SSC North America, a US hypercar company, announced Monday that its 1,750hp Tuatara hypercar has just claimed the title of the world’s fastest production car.
The vehicle, which was piloted by professional racing driver, Oliver Webb, pushed the Tuatara “to an average speed of 316.11 mph (508.73 km/h) following two consecutive high-speed test runs of 301.07 mph (484.53 km/h) and 331.15 mph (532.93 km/h),” read the company’s press release.
Webb broke three world speed records as the car zoomed down a seven-mile stretch of Nevada highway on Saturday (Oct. 10):
- “Fastest Flying Mile on a Public Road” at 313.12 mph
- “Fastest Flying Kilometer on a Public Road” at 321.35 mph
- “Highest Speed Achieved on a Public Road” at 331.15 mph
Jerod Shelby, CEO of SSC, said, “it’s been ten years since we held this record with our first car, the Ultimate Aero, and the Tuatara is leagues ahead. Its performance reflects the dedication and focus with which we pursued this achievement.”
“We came pretty close to meeting the theoretical numbers, which is astonishing to do in a real world setting on a public road. America’s new claim to victory in the ‘land-based space race’ is going to be tough to beat,” Shelby continued.
Webb, who piloted the hypercar, said, “there was definitely more in there. And with better conditions, I know we could have gone faster.”
He said, “as I approached 331 mph, the Tuatara climbed almost 20 mph within the last five seconds.”
SSC is planning to produce 100 Tuatara supercars – and the latest stunt on the Nevada highway, breaking multiple speed records and securing the crown for the fastest production car in the world – well – could mean a boon for sales – even though each vehicle is expected to sell for around the $2 million mark.
So move over Bugatti, Koenigsegg, and or even the Rimac C_Two, there’s a new hypercar in town, and by the way, it’s American made.
“The car wasn’t running out of steam yet,” Webb said. “The crosswinds are all that prevented us from realizing the car’s limit.”