Wellington Beer Inspires American Supercar.

Wellington Beer Inspires American Supercar.

Tuatara Brewing is famous all over the world, particularly the bit south of Levin, for the quality of its beers. So when American carmaker Shelby Supercars decided to name their flagship model after us, we were excited and flattered but hardly surprised.

The Shelby Tuatara may have the appearance of a flattened stormtrooper’s helmet but as far as we can tell it progresses like a rat up a drainpipe. In fact, they claim it’s going to be the fastest car in the world, handing the Germans with the Bugatti Veyron SS (an unfortunate name for a German vehicle) their sausage flavoured “butts” on a plate with a side order of Freedom Fries. Given that the Veyron costs more than marrying a litigious supermodel, that’s quite an achievement, putting the Tuatara within easy reach of the cable talk show host in the street.

This is not the first time that the automotive world has paid tribute to New Zealand’s best-loved craft beer. In Italy, bespoke motorcycle manufacturer Bimota released the Yamaha powered YB6 Tuatara, a superb piece of kit with a similar focus on going like stink and bleeding its owner of every last Euro. Even more remarkable, the splendid Bimota was released in 1990, a full 10 years before the first Pilsner was poured, such was the degree of public anticipation for a bottle of Reikorangi’s finest.

Tuatara continues to provide a benchmark for quality and excess the world over. The release of Tuatara APA last year changed the lives of New Zealand beer lovers (not always for the better admittedly) and will be followed up at this year’s Beervana with a strong, black licorice Belgian barley wine called XI that will put the operation of any motor vehicle, no matter what it’s called, beyond the performance envelope of the average drinker.

Congratulations to Shelby Supercars and long may the name Tuatara be a byword for going too far too fast.

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