Remember the SSC Ultimate Aero, the car that beat the mighty Bugatti Veyron in high speed stakes? But then Molsheim responded with a more powerful, 1,200bhp Super Sports version, which clocked an astonishing 431kph at VW’s Ehra Lessien test track and retook the fastest production car crown. Well, the war it seems is far from over.
And this is the latest weapon in SSC’s arsenal. The 1,350bhp Tuatara.
Designed by Jason Castriota, the man who penned the gorgeous Bertone Mantide, this hypercar is named after a type of lizard found in New Zealand. It may seem an odd choice of name at first, but apparently it translates to “peaks on the back”.
Fitting since its automotive namesake also boasts two quirkily styled rear wings .
But let’s dive straight into the interesting bits. It packs a 7.0-litre V8 boosted by two turbochargers, lighting up the rear wheels via a seven-speed manual or semi-auto ’box.
The body is entirely crafted from carbon fibre, which should keep things light and give the Tuatara a bonkers power-to-weight ratio.
Thing is, we’re certain it won’t be as good as the Veyron Super Sport and we don’t care. Because, just look at it. It’s beautiful. Want one, badly.
