The SSC Tuatara is an upcoming limited-production hypercar by SSC that serves as the successor to the SSC Aero.
Overview
The SSC Tuatara is the successor to the SSC Ultimate Aero and the result of a design collaboration between Jason Castriota and SSC. SSC has plans to launch the car in 2017.
The SSC Tuatara uses an in-house-developed billet-aluminum 6.9L (6,941 cc) twin-turbocharged V8 engine redlining at 9,200 rpm and delivering a minimum of 1350 hp (1007 kW) and 1042 ft·lb (1413 N·m), both at 6,800 rpm, while the car runs on 91 octane unleaded premium petrol gas. The V8 engine will be capable of higher outputs of up to 1700 hp (1268 kW). The car weighs 2750 lb (1247 kg) thanks to its carbon fiber construction (wheels included) and aluminum crumple zones; all this will allow the Tuatara to manage a power-to-weight ratio of over 1000 hp per tonne.
SSC claims that the Tuatara's 0-60 mph sprint will be done in 2.5 seconds, the quarter mile in 9.75 seconds at 144 mph (232 km/h), and the projected speed 276 mph (444 km/h). The Tuatara will record 1.05 g on the skidpad and brake from 60 mph (97 km/h) to a stop in 103 ft (31 m).
SSC showcased the car's pre-production prototype and components in 2011. Production of the car had been delayed multiple times until 2017, when SSC North America's new headquarters will be at West Richland, Washington.
Asphalt 7: Heat
The SSC Tuatara is one of the fastest and last cars in the game, at the high end of Tier 7. It could only be obtained via a special event.
Asphalt 8: Airborne
Unlike the previous game, the SSC Tuatara is now more easily accessible. Prior to its release in The Great Wall Update, it appeared as an Al racer in an Easter Egg event in April 2014 before appearing as an event-unlockable car, with the top 100 getting it.
The SSC Tuatara currently stands as a low-mid-end Class S car, with a starting rank of 1561, a MAX rank of 1659, and a MAX+PRO rank of 1725. The car held the record of the lowest Tuning Kit rank boost, with +24, until the nanoFlowcell QUANT FE's inception. The Tuatara mainly rivals the W Motors Lykan HyperSport, Holden Coupe 60, Lamborghini Estoque, and Mercedes-AMG GT3.
The SSC Tuatara, much like the W Motors Lykan HyperSport, features decent all-round stats, with a balance of nitro power and efficiency (7/12/17), top speed, and handling. The Tuatara's biggest disadvantage, though, is its large speed multiplier of 85.74%; it was the first car with that speed multiplier. In comparison, the Lykan only has 91.46%, while the Estoque has 91.60% and the Coupe 60 and AMG GT3 both have 100.00%.
The SSC Tuatara costs 950,000 to buy and 2,328,000 to max out. All cars released after the Tuatara would follow its multi-million price on upgrades.
With its massive upgrade costs and inferior performance to its rival, the Tuatara is nothing more than a collector's car. Subsequent updates after its debut have slowly pushed it from a top tier Class S to a low-mid class car. The only use left of the Tuatara is counting towards the U.S. Monsters, New World Glory, and Extra Horses collection, the latter of which awards three free Class S upgrades as a MAX reward, useful for upgrading the Mosler Super GT, which has token-only upgrades. The Tuatara still appears in events involving low-to-low-mid-end Class S cars, though.