Jay leno's reviews the ssc Ultimate Aero

wow. i have a new respect for that vehicle. not the specs or records, but the motor and brakes are done in house... plus seems to ahve good quality all over...

it be a tough choice between that and a saleen S7 comp.


USA FTW

 

So did Jay get one or not ?

Talk of a billet block and heads is cool but I'm guessing OHV again ala Chevy V-8s.

 

Not as kit carish as I thought. And it has some sick performance #'s.

 

The latest ones are better - I saw one in person and the interior was all alcantara with what looked like a MOTEC dash, which is totally different from the first ones they were trying to sell that had a 2003 Kia Rio looking interior!

 

I dont think he likes the looks of it to be honest, same as me. He keeps referring to kitcars throughout the video. I also have more respect for the car now but the looks dont do it for me at all.

 

Yeah - I was thinking when Jarod Shelby said he drew the design on a napkin that "Okay, so you drew the basic shape of a Lamborghini Diablo and then found ways to alter its beatiful lines and details just enough so that people would not claim it was a copy".

Also, Jay says early on in the clip that the car meets DOT standards, but I don't believe the SSC has been fitted with airbags so they must be working off a waiver or two (or ten maybe) in that regard.

Still, there is no argument with the performance they have achieved, so if you can get over the looks and want a big thrill this could be the car for you. The true test of whether Jay likes a car is whether one ends up in his garage permanently. We'll have to wait and see if he takes delivery or not.

>8^)
ER

 

Over all the shape and design of the car is okay but I wish they would do something different with the head lights.
Big "blingy" triangles that aren't flush with the body work. They look added on and possibly borrowed from something Korean.
Tone down the bright "altezza" look, recess and reduce the size of the lighting units and it would look much better.

 

Dispite what it does I see pure kitcar all over it.

Come on Chevy small block and it based on a tubechassis which was originally designed for replica's coming from a replicar builder?. Great car non the less but I don't see where its pure supercar.

 

You sure it's still got that small block for the 2008 year? From what I've read, the 2008 models have an all new engine block.

 

I agree...I didn't care much for the front view of the car, especially the headlights. They just don't quite look right. Sounds like the car is a BEAST though! Can't imagine he will sell many of them at 600 large though!

 

That is what I was thinking. I was more impressed with the sideview as well as the rear. Still, very impressing though.

 

83 inches wide!

 

Wow, and I thought the 78.3" F40 was wide!

 

I love when people complain and insinuate that new cars are just a copy of older more "respectable automobiles" Newsflash, all missles look similar too, ya know why? Because that's the best shape. What should they do? Make it aerodynamically unsound just so it looks different?

 

Thats a fair point, its just the way it has to go.

Regards the looks, the headlights and side vents etc just balls it up for me, not worth $600k unless its the thrill you are buying.

 

These days people still think the Vector W8 has a chevy V8 with TPI. It couldn't be further from what is in there. The most basic of the architecture is the same as a small block chevy... but it is an exotic block reslevable to 572 CID; with the Vector choosing 366 CID as the ideal size for reliability and boost pressure. (Roddeck Y block)

I have no issue with the SSC having using small block architecture.

 

In keeping with the overall theme, the headlights are sourced from an American car. They were borrowed from the SVT Focus European Appearance Pkg (which had in turn, borrowed them from various European versions of the Focus) and the entire assembly are actually made for Ford by Hella.

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They are great lights for a sub-$25,000 sport compact, but they defnitely do not work on a ~$500,000 supercar-wanabe. I am sure they were chosen by SSC specifically because of their DOT approval status, and they do put out fairly good light, but I think it would have been worth it to find another option as the integration with their front end was rather poorly executed due to the shape of the lamp and the desire to mask their identity somewhat I would assume.

>8^)
ER

 

Its still based on the LSX Corvette block so does that make much of a diffrence?.

 

I don't either it just bothers me that I can get that same powerplant from Jegs .

I want a that Donovan for my Camaro

 

Sorry you disagree with my opinion. If your statement was correct it wouldn't be something I would complain about as all cars would look the same. However, if you line up a Ferrari Enzo, a Jaguar XJ220, a McLaren F1, a Lamborghini Murcielago, a Pagani Zonda, a Koenigsegg CC and a Carrera GT you can bet that anyone could tell them apart. They each have their own unique shape and styling.

Put this SSC Ultimate Aero (silly name btw when you hear that it has a .357 cd) together with a Lamborghini Diablo, and I believe a lot of people would have the same opinion that I do. They look the same. Sure there are some different details here and there, but the overall shape front, side and rear are extremely similar.

The same could be said for a Mosler MT900 next to a McLaren F1. Even the Saleen S7 could be added to this pair for further confusion, although the Saleen and Mosler both dwarf the F1 in their overall sizes. Now why is it that all the American supercars (save Vector) can't come up with an original design of their own?

>8^)
ER

 

That is the story behind the Bugatti Veyron.
They designed the shape and style of the car for looks first, THEN they tried to make it work aerodynamically, fostering the telescopic "ricer" wing among other compromises. Basically an aerodynamic failure without all of the add-ons.

Ferrari managed to create a car that was different looking from all others and still perform aerodynamically without the use of external airdams or wings and only a small spoiler at the back, THE ENZO.
It is capable of speeds much greater than the electronically limited 218 MPH without modifications.

 

I agree with you here. For cd numbers like that, there's a lot you can do. Heck, the Merkur XR4Ti has a .36 cd, and it doesn't look like a supercar. There are vehicles out there that are down around the .29 mark, so why would Shelby take a less aerodynamic design and copy it for his car?

 

It got 3 things in common with the Nissan GT-R

1. It's fugly

2. It's fast

3. Who cares? It's still no Ferrari.