Tuatara Production Underway

Production of the SSC Tuatara has been underway for several months at the production facility in Richland, Washington, USA. The production-ready subassemblies have been undergoing extensive testing and validation since the release of the Tuatara pre-production car at Pebble Beach last August and are in the process of being manufactured along with the carbon fiber monocoque and aerodynamic body.

Details of the production Tuatara include:

Exterior

The Tuatara possesses a carbon fiber body with extreme aerodynamic qualities, achieving a verified drag coefficient of 0.279, the lowest of any production hypercar to date. Active and static wings, along with side mounted buttresses manipulate the airflow for precision downforce and achieve balanced stability at top speed. The alluring curves, fighter-jet canopy, low profile, and butterfly doors deliver a stunning and unique curb appeal.

‍Chassis

The structure of the Tuatara is a carbon fiber monocoque, providing uncompromised safety, superior ride quality, and beautiful exposed carbon accents visible from both the exterior and opened compartments.

‍Powertrain

The heart of the Tuatara is a bespoke SSC designed 5.9L V8, boasting 1,750 horsepower on E85 and 1,350 on 91 octane. The beautiful design not only outputs extreme power, but does so in a smooth, balanced fashion with a flat-plane crank configuration. The power is transferred to a CIMA 7 speed transmission that is integrated with a state-of-the-art Automac AMT system. The system includes hydraulic driven components and sensors to produce high force engagement, position accuracy, and load control within milliseconds. The clutch and gear selection actuation are electrically operated, providing high precision and strategic operation. The core of the system is powered by a powerful automotive microprocessor, ensuring exceptional safety and performance.

‍Interior

The Tuatara is a coupe style hypercar, featuring butterfly doors with spacious cab egress. The driver is seamlessly connected to the car through a beautiful digital driver display and touch screen console, displaying crucial car information and providing extensive systems controllability. The canopy offers sweeping views from the cab, with supplemented blind spot and rearview vision through three fulltime cameras. Ergonomics are instituted through form fitting seats, a driver-centered steering wheel, well-appointed armrests, and spacious leg room designed to fit individuals of all heights.

‍Driving Experience

The driving experience of the Tuatara is second to none. On the track, the car can be placed into Track Mode from the touch screen console, transforming the car into a performance beast. The geometry of the suspension is adjusted to offer extreme track-level handling while lowering the front ride height to 2.74" and the rear height to 3.25". The rear active wing dynamically acts as a control surface, adjusting pitch and height based on speed to maintain deliberate airflow and balanced precision downforce. While braking, the active rear wing deflects accordingly, spoiling the airflow and delivering superior braking capabilities. The robotized transmission is configured for aggressive sub-100 millisecond shifts. In Sport Mode, the Tuatara becomes an all-around drivers car. The suspension is actuated to a front ride height of 4.0" and rear height of 4.5". Shifting characteristics through the robotized manual transmission become more docile, allowing for ease of operation in city street environments and providing drivability suitable for any level of driving experience. Ease of operation is simplified further by a Full Automatic Mode, configuring the transmission to provide automatic shifting. Front Lift Mode offers convenience in situations that would otherwise limit the low ride height of the Tuatara. The front suspension is lifted an additional 40mm, allowing for clearance over speed bumps or other raised surfaces. Ease of transport is achieved through this adjusted ride height as well.

‍Delivery Details

Manufacturing of the first production Tuatara is nearing completion and is on track for delivery to the first customer third quarter 2019 and additional deliveries to follow. Details about this event will be released in the near future, with additional information regarding performance and high speed validation coming soon.