Even though many super cars cost extreme sums of money, many of us dream of getting behind the wheel of one.  There is only one, however, that holds the title of the world’s fastest.

Ever since the advent of the internal combustion engine, engineers have improved upon its basic design to take human and automobile to higher speeds than we could have ever imagined.  Today with the help of technology, automobiles produced for street legal use can put many race worthy autos of the past to shame.  For those with extraordinary means (not many of us), a supercar can be had for hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.  With that money and the use of the autobahn or a racetrack, it is not uncommon for these cars to hit speeds of 200mph or more with ease.  With that said, there are many supercars that are capable of these speeds, but there is only one that stands above the rest.

Even though the record of the world’s fastest production car changes almost on a yearly basis, the current record holder is the Shelby Ultimate Aero Twin Turbo.  Work started on this wonder of engineering some eight years ago and was not completed until mid-2007.  The name Shelby has been associated with fast cars since the early 1960s, when Carroll Shelby began to slap his knowledge of cars on Ford’s Mustang.  His mark is even found today on the Shelby GT500, the newest forerunner of the Mustang name.

Specs

The specs of the Ultimate Aero Twin Turbo are just as impressive as the car’s looks and, for many gear heads, it is the most awesome car ever constructed.  Even though the engine is small in terms of cubic inches (388 cu), the twin turbo V-8 packs a punch never before seen.  By simply using premium octane gasoline, the Ultimate Aero can produce 1,287 horsepower at 6075 rpm and an astonishing 1112 foot pounds of torque.  The car also comes equipped with a six speed manual transmission.  With the help of the twin turbos and a 422 lb billet aluminum block (mid engine), the car can hit astounding speeds.

As is important with any fast car, the brakes of the Ultimate Aero do not disappoint either (for gear heads who want to make their own fast car, always be sure that you have plenty of stopping power first and foremost).  Both the front and rear brakes are 14-inch vented slotted discs with an eight-piston caliper in the front and a six-piston caliper in the rear.  You can find 19-inch rims on the front tires and 20-inch rims on the back tires.

For more noteworthy information on the specs of the Ultimate Aero, check out:

http://www.shelbysupercars.com/car-specs.php

Speed Demon

Just like the Ultimate Aero’s specifications, the speeds that this monster of horsepower can hit are very impressive.  Going from 0 to 60 mph takes just 2.78 seconds, which is on par with the speed demon of the natural world, the cheetah.  For those who are interested in its quarter mile times, the Ultimate Aero can run a trap of 9.90 seconds.  Granted, there are homemade cars out there that can hit even lower marks, but for a vehicle right out of the factory, this is an impressive number.

What many are probably interested in is its top speed.  On a straight line, the Ultimate Aero has hit 257.41 mph on a standard American highway.  The official average (the record) is 256.15 mph.  Even though many of us would be hard pressed to find any place to unleash that kind of horsepower, those with the funds always seem to find somewhere to let the horses gallop, whether at a track or the drag strip, as there is no sense in keeping the horses caged up for too long.

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