The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Or, so the saying goes. A lot of the world’s wealthy are doing well, and the evidence shows up in luxury car sales. Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are posting record global sales, and not only mainstream luxury brands.

Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls-Royce are seeing big sales increases as well. Super car brands are getting on the action too though. Shelby Supercars (no relation to Caroll Shelby) of SSC Aero fame recently launched its Tuatara super car in July. We know, it’s a weird name. It is pronounced twu-tar-ah, and it comes from a New Zealand reptile. With it’s previous offering, SSC set out to produce the world’s fastest car and they just did that with the Ultimate Aero. The Ultimate Aero went into the record books on October 9th, 2007, posting a speed of 256.19 mph.

The Ultimate Aero held that record until June 26th, 2010 when the Bugatti Veyron SuperSport broke it with a speed of 267.856 mph. No official word on whether SSC intends to make another go for the record in the Tuatara. We think they will though, as as SSC is quoting the Tuatara’s top speed at 275 mph.

Regardless of whether SSC holds the current record though, sales of the Tuatara are rolling in. SSC made an appearance at the Dubai International Auto Show intending to build awareness for the brand and help find a local distributor.

According to Gulf Car News, they found much more than that though; 10 (!) sales of the $1.3-million super car. In comparison, Lamborghini sold 14 Aventadors. The Tuatara is powered by a 6.6-liter V-8 making 1,350 horsepower, powering the Tuatara to 200 mph in 16 seconds. As for styling, traditional beauty doesn’t quite describe the Tuatara. Simply amazing does though. The Tuatara looks like nothing else on the road. You can check it out in our (sparse, SSC didn’t release many pictures) gallery below. We encourage you to go seek out some live shots of it too though; the Tuatara looks even more impressive in them.

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Shelby SuperCars made a big splash with its Aero and Ultimate Aero supercars. Here was a small American company challenging the Volkswagen Group’s Bugatti Veyron for title of world’s fastest production car. The Veyron was developed with great care and expertise, as well as with a no-expense spared development program.

Undaunted, SSC’s Ultimate Aero achieved that goal, setting a Guinness World Book of Records-verified record on October 9th, 2007 with a speed of 256.19 mph. Bugatti commissioned the Veyron SuperSport to reclaim the record, and on June 26th, 2010 it did just that, with a 267.856 mph time.

SSC is moving on from the Ultimate Aero now though, introducing a next-generation supercar. Today, the company announced the name of this car, and it is a bit different to say the least – Tuatara. That is pronounced twu-tar-ah, and it comes from a reptile hailing from the country of New Zealand. What kind of name is that? It brings to mind Pagani’s selection of Huayra for its new supercar.

The new Tuatara is part of an effort to be more sophisticated, and the change is readily apparent in the car’s design. The Tuatara gets a sleek, futuristic and concept-like appearance that contrasts with the crude design of the Ultimate Aero.

It is likely thanks to more development dollars at the company’s disposal – the Tuatara was designed by designer Jason Castriota. Jerod Shelby, SSC founder and Chief Executive Officer says that the “SSC’s Tuatara is about to monumentally evolve in the areas of sophistication, design, aerodynamics and sheer all?around performance.”

With 1,350 horsepower under the hood, SSC says it “ups the ante on ALL levels.” Does that mean a new run at the world record is in the works? Knowing SSC, that is exactly what they’re aiming for with this car. Interestingly, just 12 copies of the Tuatara are said to be produced, at a price tag of $800-900,000 each. Below is a video of CEO Jerod Shelby (who has no relation to Caroll Shelby, BTW) introducing the car. Bugatti, watch out – with SSC in the hunt, your hold on the world record is tenuous.

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SSC already has the bragging rights to the producing the fastest car in the world, but perhaps due to being a bit fearful of either Bugatti or Koenisegg, the U.S. based company has tuned their supercar to be even faster.

The most significant change is a brand new one-piece billet engine block, made from aluminum. Horsepower is now up to 1287, versus a “mere” 1183″, which is just insane. Torque has also been slightly increased, now to 1112 pound-feet, up from 1094. A new AeroBrakeTM system completes the technical modifications. It’s basically a rear-spoiler system that deploys at a certain speed, and adjusts its angle according to how hard the brake pedal is being pressed.

The big news, however, is the SSC’s new top speed. It used to be 256.15 mph, as verified by Guiness World Records. But now? Check it: 270 blazing miles per blazing hour, as claimed by SSC. Shiiiiiit.

More info, pictures, and spec sheet after the jump

I can’t even imagine going that fast. That’s just psychotic. Acceleration has improved as well: 2.78 seconds to hit 60 mph, and the quarter mile flashes by in a mere 9.9 seconds.

Whatever. Don’t get me wrong, the SSC is nice, but I’ll take a Veyron over it anyday. It might not be as fast, and it might not have butterfly doors, but no other modern car on the planet makes you look as good.

Visually, the new SSC sports a revamped front fascia, as well as carbon fiber louvers. Carbon fiber also is displayed prominently throughout the cabin.

Specs

Price: not yet released, but estimated to be $660,000

Engine: 387 cu. in. V-8

Horsepower: 1287

Torque: 1112 pound-feet

0-60 mph: 2.78 seconds

Quarter Mile: 9.9 seconds at 144 mph

Top Speed: 270 mph (estimated by SSC)

Mileage: hahahahahahaha. No, seriously, it hasn’t been released yet. The previous version got 18 city/27 highway though, which is surprisingly good

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SSC Ultimate Aero

Top Speed: 256 mph

Horsepower: 1183

Torque: 1094lbs

On September 13th, 2007, the SSC Ultimate Aero broke the official top speed world record, traveling 256.18 mph down a closed section of a Washington State highway. Impressive, considering the Ultimate Aero’s engine is only a twin-turbo V8 – half the size and turbo count of the Veyron below.

Bugatti Veyron

Top Speed: 253 mph

Horsepower: 1001

Torque: 479lbs

No introduction is needed for the amazing Bugatti Veyron. Powered by a W-16 style, quad-turbo engine, the Veyron is commonly considered the Ultimate Supercar.

Koenigsegg CCX

Top Speed: 250 mph

900 Horsepower

My personal favorite of the bunch, the Swedish Koenigsegg CCX is pure adrenaline. I’d probably give up a kidney to own one.

Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo

Top Speed: 248 mph

750 Horsepower

The popular Mustang tuner Saleen has really made a name for themselves in the Supercar world with the amazing S7. The Twin-Turbo version really steps up their game. It should be exciting to see where they go from here.

McLaren F1

Top Speed: 240.14

620 Horsepower

Probably the most amazing car on the list, the McLaren F1 was first built over 13 years ago, and is still on this list.

Ferrari Enzo

Top Speed: 217 mph

657 Horsepower

I wonder how Ferrari felt when they sold the car for $660,000 new and were immediately sold second-hand for over $1.3 Million each.

Jaguar XJ220

Top Speed: 217 mph

549 Horsepower

Along with the McLaren F1, the Jaguar XJ220 has been around for a long time (1992,) and it’s amazing that it’s still on the list. Be sure to check out the Pininfarina version as well.

Pagani Zonda F

Top Speed: 215 mph

602 Horsepower

Right up there with the Koenigsegg on my “first cars I would own if I had the money” list, the Pagani Zonda F is one awesome car. The Zonda R is still close on the horizon, so expect to see the Pagani name higher up the next “fastest cars” list.

Hopefully that satisfies you all until the 2008 Fastest Cars list. Perhaps by then Pagani will build the Zonda R, McLaren will have made a decision on their next Supercar, and maybe Bugatti or Koenigsegg will decide it’s time to overtake the Ultimate Aero.

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Supercars.net just released their 3rd annual “Top 10 Supercars” list for 2006. First place is a no-brainer, but there are a couple of surprises. Keep reading for the list:

Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina

The car has been designed, engineered and built entirely by Pininfarina, bringing to life something that, just a few months earlier, was just a dream and creating a sort of symbiosis between the customer and Pininfarina along the path leading to definition of this astonishing model. Starting from a Ferrari Enzo, the aim was to produce a sole vehicle inspired by sport racing cars with extreme vocations: not just a show-car but a vehicle to be enjoyed on the road.

After freezing styling with various touch-ups to the initial sketches, the surfaces were defined using CAS modeling, then moving on to actual construction and assembly. More than 200 components were specifically developed through constant interaction between styling and design: from the bi¬xenon lighting clusters specifically designed with an innovative system of yellow and white leds to the alloy wheels – 20-inch aluminum – milled from the block up to and including the aluminum and special steel in-sight hinges.

Caparo T1

As the world’s first road car to exceed 1 000bhp per tonne, the Caparo T1 will surely grab attention. Currently being developed by engineers that helped deliver the iconic McLaren F1, the T1 concept is a road going, two seat sports car using formula racing technologies whilst delivering safety and accident protection.

”To demonstrate our understanding of these fundamental vehicle engineering issues we set out to design an optimum package for delivering 1,000bhp-per-tonne,” says Caparo co-founder Ben Scott-Geddes. ”Interestingly, the sweet spot on the curve that satisfies many of these issues is 500 horsepower in a vehicle with a mass of 500kg.”

Gemballa Mirage Evolution

Gemballa USA is seriously representing that they are going to modify a Carrera GT in much the same way they push out the current 911 to make over 750 bhp. That is, attach twin turbochargers and make a 1000 bhp monster.

However, Gemballa’s ambitions don’t end there. This hypothetical makeover also includes a gullwing doors and a new carbon fiber roof, tested in the wind tunnel for 250 mph crusing.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Underneath its purposeful skin, the 599 retains the same front engine V12 layout which the 550/575 Maranello line successfully reintroduced, and to make up for its longer chassis, the 599 uses a 6.0-liter engine engineered from the same one found in the Enzo supercar that can reach 612 bhp and 8400 rpm! With it, the 599 is the most powerful front engine Ferrari!

Attached to this engine and sitting in the rear, is a considerably upgraded flappy paddle transmission called the ‘F1-Superfast’ that changes gears in just 100ms. This is a huge improvement compared to 250 ms in the older roadcar systems, but lags behind the 80ms FXX and 30ms Formula One unit it’s named after.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640

Designers and engineers have not only focused on reworking the engine, suspension, gearbox, exhaust system, brakes and electronics, but also the interior and exterior design. In their reinterpretation of the Murcielago, the designers at the Lamborghini Style Centre have made the LP640 even more aggressive.

The new car features a ton of new bits which include front and rear bumpers, a single exhaust tip incorporated in the rear diffuser, new rear lights, improved mirrors, improved windscreen wipers, revamped instrument panel lights and aerodynamically defined front and rear wings. For those wishing to flaunt the heart of their Murcielago LP640, on request an engine hood made of transparent glass can be supplied.

The engine of the new Murcielago LP640 has undergone radical modification. The increased bore and stroke have boosted the displacement of the classic 60° V12 from 6.2 litres to 6.5 litres (6496 cc). Thus, the already extraordinary 580 hp has now been elevated to an impressive peak of 640 hp (471 kW) at 8,000 rpm. This means the LP640 can now accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 3.4 seconds (0.4 seconds faster than the previous model), with a top speed of over 200mph.

GM EcoJet

-Looks a lot like a Cadillac Cien to me, doesn’t it?

The 650-horsepower (400 lb.-ft. of torque) Leno original is powered by a Honeywell LT-101 turbine engine that runs on bio-diesel fuel. The engine sits in a modified Corvette Z06 hydroformed aluminum frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components. The vehicle’s shell is an advanced construction of carbon fiber over Kevlar.

Mosler MT900 GTR

The GTR takes all the design hallmarks of the original MT900 concept and pushes them to the limit. Specifically, the reliable seven liter engine from the latest generation Corvette Z06 is included as well as all the racing components that help the track version endure at the top level of motor sports. This is probably why Mosler of Germany (also a huge TVR outfit) calls their GTR the ”fastest production car for the track.”

While the exterior mimics the racing MT900s, including their huge carbon fibre wings, front splitters and rear diffusers, the GTR is much more civil inside. Here we have electric windows, remote locking, air-con, Recaro seats and a specially fitted Alpine stereo with carbon fibre speakers. Additionally, Mosler UK crafted up a new dashboard, instruments, carbon-fibre bits a new steering wheel with the script ‘MT900′ across the top.

Since the MT900 GTR borrows heavily from the Z06 it qualifies for the strict emissions regulations in the USA, but probably only in a normal state of tune. While the only one GTR is being flaunted in Germany, it is only a matter of time before the other headquarters in England and Florida begin to follow suit and include the Corvette LS7 engine in their lineup.

Koenigsegg CCX

The Koenigsegg CCX is the latest supercar from Koenigsegg. CCX is an abbreviation for Competition Coupe X. The X commemorates the 10th anniversary of the completion and test drive of the first CC vehicle in 1996. The CCX is intended to be more suitable for the U.S. market and thus engineered to comply with US regulations.

The CCX is powered by a Koenigsegg designed and assembled, all aluminium, 4700 cm³ DOHC 32-valve V8 engine based on the Ford Modular architecture enhanced with twin Rotrex centrifugal superchargers with response system, 1.2 bar boost pressure and an 8.2:1 compression ratio. The engine produces 806 hp (601 kW) and 678 lbf.ft (920 Nm) on 91 octane (U.S. rating) gasoline, 825 hp (634 kW) on 110 octane (Euro rating, 95 octane US rating) gasoline and 900 hp (671 kW) on biofuel, this making it a unique flexible-fuel engine in the sense that it actually produces more power while running on biofuels.

SSC Ultimate Aero TT

Using SCC’s proprietary twin-turbo design, the Ultimate Aero TT’s power plant has surpassed its original design specifications in all areas, producing a nasty 1180 bhp at 6750 rpm and 961 ft lbs of tarmac tearing torque while maintaining a paltry 2750 lbs of curb weight. The meticulously manufactured carbon fibre composite body harnesses a motor that has a wonderful idle, incredible daily drivability characteristics, runs on 91 octane pump fuel, easily handles the rigors of long term redline usage while delivering and incredible 15 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

Further establishing its place among the supercars, the Ultimate Aero TT produces more emissions legal horsepower than any other production automobile in the world, thanks in the large part to the tireless efforts of the design team.

Noble M15

With a 455bhp version of the tried and trusted three-litre twin turbo engine Noble has come to rely on, this is also the quickest car ever to emerge from Barwell, Leicestershire. With the complementary figure of 455lb/ft of torque, all In a car that weighs slightly more than 1200kg, the M15 is devastatingly fast.

The M1S accelerates from 0-60rnph in less than 3.5 seconds and 10 l00 mph in less than 8s. It keeps going all the way to 185mph, too, and has been tuned for rapid acceleration throughout the range rather than an easily achievable 200mph top end speed.

Supreme cornering skills and a confidence-inspiring chassis are part the DNA and, in this respect, the M15 promises to be the best yet. The spaceframe chassis with integral rollcage is 57 per cent stiffer than the M12 that has won plaudits throughout the world and intensive development has ensured that the fabled Noble handling on the limit is even better than before.

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