Here's The SSC Tuatara Driving Really, Really Fast On A Closed Road

SSC has released a video of its 1750bhp hypercar blasting down a closed road in Washington state

05 May 2020

We still don’t know when the SSC Tuatara will first have a crack at the 300mph barrier. But how about this for a taster?

Using a closed road in Washington state - we’re assuming not far from the company’s Richland HQ - SSC allowed its new hypercar to stretch its legs. Frustratingly we’re not given a good look at the speedometer, but it looks plenty fast.

Here's The SSC Tuatara Driving Really, Really Fast On A Closed Road

We’re also given a wicked view of the engine bay, showing the Tuatara’s third, longitudinally-mounted rear damper. Just in front of that is a 5.9-litre twin-turbo V8 built in partnership with Nelson Racing Engines, which is good for 1750bhp when juiced with E85.

The ethanol (or regular high-octane petrol, which it can run on at lower power) is squirted in via a pair of injectors for each cylinder. The V8 revs to 8800rpm, at which point the CIMA seven-speed sequential gearbox will chuck in a ratio in under 0.1sec.

Thanks to the extensive use of carbon fibre in its construction, SSC is claiming an absurdly low 1247kg dry weight for the Tuatara. The body - penned by Jason Castriota, designer of James Glickenhaus’ Ferrari P4/5 among other things - is suitably slippery, with a drag coefficient of 0.279Cd.

The 300mph gauntlet has already been thrown down by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, and SSC isn’t the only super-niche contender vying to follow in its fat, Michelin-shod footsteps. Hennessey is busy readying its F5 Venom for the challenge, while Koenigsegg has the new Jesko Absolute to send into high-speed battle.

Who’s your money on?

Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.

Comments

Just go to nevada already you dont even have to close it lol

Or Autobahn

This blind hunt for power destroys a good sportscar if I’m honest. I can hardly believe, that a car with such a power figure can still be enjoyable or well balanced. It’s nothing more than a rollercoaster with a steering wheel.