The fight between Shelby SuperCars and Bugatti, owned by Volkswagen, over the fastest car has intensified further with the SSC Tuatara. The name of the car has been inspired by the Maori name of a reptile found in New Zealand, which literally translates to ‘peaks at the back’. It is the successor of the Ultimate Aero, which had earlier held the record of being the fastest car in the world till Bugatti Veyron took over. Shelby has assembled a team of 16 engineers to produce this car, which has already been unveiled by Jerod Shelby, the head of SSC, for a few selected industry experts.
It has been announced that the American manufacturer will break the speed records set by Veyron with a powerful 7 L, quad cam, twin turbo V8 engine that redlines at an astounding 9200 rpm. When rolled out, the car’s engine will be able to churn out maximum power of 1350 hp at 6800 rpm and peak torque of 1413 Nm at 6800 rpm, much more than any competitor. With this engine, the supercar is expected to reach top speed of 443 kmph, assisted by a 7 speed sequential transmission system. This will be well above the mark set by Bugatti Veyron, whose official maximum speed has been recorded as 431 kmph. Such figures make Tuatara the fastest and powerful production car in the world.
In terms of acceleration, the car is expected to zoom from 0 to 100 kmph in just 2.8 seconds. For smooth and effective braking, the manufacturer is using Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with servo-assistance in the car, along with carbon ceramic brakes by Brembo. As the interiors are still being designed, there is no concrete information about them, though two custom SSC seats, seatbelts, auto air conditioner and LCD central displays are expected.
Even though the engine of the car seems to be its biggest selling point, the highlight of the Tuatara will be its weight. The dry weight of Tuatara is just 1247 kg due to judicious use of carbon fibre in the body as well as chassis, except the impact zones in the front and rear. Therefore, the car is much lighter than any other vehicle in its league, allowing it to move faster due to better power-to-weight ratio. The Tuatara will be 4430 mm long, 1991 mm wide and 1092 mm high, with wheel base of 2667 mm and ground clearance of 101.6 mm.
SSC Tuatara has been designed by world renowned Italian-American designer Jason Castriota, whose portfolio includes famous names like Bertone, Ferrari, Rolls Royce and Pininfarina. The aerodynamic design assists the car in reaching the highest of speeds. The contrast between the white body and the black tear-shaped canopy creates an exquisite look. Venting for the brakes as well as the solid front splitter keep the bonnet stable on the ground even at the highest of speeds, rendering the car with the perfect speed-oriented design. The absence of door handles and side repeaters adds to the appeal of the side profile of the Tuatara.
The design team has brought party piece doors and simple-spoked wheel design from the first Aero to the Tuatara. SSC has procured 19 inch front wheels that weigh just 5.8 kg from Carbon Revolution, an Australian company, giving Tuatara the first ever single piece carbon fibre wheels to be fitted in a car. Dihedral stabilisers, which are essentially wings inspired by aeroplanes, enhance the visual appeal of the exteriors of the upcoming Shelby, whereas the contemporary shape of the vehicles minimises the drag. The low slung supercar has oval cut-outs of different sizes, which have been crafted for releasing heat from the engine.
The price of the car is expected to be US $ 970,000 or just a little more than US $ 1 million, much lesser than the US $ 2.4 million charged by VW for the Bugatti Veyron. The Tuatara is being built by Shelby in Washington and has already received five orders for the supercar. It is expected to hit the roads by 2013 and Jerod Shelby is hoping to produce 16 units per year, though the manufacturer’s annual capacity is for 40 units.
