SSC previously said it’s the only firm with a real shot at reaching the 300 mph barrier, and it appears work is full-speed ahead.
The company posted a new video of its upcoming Tuatara hypercar’s twin-turbo V-8 engine testing, an engine that will provide the gusto in the mission to 300 mph.
The engine was first revealed this past August and will displace 5.9 liters, down from a quoted 7.0 liters when the original Tuatara concept bowed in 2013. However, the smaller displacement unlocked an 8,800 rpm redline. The supercar’s peak power comes on around redline—all 1,350 horsepower worth. And that’s on 91 octane. E85 will help the engine produce 1,750 hp, while a 91/E85 mix will unlock around 1,500 hp, according to SSC.
SSC Tuatara
Initial specs peg the Tuatara to do 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and an estimated quarter-mile time of 9.75 seconds. It’s unclear just how fast the hypercar will go, but as mentioned, SSC wants its top-speed bragging rights back, and it wants to reach 300 mph in the process. SSC previously held the top-speed record back in 2007 with its Ultimate Aero TT. The supercar clocked a 255.83 top speed then. Today, Koenigsegg holds the record thanks to a 277 mph run in an Agera RS.
Hennessey Performance Engineering also has its eye on 300 mph with its Venom F5 supercar. That car will feature a 7.6-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine that’s said to make 1,600 hp.
The new video doesn’t give us any new information on the SSC Tuatara, but it does let us sample how wild the hypercar will sound when it finally reaches production.
