2009 SSC Ultimate Aero makes 1,287-hp, top speed comes in at 270 mph

The SSC Ultimate Aero is officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest road-going car in the world. Shelby Supercars has now updated the Ultimate Aero for the 2009 model year giving it a 15 percent increase in horsepower, a revamped front fascia design, and a couple of interior upgrades.

The most significant change however is the 1-piece billet aluminum engine block which improves structural integrity and oiling capabilities allowing the Ultimate Aero to produces a total of 1,287-hp - up from  1,183-hp. We understand that you can never have enough horsepower but at what point does having too much horsepower become illegal for the road.

Either way, Shelby Supercars says that the 2009 Ultimate Aero will be able to reach world-record speeds of 270 mph beating its current record of 257 mph.

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 sizeable 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.