The name "Tuatara" was inspired by a modern day New Zealand reptile that bears the same name. A direct descendant of the dinosaur. This reptile's name translated from the Maori language means "peaks on the back," which is quite fitting, given the winglets on the back of the new car.
The Tuatara reportedly possesses the fastest evolving DNA in the world, which SSC claims it’s a feature it also has.
With a carbon fiber body, the SSC Tuatara comes fitted with a twinturbo 7-liter DOHC V8 engine, developing approximately 1,350 horsepower. The unit is coupled with a 7-Speed Manual H-Pattern or 7-Speed SMG.
"The design specifications for the Next Generation SSC were so extreme; we knew early on that a proper name would be a key piece of the puzzle for this project," said Jerod Shelby, Founder, Lead Designer and CEO of SSC.
"Most manufacturers essentially use the same basic model and body shape for up to 10 years, while only making small refinements to it each year. After only three years in production with the Ultimate Aero, SSC's Tuatara is about to monumentally evolve in the areas of sophistication, design, aerodynamics and shear all-around performance. We felt that the fastest evolving DNA was a perfect definition of SSC's latest project," Shelby further explained.
You can watch the video footage of Shelby SuperCars Founder Jerod Shelby unveiling the name of SSC's Next Generation supercar below:
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