 |
This article may have been created or edited in return for undisclosed payments, a violation of Wikipedia's terms of use. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. (September 2023)
|
 | |
| Formerly | Shelby Supercars |
|---|---|
| Company type | Privately held company |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1999 (1999) |
| Founder | Jerod Shelby |
| Headquarters |
,
U.S.
|
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Sports cars |
| Owner | Jerod Shelby |
| Website | www |
SSC North America (formerly Shelby SuperCars Inc.) is an American automobile manufacturer founded in 1999[1] by owner Jerod Shelby. The company is based in Richland, in the Tri-Cities, Washington and specializes in the production of sports cars.
The first prototype SSC Ultimate Aero was completed in 2004. The two original prototypes were equipped with a supercharged 377.6 cu in (6,188 cc) Chevrolet Corvette C5R V8 engine. The supercharged engines originally produced 782 horsepower but were eventually modified to produce up to 908 horsepower with theoretical top speeds of up to 242 mph (390 km/h).
Following the original two prototypes, SSC replaced the supercharged engine with a new twin-turbo V8 that eventually produced 1,287 horsepower. The twin-turbo setup can be found in the majority of the SSC Ultimate Aeros produced. On September 13, 2007, the Ultimate Aero became the world's fastest production car as certified by Guinness World Records with a top speed of 256.18 mph averaged over two runs in opposite directions.
In 2013, SSC North America announced they were going to produce a limited number of SSC Ultimate Aero XTs. This vehicle was an upgraded Ultimate Aero and included many features from the Tuatara (Concept). These features include a 1,300 horsepower version of the Tuatara twin-turbocharged V8, a 7-speed Tuatara paddle shifter transmission, and upgraded cooling, fuel, and braking systems.
The SSC Tuatara is currently in production at the SSC North America assembly facility in Richland, Washington.[18] The vehicle is the result of a design collaboration between Jason Castriota and SSC North America and was titled the "Crown Jewel" of the 2011 Dubai International Motor Show. The car made its debut at the 2020 Philadelphia Auto Show. The vehicle is limited to 100 examples.[19] On October 10, 2020, driver Oliver Webb allegedly broke the production car speed record in the SSC Tuatara with a top speed of 331.15 miles per hour and a 2-way average of 316.11 mph on a closed public roadway with street tires and non-race fuel.[20] The claim, however, has since been disputed by several sources who analyzed the video and information given from SSC North America and have since made claims that the top speed run was illegitimate.[21][22] On January 17, 2021, Tuatara owner and non-professional driver Larry Caplin officially broke the speed record for fastest production vehicle with an average 2-way average speed of 282.9 mph on a 2.5 mile stretch of runway at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The claim was verified by Race Logic, with a technician onsite to install and analyze the data.[23] SSC has stated that it plans on continuing high speed testing to validate the top speed of the Tuatara and hopes to be the first production car to reach and surpass 300 mph.
SSC North America is based in Richland, Washington, where its assembly facility and corporate offices are located.[24]
