Print
Email Story
WEST RICHLAND Jerod Shelby, who designed and makes the world's fastest production car -- the Ultimate Aero -- is partnering with super car designer Jason Castriota to create the next generation of high-end, lightning quick Shelby automobiles.
Castriota is renowned for his design work to create the Ferrari-based Pininfarina P4/5, the Stile Bertone Mantide, the Maserati MC12-based Birdcage and the Rolls-Royce Hyperion.
The Ultimate Aero catapulted Shelby Supercars to fame in October 2007 when the sleek two-seater streaked to 257 mph on a two-lane road near Prosser, earning an entry in the Guinness World Book of Records.
Shelby, who developed the concept that became the record-breaking Ultimate Aero in his shop/design studio in West Richland, said bringing Castriota onto the team "is huge for us, a milestone."
"The pedigree that the collaboration with Jason brings to SSC is monumental," Shelby added. "Jason's involvement will bring to SSC in one to two years what would have taken us 10. I am thoroughly excited for SSC and what this project will bring to the Tri-Cities."
The marriage of fast and famous began about five months ago when Shelby decided to retool his business plan with an eye to creating a second generation of the Aero.
Castriota, who only recently decided to step away from a very successful car design career on Italian soil and was fresh from unveiling the Corvette ZR-1-based Mantide, decided to return to his native U.S.
With perfect timing, Shelby and Castriota hit it off, agreeing to an exclusive design contract in early March.
"He will be our exclusive designer for the next two models and work with us for a minimum of one year. This will be his first model under his own name," Shelby said.
The new car's power train will be Shelby's proven mechanics, but the carbon fiber skin for the next generation of Aero will have the aesthetic and functional form from the creative mind of Castriota.
"He's very, very good at what he does," said Junus Kahn, Shelby's marketing director.
Castriota will split his time between New York City and West Richland while designing the next Aero. He has been to the Northwest to see Shelby's creations and is very familiar with them, said Khan.
"We want to develop a long-term relationship," said Kahn, who added that the design pact will provide a couple of computer design modelers who worked with Castriota on the Ferrari and Maserati cars in Italy.
"The cars will carry a badge with his logo and name. He's obviously the No. 1 super car designer and has a huge following," Kahn said.
Shelby said the new Aeros necessarily will carry a higher price, in the range of $800,000 to $900,000, which is about double the current model's cost. But he also plans to release a "little brother version" with the Castriota signature for under $300,000.
Once production begins, Shelby plans to produce about a dozen of the high-end Aeros and approximately 50 of the slimmed down powerful, slingshot super cars annually.
Shelby says Castriota's reputation has the motoring world watching for his next work. Reality TV shows dedicated to sports cars aficionados are gearing up to follow his future projects.
The change comes at a time that is personally important for Shelby too.
After pouring more than a decade into his dream and having his wife Lizzie with him all the way, Shelby lost her to cancer earlier this year. Signing a contract with Castriota helped him focus on the goal the couple held, Shelby said.
