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Is SSC Tuatara's 300+-MPH Speed Record Fake?

Faced with controversy that the video of the feat looked wrong, the company says it was an editing mistake...

Is SSC Tuatara's 300+-MPH Speed Record Fake?

Faced with controversy that the video of the feat looked wrong, the company says it was an editing mistake and vows to clear it up with a revised version.

  • On October 10, the Shelby Supercars (SSC) Tuatara claimed a world production-car record with a 316.11-mph average speed.
  • The Tuatara's quickest run was 331.15 mph—but its veracity was questioned on YouTube and other social media by people who thought the videos shown were misleading.
  • Video producers who shot footage of the SSC Tuatara hitting 331 mph made a mistake, the company says, and it will release a revised video soon.

On the day of the record-setting 331-mph run in the Shelby Supercars Tuatara, Driven Studios—a video production team that partnered with SSC to document the build and top speed test of the Tuatara—had multiple cameras onsite: in the car, on the ground, and even in a chase chopper.

In the aftermath of the run, two edited videos were released depicting the run, one from the cockpit and one containing additional "B-roll," silent footage for use in news stories. Unfortunately, the video from the cockpit had significant errors in the depiction of the car's speed that were uncovered and interpreted by hypercar fans online. What’s more, the team released two different versions of this inaccurate video.

 

The company whose equipment measured the event, Dewetron, issued a statement today saying it "did not validate any data from world record attempts or preceding tests. Nobody of Dewetron's employees was present during the test drive or involved in the associated preparations." However, the statement went on to acknowledge that "SSC uses the company’s test and measurement system–just like many other customers worldwide."


29 Oct 2020Supercars