SSC Tuatara

The SSC Tuatara /ˈtuətɑːrə/ is a sports car designed, developed and manufactured by American automobile manufacturer SSC North America (formerly Shelby SuperCars Inc.). The car is the successor to the Ultimate Aero and is the result of a design collaboration between Jason Castriota and SSC. Initially powered by a 6.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, the capacity of the engine was later reduced to 5.9 liters in order to allow the engine to have a higher redline of 8,800 rpm.[2] SSC had stated that the power output would be rated at 1,350 hp (1,007 kW; 1,369 PS) or 1,750 hp (1,305 kW; 1,774 PS) on E85 fuel, along with a 282.2 mph top speed.

This article is about the sports car. For the experimental music band, see Tuatara (band). For the animal, see Tuatara.
SSC Tuatara
Overview
ManufacturerSSC North America
Production
  • 2011–2014 (concept)
  • 2020–present (production model)[1]
AssemblyUnited States: Richland, Washington
DesignerJason Castriota
Body and chassis
ClassSports car (S)
Body style2-door coupé
Layout Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive
DoorsButterfly
Powertrain
Engine
  • Concept version:
  • 6.9 L (423.6 cu in) SSC twin-turbocharged V8 (gasoline)
  • Production version:
  • 5.9 L (360.0 cu in) Nelson Racing twin-turbocharged V8 (gasoline)
Power output
  • Production version:
  • 1,350 hp (1,007 kW; 1,369 PS) (91 octane)
  • 1,750 hp (1,305 kW; 1,774 PS) (E85 flex fuel)
Transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase105.2 in (2,672 mm)
Length182.4 in (4,633 mm)
Width81.3 in (2,065 mm)
Height42.0 in (1,067 mm)
Curb weight2,750 lb (1,247 kg) (dry)
Chronology
PredecessorSSC Ultimate Aero

Overview
SSC Tuatara concept

SSC began working on the development of the successor of the SSC Ultimate Aero in 2011. The new car named the Tuatara was previewed in concept form at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. In August 2018, seven years after the debut of the concept, the production version of the Tuatara was shown to the general public. Designed by ex-Pininfarina designer Jason Castriota, the car takes inspiration from the aerospace industry.

The Tuatara is named after the reptile,[3] found only in New Zealand, known for having the fastest molecular evolution of any living animal.[4]

SSC claims the Tuatara has the lowest drag coefficient in its class at 0.279. The car has a carbon-fiber body construction with aluminum crumple zones and incorporates active aerodynamics.[5]

The interior contains leather and Alcantara upholstery and the functions of the car are controlled through a touch screen located on the center console. There is a configurable instrument panel behind the steering wheel displaying important information about the car's status along with a 300 mph speedometer. The car uses a camera system instead of traditional side-view mirrors. SSC claims that the interior can seat a 6-foot 5-inch tall person wearing a helmet.

The Tuatara is produced at a purpose-built facility in West Richland, Washington, and production is limited to 100 cars.

SSC has partnered with Nelson Racing Engines to build the engine, Linder Power Systems for engine sub-assembly fabrication and Automac for the production of the 7-speed automated manual transmission.[6] The transmission was later revealed to be a 7-speed automated manual manufactured by CIMA. The car has the following driving modes: "Sport", "Track" and "Lift". In Sport mode, the ride height is 4 in (102 mm) at the front and 4.5 in (114 mm) at the rear. In Track mode, the ride height lowers to 2.75 in (70 mm) at the front and 3.75 in (95 mm) at the rear. The Lift mode is designed to protect the underbody of the car while driving over speed bumps or driveways.[7]

The Tuatara is offered with two configurations, a "high-speed" configuration, and a "high-downforce" configuration. The first customer car was delivered during the Monterey Car Week and was unveiled at the Philadelphia Motor Show on February 7, 2020.[8]

Top speed run

On October 10, 2020, the Tuatara - according to SSC (pending independent confirmation) - claimed a disputed[9] production car top speed record, recording a one-way top speed of 331.15 mph (532.93 km/h) and a two-way average of 316.11 mph (508.73 km/h) on a seven-mile stretch of closed road outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, near Pahrump on State Route 160.[10] SSC claims that this speed beat the Koenigsegg Agera RS's record, which set a record on the same highway in 2017, by 46.6 mph (75.0 km/h).[11][12] The car was piloted by British racing driver Oliver Webb.[13]

The accuracy of this record was subsequently challenged by various independent analysts.[9][14] On October 30, 2020, Jerod Shelby himself uploaded a video to the SSC North America YouTube channel. Jerod said that run has been ruined because of the supposed editing errors and the only way to fix it is to re-run the top speed in the near future.[15]

A second top speed run was attempted in Florida on December 12-13, 2020, but the car was unable to exceed 252 mph (406 km/h) due to mechanical problems.[16]

On January 27, 2021, the Tuatara reached a one-way top speed of 286.1 mph (460.4 km/h) and a two-way average of 282.9 mph (455.3 km/h) over the course of 2.3 miles in Florida. The run was verified with multiple satellite tracking systems from Racelogic, Life Racing, Garmin, and IMRA.[17]


See also

References
  1. Pattni, Vijay (February 10, 2020). "This is it: the very first 1,750bhp SSC Tuatara". Top Gear. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  2. "Tuatara,SSC NorthAmerica". SSC NorthAmerica. July 6, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  3. "This obscure US company now has the world's fastest car". Financial Review. October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  4. "Tuatara evolving faster than any other species". Massey University. January 4, 2008. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  5. Gilboy, James. "SSC Tuatara Finally Crashes The Hypercar Party with 1,750 American-Made Horsepower". The Drive. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  6. "Press Release - The Tuatara Released". SSC North America. August 25, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  7. "First 2020 SSC Tuatara Goes Public: 1,750 HP, 300 MPH, $1.6 Million". Automobile Magazine. February 10, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  8. "First production SSC Tuatara revealed, company to build 99 more". Motor Authority. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  9. Gardner, Daniel (October 29, 2020). "SSC Tuatara speed record under scrutiny". Which Car. Australia. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  10. "SSC's Tuatara is said to be the fastest car in the world with 331.15mph top speed". Top Gear. October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  11. "1750-HP SSC Tuatara Sets Record for Fastest Production Car". Car and Driver. October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  12. Wilkinson, Joseph. "Fastest car in the world: SSC Tuatara hits 316 mph in record-breaking drive". nydailynews.com. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  13. "SSC's Tuatara is the fastest car in the world with 331mph top speed". Top Gear. October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  14. Did the SSC Tuatara REALLY Set a 331mph World Record?. October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020 – via YouTube.
  15. Jerod Shelby | SSC Record Personal Statement. SSC North America. October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020 – via YouTube.
  16. Mitchell, Robert (December 23, 2020). "SSC Tuatara Second Record Attempt". US. Retrieved December 27, 2020 – via YouTube.
  17. OFFICIAL: SSC TUATARA BREAKS WORLD RECORD. Driven Plus. January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021 – via YouTube.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.