Top Gear has been kind enough to release a selection of pictures from a recent photo shoot that involved a Hennessey Venom GT and a SSC Ultimate Aero. Cheers guys! The awesome pictures feature in an article that focuses on these monstrous machines and how they compare to the Bugatti Veyron. Can either of the US-based companies challenge Bugatti and raise the bar on the world-record top speed?

The cars tested are well matched. The SSC Ultimate Aero boasts a 6.3-liter bi-turbo V8 that produces a whopping 1,287hp and 1,112lb-ft of torque, while the Hennessey Venom GT has a 6.2-liter bi-turbo V8 producing an equally astonishing 1,200hp and 1,155lb-ft of torque. The Venom GT has a claimed top speed of 275mph and 0-62mph time of 2.5 seconds so is the quicker of the two super-muscle-cars; the Ultimate Aero has relatively more conservative figures of 257mph and 2.78 seconds. Only 16 Ultimate Aeros were made and all have been sold. The Venom GTs comes with a $1 million price tag, and six of the 29 to be built have already found buyers.

Even if Hennessey is confident that the Venom GT can beat the Veyron's record, the SSC has the Tuatara, also captured during the shoot, waiting to do battle. And there's little doubt that it's up to the challenge.