The SSC Tuatara is gunning for the world’s fastest car position
In order to become the world's fastest car, the Tuatara will have to outpace the beastly Bugatti Chiron's top speed of 304.77 mph. Moreover, the Tuatara might need to outpace Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut and the Venom F5 from Hennessey as well!
Shelby Super Cars (SSC) unveiled their Tuatara in 2011 as a concept, and since then they have been working very hard, to make it capable enough of earning the world’s fastest car laurel. In February this year, SSC delivered its first Tuatara and in spite of it being available to the public for purchase, SSC is still to officially announce its performance figures.
SSC believes that the Tuatara is powerful enough to not only compete with the Bugatti Chiron (world’s fastest sport car presently) but apparently even be faster than it. As shocking and astounding as it may sound, this is what SSC claims, and it does not feel impossible, given that the powertrain of the vehicle is simply monstrous.
The Tuatara is powered by a mild mounted twin turbo-charged 5.9 litre V8 which produces 1350 ps on pump gas, and when run on E85 fuel, the Tuatara has staggering total of 1750 ps. The Tuatara wins in the horsepower category against the Chiron, so props to them for that.
Apart from the way it looks, and its powertrain figures, there are no other confirmed details. The Tuatara has made runs, but only on a dynamometer, and all the figures attained are via simulations, so they mean very less in the real world.
However, finally SSC has released a teaser video (SSC Tuatara | Speed) of the Tuatara belting out some serious speed, while running along on a straight line and it seems very promising. In the video, it can be seen that the Tuatara looks very planted yet swift, and the driver of the vehicle can be seen holding on to the wheel firmly, one could only imagine the pressure of the enormous G-Force that he is suffering.
To make this run, SSC took permission to close down a road in a Washington based state (their home state), and they let the Tuatara run wild over there. However, if SSC wants to test the Tuatara’s top speed, they will have to arrange for a flat straight, something like what Bugatti has access to. Bugatti used the 5.4 mile Ehra Lessien test track in Germany, and it was this very track where the Chiron clocked the magic number of 304 mph. Although, since the Chiron that hit the number was a modified version of the normal Chiron and is not mass produced, many claim that Bugatti doesn’t really own the fastest production car title. Key word here being ‘Production’.
The world is a competitive place, and so is the Auto Industry. If SSC thought just by beating the Chiron they could win the ‘world’s fastest car’ laurel, then they thought wrong. Another key sports car player is also joining in on this competition, and this sports car player is Koenigsegg, whose Jesko Absolut can achieve a top speed of 330 mph, in theory.
But, knowing what Koenigseggs are capable of doing thanks to Mr. Von Koenigsegg’s magic, the Jesko Absolut might be the number one reason of concern for SSC. The fact that a Koenisegg hits higher numbers than their theoretical topspeed is reason why we are all dearly waiting for these to roll out. They too are finding a track long and flat enough where they can test the Jesko. Bugatti beware, for this Tuatara and Jesko Absolut are surely bringing the heat.
If you are interested in buying the SSC Tuatara, it is available for a *modest* $1.6 million, and only 100 units of the same will be made. If you have the money and the interest, then run along and buy the Tuatara.
