The coveted title of 'World's Fastest Production Car' has once again changed hands, and contrary to prediction, it wasn't snapped up by a Bugatti.
There's a reason Bugatti was pegged as the favourite.
In September last year, it was breaking records with its Bugatti Chiron, topping out at 304,77mph (around 490km/h) during a run at a test track at Ehra-Lessien, Germany.
It turns out, however, that it isn't as fast as the SSC North America Tuatara, which on Saturday, October 10, 2020, set a stunning new mark, clocking in two consecutive high-speed runs of 301,07 mph and 331,15 mph (in opposite directions within one hour) for an official and incredible top speed of 316,11 mph.
That's around 508km/h, folks. Try to wrap your head around that. I'm still processing.
In addition to the title of 'Fastest Production Vehicle', the SSC Tuatara set a few more records:
503km/h – "Fastest Flying Mile on a Public Road"
516km/h – "Fastest Flying Kilometer on a Public Road"
532km/h – "Highest Speed Achieved on a Public Road"
I can't imagine the competition is pleased.
SSC North America, on the other hand, is gearing up for production with the aim of producing 100 examples of the car complete with a $1,9 million price tag.
The Tuatara uses a twin-turbocharged 5,9-litre V8 engine with a flat-plane crank, designed to deliver 1 750 hp using E85 fuel which sends power through a CIMA seven-speed computerised manual transmission and automatic MAT system.
