Achieving the highest top speed on a supercar is normally a thrilling endeavor that many automakers seek to accomplish. This is despite it being pointless. Most drivers will never get the chance to drive that fast on public roads.
The SSC Tuatara recently set a new record and averaged about 316.11 miles per hour (508.73 kilometers per hour). The supercar did this while sporting a new set of stock Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires. The feat was achieved over two-directional runs as recommended by Guiness World Records.
In an interview with CarThrottle.com, Jerod Shelby, the founder of SSC said that the set of rubber used were the vehicle’s stock tires. The company first tested them at speeds they knew the car could reach and were really impressed when the tires did so safely. This showed that they were ideal to use even at a speed higher than their ratings.
SSC used nitrogen in place of ordinary air and just one set of tires for both runs. The Tuatara was driven o the State Route 160 – the same route that Koenigsegg used to set a record of 277.87 mph (447.87 kph) in 2017.
The Tuatara was driven by none other than professional race car driver Oliver Webb who hit the 301.07 mph (484.54 kph) record on the first run and 331.15 mph (532.93) on the second. According to him, the car was still handling well even at such a high speed – indicating that it can perhaps reach higher speeds.
The hypercar already packs the power and strength to do so. It runs on a 5.9-liter twin-turbocharged flat-plane crank V8 that produces up to 1,750 horsepower (1,304 kilowatts). This is achieved while running on E85 – a high-level ethanol-gasoline blend that contains 51% – 83% ethanol. Changing to 91 octane reduces the car’s output to about 1,350 horsepower (1006 kW).
The SSC Tuatara weighs about 2,750 pounds (1,247 kilograms) and boasts a 0.279 drag coefficient. The Michelin tires were able to perform exceptionally well at the new top speed while dragging this weight. They are an example of the perfect fitment for such a supercar. We wait to see how long the SCC’s record will last and which company will take over from there.