A
A
A
On October 10, 2020, in the desert not far from Las Vegas, the SSC Tuatara became the world’s fastest production car. The test witnessed by officials from the Guinness Book of World Records became the world’s fastest production car when it went 316.11 miles per hour. The vehicle went 301.07 for a mile going in one direction. Then, it turned around and went 331.15 miles per hour, going in the opposite direction. The quick driving by professional driver Oliver Webb was also captured by 15 satellites.
Web says that the car gained 20 miles per hour in the last five seconds, so he is sure that the car could go even faster over a longer course.
Read More »
This record is not the first time that the car has set world records. The car had also recorded the fastest mile on a public highway when it went 313.12 miles per hour, the fastest kilometer when the vehicle went 321.35 kilometers per hour and the highest speed on an American public road as it was clocked going 331.15 miles per hour. The car went 38.24 miles per hour faster than the previous record holder. This most recent achievement is the largest time advancement in the record of this contest.
While car enthusiasts might expect Bugatti, Koenigsegg or McLaren, to have made the production car, it is made by SSC America out of Richland, Washington. This record-breaking achievement is not the first time that this company owned by Jerrod Shelby has earned this record. SSC North America also held the record from 2007 to 2010 with its Ultimate Aero.
Many different factors help make this car co-designed by Jason Castriota of Castriota Design, the fastest production car globally. It achieves a nearly perfect aerodynamic ratio, ensuring that each of the four tires helps move the car down the highway efficiently. Tom Nelson of Nelson Racing Engines helped develop the car’s 5.9-liter turbocharged V8 engine. The crank engine delivers 1,750 horsepower when burning E85 gasoline and 1,350 horsepower when burning 91 octane gasoline. This car has a manual transmission.
If you would like to own this car, you need deep pockets, and you may need to hurry. The vehicle will set you back $1.6 million. SSC North American will only make 100 of them.
Jerrod Shelby says that his passion for going fast comes from when he was a kid. His parents encouraged him to get into go-karting, and he learned that small adjustments could make a huge difference. When he got old enough to drive, he purchased a Nissan 240Z. He used skills learned from go-karting to replace the engine with a short-block Chevrolet engine so that the vehicle would go faster. He also completely redid the vehicle’s suspension system. Shelby admits that he has been a fan of Italian and European exotic cars. He set his heart on creating a car that could compete in the exotic market but was built in the United States.
Shelby says that he hopes others will draw inspiration from his story of what a small car company in Washington can do to strive to meet their dreams. He also hopes that it will encourage others to set their own achievement bar’s higher regardless of what they are trying to achieve in life. He encourages other car companies to go after his record because he says that friendly competition is good for everyone and the industry’s future. Shelby’s dream is not over because he hopes to produce a car that will beat his current model one day by paying attention to the small details.
