SSC America’s Tuatara Hypercar FINALLY Hits The Road
We had high hopes back in 2011 when SSC America first unveiled its Tuatara concept hypercar at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. And now, finally, it’s here, with the first production model already sold.
The Richland, Washington-based carmaker’s ‘latest’ model may have taken a long time to come to fruition – we’re talking glacial speeds here… – but the Tuatara does at least deliver on the original’s amazing spec sheet. The highlight would be its 5.9-litre twin-turbo V8, which sports a flat-plane crank and a unique air intake system that uses heat exchangers to cool the air, and which produces 1,350hp with 91 Octane gasoline or a tire-shredding 1,750hp with E85.
But being able to hit ‘more than 300 mph’ (or over 480kph), which the Tuatara is claimed to do, isn’t just about horsepower. Automotive designer Jason Castriota, who’s worked with Ferrari and Maserati, penned the carbon fiber body with a drag coefficient of 0.279, one of the most slippery shapes on the road. That body covers a carbon fiber monocoque and the whole car weighs just 2,750lb (1,247kg); for reference, the other 300mph car out there, the Bugatti Chiron, weighs around 4,400 lbs (1,996kg), so you do the maths. An active rear wing also helps keep the rear-wheel car planted at speeds where you definitely don’t want things to go wrong.
The first car was sold to a gentleman in Philadelphia, but if you want one, you should act fast: only 99 more will be built.
*Images courtesy of SSC America
