After nearly a decade in the making, the first production 2020 SSC Tuatara supercar made its public debut at the Philadelphia Auto Show. Wait, Philly has an auto show? Yes, it does. The City of Brotherly Love also happens to the hometown of owner Dr. Larry Caplin, hence its choice as the location for showing off his gorgeous new supercar. SSC North America, formerly Shelby Super Cars Inc., started its long road to reality back in 2009 when founder and CEO Jerod Shelby was looking to build on the success of the superfast and world-record-setting SSC Ultimate Aero.
Fast forward to now and the results are simply incredible: The Pearlescent Black SSC seen here was crafted by Shelby and designed by former Pininfarina stylist Jason Castriota. The Tuatara employs an aerospace-grade carbon-fiber skin to achieve a dry weight of only 2,750 pounds, while it rides on a wheelbase of 105.2 inches, is 182.4 inches long, and 81.3 inches wide. The aerodynamic marvel claims a 0.279 coefficient of drag and is said to maintains a neutral aerodynamic balance from 100 mph to a top speed of more than 300 mph.
The twin-turbo 5.9-liter V-8 mid-engine marvel packs a hell of a punch with 1,750 horsepower and 1,280 lb-ft of torque. That powerplant is built by Nelson Racing Engines and weighs a mere 428 pounds; it sends its might through a seven-speed automated manual transmission. Inside, the cockpit can accommodate a driver up to six feet, five inches tall with a helmet according to the Richland, Washington-based company. Standard goodies include a digital driver's display, a touchscreen in the center console, side cameras, A/C, and a premium sound system. In the default Sport mode, the ride height is four inches up front and 4.5 inches in the rear, but those figures lower to 2.74 inches and 3.25 inches while Track mode is engaged. There's also a lift mode for the front axle that raises the nose an additional inch and a half to better preserve the underbody when entering driveways or encountering speed bumps.
If you like what you see, Manhattan Motorcars has a black over blue example in stock with just 10 miles on the clock. Just be aware the SSC Tuatara has a base price of $1,625,000—and goes up to $1,901,000 when fully equipped including the High Downforce Track Pack.
