New Car: 2012 Shelby Tuatara

This Lamborghini-esque hypercar is the latest creation from American manufacturer Shelby Supercars.

Aptly named after a Kiwi lizard boasting the fastest changing DNA of any animal on earth, the 'Tuatara' is powered by a mid-rear mounted twin-turbocharged 7.0-litre V8 developing 1007kW. Power is put to the ground via a choice of seven-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmissions.

The remainder of the car's specifications are a closely guarded secret, though we do know it's constructed of carbon-fiber with aluminium reinforced crash structures.

Tuatara was penned by ex-Bertone desinger and current Saab design chief Jason Castriota; the man famous for the 'Mantide' concept.

"The design specifications for the Tuatara were so extreme that a proper name would be a key piece of the puzzle for this project," explains SSC CEO, Jerod Shelby.

"The name Tuatara was inspired by a modern day New Zealand reptile that bears the same name. A direct descendent of the dinosaur, this reptile's name translated from the Maori language means 'peaks on the back,' which is quite fitting, given the winglets on the back of the new car."

SSC is yet to finalise numbers for the Tuatara but in true hypercar style we expect these to be limited to around a dozen. Pricing has not yet been announced, though some sources quote upwards of USD$800,000.

Similarly, the car's top speed is not advised, though it will need to top the Veyron's 407km/h v.max if it is to score a place in the record books.

Thanks to: Car Point