Top 5: Fastest Supercars
Since the inception of the motor car in the late 19th Century, car makers have consistently sought to push the envelope in terms of performance, coming up with ever faster automotive creations. Manufacturers have used aerodynamic innovation, engineering ingenuity and often brute force, to create cars capable of higher and higher top speeds. Here we take a look at the fastest cars to date.
Veyron Super Sport (268mph)
The Veyron Super Sport was the ultimate version of VW Group’s iconic hypercar. Launched in 2010, and limited to just 30 units, the Supers Sort used an enhanced version of VW’s 8.0-litre, quad-turbocharged W16, boosted to 1,183 bhp and a titanic 1,106 lb/ft of torque, thanks to enlarged turbos and intercoolers, as well as more boost pressure. It retained the ‘standard’ Veyron’s remarkable docility at low speeds – around town it was no more demanding to drive than a Golf. When unleashed though it produced violent performance the likes of which had never been seen in a production car: ¼ mile in 9.7 seconds, 0-186mph in 14.6 seconds and a (de-limited) top speed of 268mph.
Hennessey Venom GT (270mph)
An American entrant in the top five fastest production cars of all time. The Venom GT was the brainchild of Hennessey, a Texas based firm who rose to fame producing heavily modified versions of Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Corvettes, along with big-power pick-up trucks, like the Ford Velociraptor. The Venom GT was a ground-up creation, loosely based on the Lotus Exige chassis, its wheelbase stretched to accommodate a monstrous, 7-litre twin-turbocharged V8 behind the cockpit. Emitting 1244hp and pushing a slippery shape that tipped the scales at just 1,244kg, the Venom GT was able to hit 200mph from rest in 14.5 seconds, and go on to a top speed of 270mph.
Koenigsegg Agera RS (278mph)
The third fastest production car hails from Sweden’s idiosyncratic supercar maker: Koenigsegg. The marque, headed by Christian von Koenigsegg is known for producing outlandish, jewel-like machines with a level of engineering ingenuity and quality remarkable for such a small scale manufacturer. Powered by a thunderous, 1341bhp twin-turbo 5-litre Koenigsegg-built V8, and driving through a 7-speed dual clutch transmission, the Agera RS managed to hit 278mph on a closed section of road in Nevada, USA.
SSC Tuatara (295mph)
A second contender from the United States, this time from Washington state, the SCC Tuatara hit 295mph at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility in the May of 2022. Styled by ex-Pininfarina designer Jason Castriota, who also penned the Maserati Birdcage concept and Ferrari 599 GTB, the Tuatara is powered by a 5.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8, producing 1,750 bhp when running on E85. Weighing just 1,247kg (dry), and with a claimed best in class drag coefficient of 0.279, the Tuatara can accelerate from 60-120 mph in just 2.5 seconds – or about the time it takes to say ‘SSC Tuatara’.
Chiron Super Sport (305mph)
The fastest production car of all is the magnificent Bugatti Chiron, the crowning glory of VW Group boss Ferdinand Piech’s quest for automotive engineering perfection. Powered by the venerable W16, quad-turbocharged motor, putting out a scarcely believable 1600hp, a de-limited version of the car, running on specially strengthened Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber, hit 304.77 mph with Le Mans winner Andy Wallace at the wheel. A genuine engineering triumph.