The SSC Ultimate Aero has twice been named the fastest car in the world. On September 13, 2007, it clocked 256.18mph (412.28km/h) in West Richland, Washington, US, and had the speed verified by Guinness in October of that year.

At the time the Bugatti Veyron’s top recorded speed was 253.7mph (408.3km/h) and the $695,000 Ultimate Aero held the fastest car in the world title for two years and nine months until Bugatti took the crown again when their Super Sport model reached 267.86mph (431.072km/h).

In April 2013 the record was given back to the SSC due to the controversy over the Veyron’s speed limiter — but it only managed to hold on to it for a week before Guinness decided that the speed limiter wasn’t a modification after all and handed the record back to Bugatti.

The Ultimate Aero has a 6.8 liter twin-turbo V8 engine producing 1,287bhp. SSC is set to release an XT version of the Ultimate Aero which they say is capable of doing 273mph, before winding up the model’s production. It will be replaced by the Tuatara, which SSC claim will have a top speed of 276mph.