA competition. Shelby American is a big believer in the adage “win on Sunday, sell on Monday”, so they’ve announced a version of the GT350 that incorporates the original car’s suspension and braking upgrades, but leaves Ford’s 412 horsepower V8 untouched. The new car will be eligible for SCCA competition, and will even come in an automatic version for customers that prefer not to row their own gears.

The Shelby GT350 get a new front fascia, tail light trim, front splitter, rear deck lid fill and rear fascia. Ford Racing struts, sway bars and adjustable camber plates help dial in the handling, while six-piston front calipers and 14 inch rotors help with rapid deceleration. Customers can order a GT350 in any color combination they want, as long as it is white with Shelby Guardsman blue stripes. Want a one? You’ll need to ship your 2011 Mustang GT to Shelby American in Las Vegas, where the SCCA-approved, naturally aspirated conversion will set you back an additional $26,995. Don’t care about SCCA competition and want the full-meal-deal GT350 with the blower? That’ll be $33,995 plus your donor Mustang GT.

Source: Shelby Prepares Normally Aspirated, Automatic GT350

Its been more than forty years since the last release of a new Shelby GT350, and its been worth the wait. Shelby and Ford first teamed up back in 1965 but only after a few years Ford took over the Shelby production and ran it into the ground before the decade was over. Ever since Ford and Shelby got back together a few years ago, the lingering question in every car enthusiasts mind was, “Where is the GT 350?” Well the the 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 was just recently unveiled and it is every thing the people at Shelby America needed to kickstart their efforts. All we know now is that  base sticker price of the new Shelby will be $63,000 but expect to pay a lot more for the available upgrades.  The 2001 Shelby GT350 will go from 0-60 in an estimated 4.2 seconds, but other than this there is not much known about this recently revealed car. Carrol Shelby recently said, “We’ve come full circle with the GT350….Some people will be building their hydrogen cars and electric cars and hybrids. But Shelby will not be going down that road….We’re about performance and this car is built around the latest technology from Ford and the new 5.0 liter engine.”  Whatever the car delivers, expect it to be something special.

It has been a few years now since the Ford GT arrived, lived its short life in production and then passed through the gates into supercar Valhalla. But as awesome as the GT was, it may not have even been the best performance model Ford had in its arsenal. The car that helped reinvigorated the automaker’s performance future, and paralleled the GT’s production, was actually one that was never built: the Ford Shelby GR-1.

The $2.2 million dollar GR-1 concept that thrilled auto show audiences was preceded in conception by the Ford Shelby Cobra concept, an equally important concept that helped realize the supercar architecture dreams needed to get the GT into production. Although short-lived, the three-headed monster of the Cobra, GT and GR-1 was meant to reestablish Ford again as a serious supercar contender and pay homage to Ford’s greatest collaborator: Carroll Shelby and his Daytona Coupe.

Shelby Daytona Coupe

Although using the same platform as the GT, the Ford Shelby GR-1 is a front-engined, two-seat, fastback vehicle. The front-positioned engine configuration is exaggerated by the concept’s long hood in proportion to the rest of the vehicle and the teardrop-shaped cabin that pours itself into the fenders which seem to barely be able to contain the car’s aggressive stance and wheels. These wheel arches and compact overhangs define the chiseled appearance of the car’s athletic build.

In front, the GR-1′s design is dominated by an air intake and air flow splitter that directs cooling air into the engine bay and wheel wells, while air vents on the top of the hood exhaust hot air from the radiator. Trapezoidal HISS (high intensity solid state) and LED headlamps bear a strong familial resemblance to the Ford GT and also echo the original Shelby Daytona coupe that inspired the GR-1.

Although it is easy to get sidetracked by the concept’s drop-dead good looks, the bulging hood foreshadows the V10 engine that is seemingly barely contained within the bay. It should be noted, that the GR-1 was not some rolling, soulless shell, but an operational concept that was successfully test-driven at high speeds at Ford’s Dearborn Proving Ground and given a full engineering feasibility study. Ford reported that the 6.4-liter all-aluminum V10 produced 605 horsepower and 501 lb-feet of torque via a 6-speed manual transmission. Purportedly 0-to-60 mph were in the 3.9 seconds range. The Kamm tail in the rear and butterfly-hinged doors finish off what is arguably the prettiest Ford never to be built.

Inside, a fully-equipped interior features several references in the center stack shape, steering-wheel design and vent openings to Shelby and the original Cobra.

But while the car could be built as-is, in order to see the light of day on the dealership floor Ford would need to make a few alterations from the original design. First would most likely involve replacing the V10 with a powerful, but smaller V8 engine. This would happily allow the power-plant to be positioned further back and allow better weight distribution. The wheelbase would also be stretched to handle a full-size gas tank and the windshield’s rake decreased slightly to meet safety regulations to better protect occupant’s heads. But those are relatively minor concessions. And since the development and engineering costs have already been spent on the GT and previous Cobra concepts, this would actually be an economical way of Ford returning to supercar production after the GT’s death in 2007. As an indication of price, the Cobra roadster was estimated to cost just over $100-grand if put into production.

Now may not be the time for Ford to get involved in a low-production, high-cost car. But keep your fingers crossed that when the right time comes, they remember where they put the GR-1′s blueprints.

Now that the calendar reads ’2009′ and summer is upon us, we can already begin shutting the book on the first decade of the new millenia. All the cars that will be produced have either made it to dealerships or have half a dozen reviews already printed in some magazine collecting dust on your shelf.

This decade closes much like the 1960s, in an atmosphere of uproar and protest, with rumors of war and peace and revolution at hand. The auto industry has experienced a second Golden Age, bigger and grander than the first, and has again sunk into crisis, darker and dimmer than the one Baby Boomers remember. And enthusiasts young and old fear that a similar fate awaits them in the coming years with news of outrageously stringent CAFE standards, and fear-mongering legislators fuel anxieties that we’ve already seen the best cars of the next thirty some odd years.

So it is that we turn back to this decade already a bit nostalgic. Here lie the future legends, the autos of myth and lore. With the future unclear, we ask ourselves which cars made the glorious 2000′s the decade we will all miss more than we know?

1. FORD THUNDERBIRD

The 11th-generation Thunderbird was resurrected from the dead for 2002. Returning to the original layout as a two-seat convertible, it wasn’t spectacularly fast, but it’s retro styling cues awakened us all from the Dark Ages of the 1980s and early 1990s, and provided the first clue that Detroit could actually make an aesthetically pleasing vehicle again. The Thunderbird can almost single-handedly be credited with inspiring the Retro Renaissance, whose effects would define the next ten years of American automobiles, most immediately of which came a year later when Chevrolet released the SSR–an even more retro-themed roadster–that was part convertible and part truck (though in profile only). Unfortunately, the SSR simply wasn’t practical enough, or powerful enough to gain staying power in the market, and like the Thunderbird, soon faded into discontinuity. When both cars first appeared, they were welcome respites from the previous thirty years of soporific aesthetics, and heralded the Golden Age waiting just around the corner.

2. HUMMER H2

The original H1 followed a guaranteed formula for making a cool car: legalizing a military combat vehicle for public use. Its successor in the H2 was only bigger and uglier. Even before the upper crust, rap stars, and innumerable pimp-factories got their hands on it, the H2 was well on its way to becoming the primary target of the “Green Movement” in popular conversation. “Hummer” became synonymous with “The Wastefulness of Stupid, Rich Americans Who Hate the Environment”. And with fuel economy ratings so deplorable they were conveniently omitted from EPA testing (independent testing revealed averages between 8 and 12 mpg), the H2 became an extended middle finger to every person who considered themselves an environmentalist. Though Hummer’s days with GM may be numbered, the pinnacle of the American fetish for fuel-chugging SUVs will not soon be forgotten.

3. TOYOTA PRIUS

It’s hard to imagine a car more responsible for transforming the public’s perception of gas-guzzling grizzlies than the world’s first mass-produced hybrid. First appearing on our shores in 2001, the remodeled NHW20 of 2004 is the familiar hump-back profile we now have singed into the back of our retinas. The Prius’ surging popularity helped launch Toyota above the already faltering domestic manufacturers, and signaled the global automotive shift from the U.S. to the Far East. As gas prices sky-rocketed and the economy slowed, the Prius became a fashion statement for celebrities and common folks alike, uniting them behind the notion that owning an ugly, boring car actually prevents carbon emissions from eating holes in the atmosphere.

4. FORD S-197 MUSTANG

After Chevy dropped the Camaro in 2003, the Mustang became the sole surviving pony car. And rather than sit on its duff and enjoy its victory, Ford revised its most famous nameplate and created the S-197 in 2005. Bigger, badder, and better looking than ever, the new Mustang revived interest in American cars as tuners from all over the world bought up models to gussy up in their own unique image. The Retro Renaissance was gaining momentum, and the Aftermarket could barely keep up. It wasn’t long before GM and Chrysler could not afford to ignore it, and immediately rumors began circulating that the long dead spirit of American Muscle was rising again. Just like that, the Pony Car Wars had begun. But while forums and Internet chatrooms buzzed for almost four years over spyshots and secret press releases detailing the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger, the Mustang continued to sell like hotcakes. By the time its arch-rivals finally appeared, recession had pushed consumers towards miniature econ-boxes and away from neo-classical American muscle.

5. NISSAN GT-R

“Godzilla” came to America July 7, 2008, and we were never the same. It dropped the “Skyline” tag in name only, but retained and exceeded the capabilities of its legendary R-34 ancestor. Here was a car that owned the title as “the fastest production car in the world around the Nurburgring”, and yet it was 3800 pounds, had four seats, and was well under $100K. The GT-R simply defied physics, and every other so called “supercar” in the world took notice. The rule book wasn’t just rewritten–it was thrown out and incinerated. And despite criticisms that the car was a soulless automaton, it was in fact the distilled essence of Japanese culture. Inspired by the ‘Gundam’ anime series and designed by the makers of the “Gran Turismo” video game, the GT-R was the car of, by, and for the PlayStation generation. Its controls were laser sharp, its reactions point-and-shoot, its grip face-pealing, its brutal acceleration nearly effortless to achieve (especially with that pesky little launch control). With every downed opponent, including Aston Martins, Corvettes, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and its intended target, the Porsche 911 Turbo, we gradually felt the wheels of progress turning beneath us. We had seen something totally unique–the next wrinkle in the evolution of performance cars.

6. AUDI R8

Much like the GT-R, the R8 also raised our expectations of what a supercar could be–only it did it with considerably more sexy body work. On paper, it was a demi-Gallardo, but on the road, however, it was so much more. Audi’s first foray into the supercar world was a home run for giving us an exotic that didn’t compromise comfort and convenience for performance and curb appeal. It won almost every major award for “Car of the Year” or “Design of the Year” in 2007 from sources such as Top Gear, Fifth Gear, Automobile Magazine, Playboy, and the “World Car of the Year” awards in 2008. The one drawback, however, was the engine. The RS4-sourced V-8 was underwhelming in the company of Murcielagos and McLarens, so Audi quickly rolled out an improved version in 2009, with a detuned Gallardo V-10 churning out 518 brutal (but well-behaved) horses and all the mystique of any Italian beauty.

7. CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1

The Z06 Corvette had already wowed us in 2006 as a giant killer whooping up on cars twice its price. But ultimately it lacked the sophistication to compete outright with the best of Italy and Germany. But when GM created a $100,000 Corvette and slapped the ZR1 badge on it, we had something truly special on our hands. Forever the laughing stock of Europe, finally we Americans had a two-seater worth bragging about. Sure, it had a tacky carbon-fiber roof, and sure, the interior still smelled like glue on a hot summer’s day, and the seats were less supportive than your dad’s favorite pair of briefs, but it whooped ass! It dethroned the GT-R and took the Nurburgring record for itself (not because GM really cared all that much about it, but simply because Nissan did), and even managed to earn the adoration of the impossible-to-please Jeremy Clarkson. Low, lean, and shamelessly self-aggrandizing with a Plexiglas window displaying its supercharger-cover, the ZR1 may be the best American car we see for quite some time.

8. PONTIAC AZTEK

GM saw its highs and lows. The Aztek was the lowest of those lows. Certainly not the worst car ever made (there are a host of others we could argue for that title) it garnered the title as the “World’s Ugliest Car” from a British newspaper, a title substantiated innumerable times by anyone who ever saw it. Its atrocious styling could partly be to blame on the way it was conceived, being one of the first cars designed entirely using computerized rapid-prototyping/rapid-visualization tools. Surely, if the designers had actually seen the car in person before boxing it up and shipping it out, they could have saved themselves untold amounts of embarrassment. Born of Satan in 2001, brand new models were still being sold off the lots years after it was discontinued in 2005. Affectionately called the Vagina-Mobile by in-house officials (it’s not too nice looking on the outside, but once you get inside, it’s not so bad) the Aztek was an ill portent that maybe all was not well at GM, and foreshadowed Pontiac’s downfall. Oh, if only the G8 had come sooner.

9. BUGATTI VEYRON

With 16 cylinders arranged in a ‘W’, 4 turbochargers, 10 radiators, a top speed of 253mph, acceleration to 60 in 2.5 seconds, and a price tag of 1.5 million dollars, the Veyron was cool the same way Versailles was cool–through utterly comical levels of excess. It was the most expensive mass produced car, the fastest accelerating car, and the fastest car outright in the world’s history. It consumed fuel faster than a fraternity wannabe gulps vodka at a hazing ceremony. It could drain an entire tank in 12 minutes at top speed, just three minutes short of the tires giving way. But in between all the numbers was the absolute serenity with which it achieved its monumental feats. Soon after it appeared in 2005, there were challengers looking to steal its Top Speed crown, and while the Shelby Supercars Ultimate Aero Twin Turbo would eventually dethrone its title, the Veyron remains the uncontested exotic of choice for billionaires with small penises.

10. HYUNDAI GENESIS

Before 2009, no one would expected a Hyundai to win the North American Car of the Year Award, much less make it on a RideLust Top Ten list. Hyundai’s vision for the Genesis sedan was to offer a car with the performance of a BMW 5-series, the interior packaging of a 7-series, and the price of a 3-series. But even though the car is certainly as attractive and alluring as any German or Japanese rival, its badge deters most people from even considering it. Hyundai realized it needed a flagship to redefine its public image. So they followed up with the Genesis Coupe, and suddenly, we had a car that made us question our loyalty to American coupes. The Genesis Coupe excelled in providing cheap performance in a tasteful package, the very thing that had made the Mustang so successful. And while we here at RideLust refuse to be swayed by this Korean Voodoo magic, if the Genesis’ highly successful reception is any sign, the age of European dominance in the luxury and performance market may also be coming to a close, and Japan may finally have a worthy competitor on its hands.

RUNNERS-UP

1. This list could very easily have included the collective soul of “The Supercar,” since the past ten years have yielded the finest road-going machines we have ever seen. Members of this laundry list include, but are not limited to:
-Porsche 911 GT2/GT3, and Carrera GT
-Ferrari F430, Scuderia, Enzo, and 599 Foriano
-Lamborghini LP560-4 Gallardo and Murcielago (including the Reventon and SuperVeloce special editions)
-Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series, and the future classic SLR McLaren
-Aston Martin DB9, DBS, and One-77
-Dodge Viper SRT-10 ACR
-Alfa Romeo 8C Competizone
-Koeniggsegg CCX
-Pagani Zonda
-Gumpert Apollo

2. The Tesla Roadster was like a collection of Calvin and Hobbes strips on a rainy day. It told us that even if internal combustion engines are a thing of the past, and the Mad Max alternate reality setting will soon drop the ‘alternate’ part, everything will be okay. We can still have kick ass cars that sip no fuel whatsoever–at least themselves. It inspired dozens of unique or retro-fitted sports cars bred for both speed and efficiency.

3. And speaking of “plug-in” hybrids, the expectation of the Chevrolet Volt‘s arrival made us believe there is still hope yet for GM past its bankruptcy proceedings (though, at $40K, we sincerely doubt that it will be the panacea for the average Joe as Lutz claims).

1967 Ford Mustang GT500 "Eleanor"

Students enrolled in a unique degree program at a southeastern Michigan community college are building an “Eleanor” tribute car to benefit charity. With the help of Chip Foose, Dynacorn and Roush Performance, students taking automotive restoration and customization coursework at Washtenaw Community College will finish the car in advance of an October drawing to benefit the Salvation Army of Washtenaw County and the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan.

Eleanor Tribute Car

If work done by previous students is any indication, the 1967 Shelby tribute vehicle should be well worth the $15 tickets being sold for a chance to own this new car. The top students from WCC’s Automotive Services department participate in the Custom Cars and Concepts program, which has created a series of award-winning customized vehicles in the past few years, including a 1964 Chevrolet Impala 409 convertible that was chosen for the prestigious Riddler Row at Autorama. Their newest project is a 1967 Ford Mustang GT500 fastback, based on the famed “Eleanor” car seen in both the original and the remake of the classic car movie “Gone in 60 Seconds.”

The then-completed car will be on display at WCC’s annual campus car show in early October, where a drawing will be held to determine its new owner. In addition to the car, the winner will receive a trip in early November to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, where the car will be showcased.  Click here, for more information.

The performance gurus at Shelby Super Cars have seriously upped the ante with their newest introduction into the supercar fray: the Shelby Aero EV. Powered by an All-Electric Scalable Powertrain (AESP), the SSC Aero EV is capable of producing 1,000 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque. Leaving former hybrid performance heavyweights like the Tesla Roadster in the dust, the Shelby Aero EV also boasts the ability to sprint from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds before maxing out at 208 mph. Shaving hours off the Roadster’s 3-hour recharge time, the SSC Aero EV’s 150-200 mile-range battery can be fully recharged via a standard 220V outlet in a mere 10 minutes. Scheduled to begin production during the fourth quarter of 2009, pre-production prototypes of the SSC Ultimate Aero EV are expected to debut in June. No word yet on how much one of SSC’s mean green machines will cost, but if previous history is anything to go on, expect it to hurt.

More pics after the jump

Source: Engadget

Literally outdoing themselves in terms of record-breaking speed, Shelby Supercars has engineered the 2009 SSC Ultimate Aero to be 15% more powerful than last year’s model. Since the SSC Ultimate Aero has already earned the official distinction as the fastest production car in the world, there obviously isn’t any sort of record Shelby is attempting to break (other than how quickly they can make a passenger lose control of their bowels), so 2009′s performance upgrade must be purely because they can, dammit.

Slightly retooled and newly outfitted with a single-piece billet aluminum engine block, the 2009 SSC Ultimate Aero gets a 104 unit boost in horsepower, from 1,183-hp to 1,287-hp. Currently documented by The Guinness Book of World Records with a top speed of 257 mph, Shelby Supercars says the new Aero is capable of reaching 270 mph, shattering its very own record. Pricing for the 2009 SSC Ultimate Aero has yet to be announced, but we expect it the tag to fall somewhere in the current Aero’s $700k range (read: “You still couldn’t afford it even if you offered your firstborn and your wife”)

PRESS RELEASE

SHELBY SUPERCARS UNVEILS NEWLY REFINED 2009 ULTIMATE AERO, 15% HORSEPOWER INCREASE.

WEST RICHLAND, WA (12/10/2008)

After holding the “World’s Fastest Production Car” title for the past year, the Shelby SuperCars’ Ultimate Aero is receiving several refinements for the 2009 model year. The SSC engineering team equipped the 2009 Ultimate Aero with a 15% increase in horsepower, a revamped front fascia design, and an array of important interior upgrades. The most substantial change is an SSC-designed, 1-piece billet aluminum engine block. A milestone for the limited-production automobile manufacturer, the new block improves structural integrity and oiling capabilities allowing SSC to boost the power output to 1287 horsepower while improving durability.

Armed with the more powerful new engine, the ‘09 Ultimate Aero will be able to reach world-record speeds of 270 MPH, raising the benchmark for supercars and pushing the limits of current production car technology. In order to accommodate the ‘09 Ultimate Aero’s unique fuel system requirements, SSC turned to American company Aeromotive to develop a flawless system. The aggressive nose is redesigned with enhanced aerodynamics to accommodate the 2009 Ultimate Aero’s higher top speed, and carbon fiber louvers on the side intakes draw in an additional 20% of air into the radiators for improved cooling. The improvement in overall performance will widen the already sizable gap between the Ultimate Aero and its competitors. The ‘09 Ultimate Aero also introduces the AeroBrakeTM a rear spoiler system that deploys under braking situations. Finished in carbon fiber, the rear spoilers actuate up an additional 8? when the brake pedal is depressed. The speed of the spoiler actuation is set by the amount of brake pedal pressure. The complete AeroBrakeTM system can be disabled by the push of a button, for town driving or situations where braking and downforce assistance are not necessary.

Rounding out the ‘09 Ultimate Aero’s improvements is a revamped interior. A redesigned dash prominently displays sleek, exposed carbon fiber dash halves and inset air vents. Carbon fiber accents run along the doorsills, surround the new gauge cluster, and continue onto a revised steering column, which includes an analog speedometer and tachometer with a sequential shift light integrated into the tachometer needle. The new center console incorporates a digital temperature control unit and tire pressure monitor along with an Azentek PC base Infotainment unit. The revolutionary Azentek unit offers all the capabilities of a PC and processes SSC’s onboard diagnostic software.