It seems that the super sports car battleground has a new game-changer. The Tuatara from Shelby Super Cars (SSC) North America has recently made the headlines for hitting over 300mph and becoming the fastest production car ever.
This record-breaking became controversial, and even the company admitted to the video inaccuracies. The SSC North America founder and CEO Jerod Shelby said they would back to re-run this record.
Despite all the controversy, the Tuatara is a car that's worth knowing more about and waiting to see what the future holds. Such an extraordinary super sport definitely has some obscure facts. So let’s investigate some lesser-known facts about this amazing supercar.
10 The Most Powerful Gas Engine Yet
Let's start with the sexiest part. A supercar that is going to become the fastest car ever needs an engine with impressive power. The SSC Tuatara uses a twin-turbocharged 5.9-liter V8 engine. In the case of using E85 ethanol fuel, this wild engine can produce 1,750 horsepower, and with unleaded 91 petrol, the output power is reduced to 1,350hp.
Let's don't forget that the quad-turbocharged 8-liter W16 engine in Bugatti Chiron can produce 1500hp. With a drag coefficient of 0.279 cd, the SSC Tuatara is highly aerodynamic, and it's a key for breaking the speed records.
9 Blowing Koenigsegg Agera RS Out Of The Water
Controversy over Tuatara records is still ongoing, and for now, it is better to look at numbers with skepticism. But if the Tuatara can repeat or even improve the claimed record in the re-run, then we can call it the fastest car in the world and send the Koenigsegg Agera RS to second place.
Now and officially, Koenigsegg Agera RS holds the record with a top speed of 277.9 mph in a two-way direction and 285 mph in the straight-line. The Agera RS can hit 0-60 in 2.9 seconds with 1160hp and the claimed time for SSC Tuatara is 2.5 seconds.
8 Don't Forget The Ancestors
The Tuatara isn't the first rogue car from the company. Back in 2007, The SSC unveiled a mid-engine sports car called "Ultimate Aero," which appeared fantastic in benchmarking and even made its way to Guinness World Records. The Ultimate Aero was produced from 2004 to 2013 with an engine borrowed from Chevrolet Corvette C5-R.
With the top speed of 253.7 mph, the Bugatti Veyron was the fastest car at the time, but the Ultimate Aero came up with the top speed of 256.18 mph and left Veyron behind, the same thing that the Tuatara is about to do with Bugatti Chiron. Of course, a few years later, Bugatti regained its position with the Super Sport version of the Veyron.
7 Pushing The Limits Of Speed
According to the SSC, the top speed is +300mph, and the car can hit 0-60 in 2.5 seconds. The Tuatara was tested in two directions, and in both directions, it exceeded 300mph - 301.07 mph and 331.15 mph. Its average speed is estimated at 316.11 mph. Of course, these records have been controversial, and we have to wait and see if Tuatara can repeat these records in its re-run.
Oliver Webb, the guy behind the wheel in the initial record-breaking, believes the Tuatara can exceed 331 mph. "And with better conditions, I know we could have gone faster. As I approached 331 mph, the Tuatara climbed almost 20 mph within the last five seconds. It was still pulling well,"
6 How Much Does It Cost?
When it comes to super sports, the price tag is one of the most exciting parts, of course, for those who have piles of money in their bank account and can afford their dream car. Like other super sports in the market, the SSC Tuatara won't be cheap, and it's a limited production car. The SSC announced only 100 units would be made.
The price starts at $1.6m, and for the fully loaded units, the price will be around $1.9m. So the SSC Tuatara is cheaper than Bugatti Chiron and Koenigsegg Agera RS. The Chiron price starts at $2,998,000 and Agera RS at $2,550,000.
5 Who Owns It?
Buying the world's fastest production car that only 100 units are available is very tempting for speed enthusiasts and car collectors. Who is the lucky owner of SSC Tuatara? Dr. Larry Caplin, philanthropist, and founder of CF Charities, bought the first Tuatara to be the first person that has the chance to drive the world's fastest car.
Dr. Caplin announced he would donate $316,000 to charitable activities to support public health and education. The $316,000 will match the car's 316.11 mph speed record. The SSC Tuatara was also shown at The CF Charities Super Car Show in Philadelphia.
4 It Will Have A Cheaper Variant
The super sports makers usually build cheaper variants of their premium cars to make them available to a larger group of potential buyers. This helps them to multiply their profits and provide the necessary funding for the development of future models. According to what the SSC announced, The Tuatara has a "little brother" with the same style and lower price.
The SSC promised that the cheaper variant keeps the same DNA as Tuatara and offers similar performance. "To follow up the Tuatara with a 'little brother' model that carries a similar DNA in appearance and performance, but scaled-down and priced in a range where a much larger portion of the population can purchase and enjoy it," SSC CEO told to TopGear.
3 All Parts Are Designed And Built By SSC
It's common for companies with the lack of time or technical knowledge to buy a component from other providers to speed up the production process and ensure quality. Some parts like engine and gearbox are usually bought from companies that have a long-standing reputation in making those parts. This helps the carmaker to eliminate the risk of trial and error.
But SSC's story is different. Tuatara's major components are designed and built by the SSC itself to show Jerod Shelby's confidence in his team's abilities. According to Shelby, this has been their goal from the beginning to provide all components by themselves.
2 Sounds Matter
Sounds and exhaust systems are among the most important factors for car enthusiasts who want to enjoy the engine launch. Actually, a huge part of a hypercar experience is the sounds that it produces, making people turn on your mobile cameras and capture videos. For SSC, sounds were an important part of the experience that Tuatara gives to its driver.
According to Shelby, they have spent years producing the unique sound of the exhaust system. "The sound of the door latching, the sound of the starter igniting the engine, the sound of the suspension actuating to a lower stance, and the precision-mechanical sound of the robotically-controlled shift are all very important parts of the experience to me," Jerod Shelby said to TopGear.
1 All Cars Are Tested By Jerod Shelby
CEOs of automotive companies are usually busy with setting strategies and increasing sales figures and don't interfere much in technical work or test drive. A team of engineers often does testing, but at Shelby SuperCars (SSC) North America, Jerod Shelby personally do the test drive to assess the results of what his engineers have done.
According to Jerod Shelby, the Tuatara has been a dream project for him so that he won't rely on another person's information. In addition to test drive, development and tuning processes are also carried out under the direct supervision of Jerod Shelby.