The Tuatara has been in the works for a few years now, but unlike other manufacturers, SSC has chosen the closed doors approach to its development.
Now, though, according to Gizmag, the V8-powered hypercar is close to being finished, and deliveries may commence as early as the end of this year or in the beginning of 2014. The car, which is designed to be the fastest in the world, comes with a newly developed 423 cu.in. (6.9-liter) twin turbo V8.
Last week, SSC completed the engine package’s final testing and validation with the V8 rated at 1,350 hp and a preposterous 1,280 lb-ft that equates to 1,733 Nm, all while running on standard “premium” 91 octane fuel.
“This is a proud moment for all that were part of the engineering team on this project,” said SSC founder and lead designer Jerod Shelby. “This amazingly versatile package has already shown that it can easily be driven on a daily basis in any climate or environment in the world and at the same time can roll out of the pit area onto a track like Nurburgring and easily handle any rigors that record will require. Versatile, efficient, docile, savage… Engineering success!”
We have a hunch, though, that no matter how thick the rear tires are and how clever the suspension is, this car is not going anywhere at full throttle without heavy reliance on electronic traction aids.
Trying to keep things on track, and the point of this article focused, we now need to talk about the price: “The Tuatara retails at $1,300,000 USD [€1 million],” stated SSC Chief Officer Alan Leveret, according to GTspirit. That puts it right on the money with all of the other uber-exclusive hypercars out there, and now, just like buyers of small hatchback-based crossovers, high-spenders are spoiled for choice.
By Andrei Nedelea
Photo Credits: SSC North America
PHOTO GALLERY
