SHELBY SUPERCARS UNVEILS NEWLY REFINED 2009 ULTIMATE AERO, 15% HORSEPOWER INCREASE
WEST RICHLAND, WA (December 30, 2008) – After holding the “World’s Fastest
Production Car” 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 AeroBrake™
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 AeroBrake
™ 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.