Speed has always been a thrilling aspect of automotive engineering, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and igniting the imagination of car enthusiasts. The quest for the fastest car is an ongoing race driven by technological advancements, aerodynamics, and engine performance.
These slides showcase the fastest cars in the world, each a marvel of modern engineering and design.
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ – 304.7mph
Appropriately nicknamed Thor for its thunderous performance, the Chiron Super Sport boasts a quad-turbocharged W16 engine that produces an astonishing 1578bhp in its record-setting configuration. It features a new gearbox with longer ratios and front and rear bumpers optimized for high-speed runs. This purpose-built speed machine was limited to 30 customer cars. British racing veteran Andy Wallace achieved a top speed of 304.773 mph with it at the Volkswagen Group’s Ehra-Lessien test track.
Ssc Tuatara – 295MPH
The Tuatara demonstrates extraordinary performance. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.9-litre V8 engine that delivers 1750bhp when fueled with E85 bio-ethanol. Owner Larry Caplin showcased this prowess by achieving a verified speed of 295mph at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in early 2022.
Zenvo Aurora – 280MPH
This quad-turbocharged V12 hypercar boasts three electric motors, delivering a staggering combined output of 1850bhp. This immense power propels the car from 0 to 62mph in a mere 2.3 seconds—0.1 seconds quicker than the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport—and enables it to reach 280mph. The Aurora Agil model is equally remarkable, with its shorter gearing; it can accelerate from 0 to 186mph in approximately 10 seconds.
Koenigsegg Agera Rs – 277.8mph
The Agera RS is a standard supercar, with Koenigsegg’s optional 1MW engine package producing a colossal 1360bhp. It earned the outright world record for top speed and the record for the highest speed ever recorded on a public road. The car’s owner drove it to 277.8mph in Nevada, with the Agera RS demonstrating stability at high speeds unmatched by any other production car.
Hennessey Venom F5 – 271.6mph
Unlike its Lotus Exige-based predecessor, the Hennessey Venom F5 is a bespoke creation from the ground up—a first for the American firm. It boasts a carbon fiber tub and a twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V8 engine, delivering a staggering 1817bhp and 1193 lb-ft of torque. The F5 accelerates from 0 to 250mph in an astonishing 15.5 seconds, half the time of the Bugatti Chiron. Hennessey claims a top speed of 341mph, although the car’s highest recorded speed is 271.6mph.
Hennessey Venom GT – 270.4mph
The Venom GT was the first to break the 270mph barrier, achieving a top speed of 270.4mph in February 2014 on the 3.2-mile space shuttle landing runway at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged 7-liter V8 engine that delivers an impressive 1244bhp in its record-breaking configuration. The car’s low weight and immense power give it an incredible power-to-weight ratio of 1000bhp per ton.
Bugatti Veyron Super Sport – 267.8mph
The Veyron Super Sport was recognized as the world’s fastest production car at a time but lost the record to American upstart SSC. It was powered by an 8-liter quad-turbocharged W16 engine producing 1183bhp and a record-breaking top speed of 267.856mph. The car also features improved aerodynamics, including a lower ride height and a redesigned front air intake.
Aspark Owl – 258MPH
It feels like a new hyper-EV hits the market every week, but few can match the accolades of Japan’s Aspark Owl. This remarkable vehicle boasts several records: reaching a top speed of 258 mph, it is the fastest electric car available. Additionally, it achieved an average speed of 192 mph over an eighth of a mile and 198.12 mph in the quarter mile.
Rimac Nevera – 258MPH
If a car ever shattered the myth of electric vehicles being slow, it’s the Rimac Nevera. This Croatian hypercar has achieved a top speed of 258 mph, making it the joint-fastest electric car in the world. Moreover, it is the fastest-accelerating production car over a quarter mile, clocking in at 8.582 seconds. The Nevera can rocket from 0 to 62 mph in just 1.95 seconds and reach 100 mph in 4.3 seconds.
Ssc Ultimate Aero TT – 256.1mph
SSC, previously known as Shelby Supercars, manufactured the Ultimate Aero for seven years—a relatively short lifespan but sufficient to surpass Bugatti in the top-speed competition. In September 2007, this 1183bhp, twin-turbocharged V8 hypercar utilized a temporarily closed two-lane public road near the company’s headquarters in Washington to achieve an average top speed of just over 256 mph.
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 – 253.8mph
At its launch, the Bugatti Veyron was the most expensive and powerful road car, with Volkswagen Group aiming for it to be the world’s fastest. It was an engineering marvel, powered by an 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 engine producing 987bhp and equipped with a seven-speed automatic gearbox powering all four wheels. Achieving its top speed required activating a special mode with a unique key, resulting in a groundbreaking speed of 253.8mph, recorded at the Ehra-Lessien test facility.
McLaren Speedtail – 250MPH
There’s a strong case that McLaren should have retired from top-speed contests after its iconic F1 hit 240.1 mph. Designed by Gordon Murray, this supercar held the speed record for 18 years. It took McLaren 22 years to surpass this milestone with the Speedtail. Like its predecessor, the Speedtail features a unique three-seater layout with a central driving position. It boasts a 747 bhp twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine and 309 bhp of electric power, totaling 1055 bhp and reaching 250 mph.
W Motors Fenyr Supersport – 248MPH
W Motors is famed for its £2.25m Lykan, but the Fenyr Supersport shines with its specs: a 900bhp, 885 lb-ft twin-turbo 4.0-litre flat-six engine. With a carbon fiber body and tubular aluminum chassis, the Fenyr Supersport has a remarkable power-to-weight ratio. The Emirati company claims a top speed of 248mph and 0-62mph acceleration in under 2.7 seconds, making it a top contender in the supercar world.
Koenigsegg Ccr – 241.1mph
Koenigsegg’s second-ever production model was the car that dethroned the F1 at Italy’s Nardò Ring test track in 2005. Equipped with a 4.7-litre twin-supercharged V8 engine, it generated over 800bhp, surpassing McLaren by just one MPH. However, this record would be short-lived.
McLaren F1 – 240MPH
Powered by a 6.1-liter, four-cam, 48-valve V12 engine designed and built by BMW Motorsport, the McLaren F1 delivers an impressive 627bhp at 7400rpm and over 479 lb-ft of torque from 4000 to 7000rpm. Coupled with the F1’s lightweight 1138kg kerb weight, this results in an extraordinary power-to-weight ratio of 550bhp per tonne. Upon its debut, these remarkable figures surpassed the performance of contemporary Le Mans cars, astonishing F1 drivers with unparalleled capabilities.
Sources
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/bugatti/chiron/first-drives/bugatti-chiron-super-sport-2022-first-drive
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/zenvo-aurora-begins-new-era-1850bhp-hybrid-v12
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/koenigsegg
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/koenigsegg-agera-rs-breaks-its-own-0-400-0kph-record
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/bugatti/veyron-2005-2015
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/aspark-owl-ev-hypercar-sets-two-electric-car-world-records
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/electric-cars/rimac-nevera
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mclaren
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mclaren/f1-1992-1998
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