The company behind America’s fastest car is getting a new name.
Shelby Supercars of West Richland, Washington has agreed to drop “Shelby” from its name after reaching a settlement with 89 year-old automotive legend Carroll Shelby, who owns the trademark to the moniker and sells modified Ford Mustangs and a variety of parts and merchandise under the name.
In a joint press release, Shelby Supercars founder Jerod Shelby said that his outfit will now be known as SSC North America, in an effort to create “a new corporate identity strategy which more clearly identifies itself.”
The small automaker is famous for building what was once the world’s fastest car, the 1,183 hp SSC Ultimate Aero. Driven by 71-year-old pilot Chuck Bigelow, the two-seat coupe hit a top speed of 256 mph in 2007 on a closed public highway near the company’s offices. It held the record until 2010, when the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport set a new mark of 268 mph on a test track in Germany.
SSC North America’s next project is the Tuatara, a futuristic-looking car designed by former Saab chief designer Jason Castriota. Jerod Shelby says the $1.3 million car will have 1,350 hp and a top speed of 276 mph when it goes into production next year.