SSC responds to backlash over ‘faked’ Tuatara 331mph record run

Following a jubilant celebration of achieving an alleged 331mph, SSC North America have been forced to admit the video for their record run is inaccurate, following backlash from numerous media outlets.

What should’ve been an epic achievement of automotive technology and driving has transformed into a nightmare for SSC North America. After their Tuatara ‘megacar’ apparently broke the world production car speed record, a number of prominent automotive media outlets and YouTubers said the video was faked.

These were not hollow, empty statements either. Even big-name YouTubers such as Shmee150 got in on the act, and presented several convincing arguments against SSC, including a number of mathematical analytics that could not be doubted.

SSC did attempt to fight back, claiming that GPS company Dewetron had ‘validated’ the run, but even this has now been cast into doubt. Following the backlash, Dewetron themselves have issued a statement saying they “did not validate any data from world record attempts or preceding tests.”

SSC Tuatara record run video issues

Now, SSC CEO Jerod Shelby has explained the situation, citing a “video mix-up” as the cause of the inconsistencies. According to Shelby, the ‘wrong video’ was overlaid with the data log displays, which lead to a “variance in sync points” when media outlets had analyzed the video.

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Not only that, but according to Jerod there are “two videos, each with inaccurate information” that the team “hadn’t double-checked the accuracy of the video before it was released.”

Given that this is a monumental event in the world of automotive performance, it seems strange that the quality control would not have been ultra-scrutinized before the video released on BBC’s Top Gear.

Does the SSC speed record still stand?

While the video issues have finally been addressed by SSC North America themselves, there is no word as to whether the official record attempt has been impacted.

According to Shelby, the “accuracy of the equipment and speed sensor” are both confirmed in a letter from GPS suppliers Dewetron, which was issued when they got the equipment.

The official submission to the Guinness World Records Association is also yet to be made, due to waiting on “third-party pieces of information.” Whether or not the record will be validated is still unclear.