Monday 18th July 2011

New Shelby Supercars Offering To Be Called Tuatara

Silly name, sure, but a 275mph top speed...

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American supercar maker Shelby Supercars has unveiled a new name its next-generation supercar: Tuatara (pronounced twu-tar-ah).

Now, provided the more puerile among you (including us in the PH office) have stopped sniggering, allow the Shelby Supercars press release to explain. Far from being related to a word for a lady's unmentionables, the name 'Tuatara' was "inspired by a modern day New Zealand reptile that bears the same name. A direct descendent 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."

Okay... and the press bumf goes on: "While the Tuatara is a very unique creature, there was a particular property of this reptile that immediately married it with SSC. The Tuatara possesses the fastest evolving DNA in the world, and amongst the world's greatest supercar manufacturers, so does SSC."

Eh? "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." Oh, we see. Sort of.

But will the Tuatara be able to go faster than its predecessor, the 257mph Second-Fastest Car In The World (they'll love you for calling it that - Ed) and beat the 268mph Bugatti Veyron Super Sport? Shelby certainly hopes so - especially with a 1350bhp 6.8-litre twin-turbo V8, sleek bodywork penned by Jason Castriota and a targeted top speed of 275mph...

Read more on the new Shelby supercar in our previous story here

SSC Tuatara from eGarage on Vimeo. 

[Lostprophet]

Looks like a Lamborghini gallardo from the side?

[sprinter1050]

So this is pronounced twa tara is it?
Ok-so the article says something more "polite" sounding-but it will always be twa tara to me :

[hornetrider]

Twa-tara?

[Chris-R]

sprinter1050 said:

So this is pronounced twa tara is it?
Ok-so the article says something more "polite" sounding-but it will always be twa tara to me :

Desmond Tuatara?

[JohnGoodridge]

Watched the video - can't help thinking that 'shaving your head doesn't make you Koenigsegg' ;-) but do actually quite like the design, be interesting to hear if the dynamics are any better than the last car.

[sprinter1050]

If the cap fits.....

[CraigyMc]

With these guys, I always end up wondering where they get tyres rated to 275mph.

It's not like you can just pop down to kwikfit and buy a set.

C

[vescaegg]

It may go 275mph but I bet it will be a tad (lot) scarier over 200mph than in a veyron ss.

[stew-S160]

Stupid video aside, I like the look of it.

[cookie1600]

tt ara? - sounds like something a Pirate might say about an incompetent sailor....

[LuS1fer]

It's a reptile but not a actually a lizard and it's not pronounced like that:
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=tuatara

[stephen300o]

Stunningly beautiful car, be interesting to see how near to the predicted pace they can get.

[Animala]

Sort of want...

[Ozzie Osmond]

The fuel consumption at 275 mph should usefully limit range to about 5 minutes running. Brilliant!

[ceriw]

that's the Bimota Tuatara.

[Snoggledog]

Ozzie Osmond said:

The fuel consumption at 275 mph should usefully limit range to about 5 minutes running. Brilliant!

Or 23 miles. So might just make the next petrol station on the M1.

[OdramaSwimLaden]

I'll have mine with a 3 years 60k warranty please......

[Fetchez la vache]

It looks fabulous, but they spend 3 months coming up with the name and decided on naming it after a lady garden? Oh come on... they should have asked on here...

[356Speedster]

Stoopid name, naff video, but GREAT looking car. It looks like a supercar should, especially from the back, which is an area often overlooked.

I hope McDull are watching... here's what the MP4-Yawn should have looked like (and I'd wager, should sound like as Shelby don't tend to make cars that sound like sewing machines).

[George H]

Not a fan of the design of it, however it will be interesting to see if it can actually do 275mph.