For decades, automakers followed the same formula when building their sports cars. Two seats, low weight, a potent engine, and rear-wheel drive were the basic principles of sports car design. However, that all changed in 1966 when British manufacturer Jensen introduced the revolutionary Interceptor FF, the first all-wheel-drive sports car. To Jensen, AWD made a lot of sense, as it allowed gearheads to drive sports cars in all conditions. The FF was also quicker off the line and better in corners than similar rear-wheel-drive sports cars of the '60s, further showing that AWD sports cars were superior.
Although the FF was soon forgotten, its legacy lives on as we now have a variety of AWD sports cars from different manufacturers. Let's delve into ten of the best.
10 Bugatti Chiron
After the huge success of the Veyron, Bugatti followed it up with the Chiron in 2016. The Chiron is similar to the Veyron in many ways - it's highly beloved, insanely priced, and offers the fastest, most exclusive ride.
The Chiron's beating heart is a monolithic 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged engine that produces a crazy 1,180 hp and 1,479 lb-ft of torque. The 4,400-pound monstrosity takes just 2.5 seconds to reach 60 mph and has a top speed of 261 mph, making it one of the fastest supercars ever made. Of course, Bugatti had to equip the Chiron with an AWD system to prevent crashes.
9 Lamborghini Aventador
Introduced in 2011, the Aventador is a mid-engined sports car that Lamborghini built to replace the Murcielago. Being Lamborghini's flagship model, the Aventador needed to be super fast, so the Italians equipped it with a 6.5-liter V12 producing 690 hp.
To ensure that drivers could keep the Aventador in control even when testing its limits, Lamborghini equipped it with an electronically-controlled AWD system, allowing it to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 2.9 seconds. Lamborghini initially planned to build 4,000 examples, but a huge demand forced them to produce many more.
8 Nissan GT-R Nismo
The Nissan GT-R is a lot cheaper than most supercars - but that's the only area where it doesn't measure up. The standard edition comes with a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 producing 564 hp, which, when paired with an AWD system, allows it to accelerate to 60 mph in a blistering 2.5 seconds.
The top-tier Nismo edition pumps out even more - 601 horses and 481 lb-ft of torque. Inside, the GTR has all the creature comforts gearheads expect in a high-end performance car, including a touchscreen control center, plush upholstery options. A/C, and many more.
7 Porsche 911 Turbo S
The top-of-the-range Porsche 911 - the Turbo S - was equipped with an AWD system for the first time in 1995, transforming it from a feared widow-maker to a great-handling and extremely quick supercar. The turbocharged flat-six engine in the back paired with an intelligent AWD system was a perfect match, as it improved handling drastically and allowed Porsche engineers to boost power.
The current 911 Turbo S is a truly special car. Even with 640 horsepower and a brutal 0-60 mph time of 2.6 seconds, it's still one of the easiest and most fun-to-drive supercars around.
6 Audi R8
Ask any gearhead to name the quintessential AWD supercar, and they'll likely name the R8. Everyone loves the R8 because of two standout factors: the mighty 5.2-liter V10 under the hood and the Audi Quattro AWD system that the marque has used since the Group B rally days.
With 532 horses and 398 lb-ft of torque, the R8 can do 0-60 mph in just over 3 seconds, which is impressive considering it costs a lot less than other supercars. The R8's other remarkable features include a 12.3-inch LCD digital instrument cluster, a fixed sport-tuned suspension, and even voice control in the latest model.
5 Acura NSX
The original Acura NSX shook up the auto industry when it came out in the '90s with its advanced technologies and excellent driving feel. Most gearheads thought that the Japanese marque wouldn't be able to produce anything close to the original NSX, but they were wrong.
The new NSX is just as revolutionary as it employs one of the most advanced AWD systems ever. The 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 under the hood sends its power to the rear wheels, while a pair of electric motors powers the front wheels. The result is a car that can reach 60 mph in under 3 seconds.
4 Jaguar F-Type SVR
Jaguar's in-house tuning division knows a thing or two about taking a fantastic vehicle and upping the ante - that's how the F-Type SVR was born. The F-Type SVR is powered by a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 sending 575 hp to all wheels, allowing it to achieve a 200-mph top speed.
Buyers will also appreciate other cool features like a lightweight titanium exhaust system, a reconfigured aerodynamic body, premium quilted leather upholstery, and intelligent drive system dynamics. The F-Type was supposed to be a spiritual successor to the iconic Jaguar E-Type, and looking at the SVR, it's clear that Jaguar did a great job.
3 Porsche Taycan
The electric vehicle industry has grown tremendously in the last decade, led by manufacturers like Tesla, Nissan, and Rivian. Porsche didn't want to be left out of the EV party, so it developed its first-ever series production electric car - the Taycan.
Although the Taycan is only two years old, it's already one of the best electric sports cars available today. The AWD version of the Taycan is powered by a dual-motor system with up to 562 horsepower, enough to make it super quick. The precise steering and low-slung driving position also make this car a joy to drive.
2 Ferrari SF90 Stradale
Ferrari has produced many fantastic supercars over the last decade - including the iconic La Ferrari - but few of them are as good as the SF90 Stradale. Introduced in 2019, the SF90 Stradale is a mid-engined hybrid built for pure speed.
It comes with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 paired with three electric motors. The total output is 986 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The SF90 Stradale has a 0-62 mph time of 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 211 mph.
1 Lamborghini Huracán Performante
The Huracán has been one of the best-selling Lamborghinis since its introduction in 2014. While the base model is a fantastic supercar, the Performante version is just better in every way. It's faster, better-looking, meaner, and fully deserves the recognition it's gotten.
The Performante also happens to have an AWD system that gives it a quicker jump off the line and better traction - making it perfect for track days. Other impressive bits include a well-balanced double wishbone suspension, a smart aerodynamics system, a lightened exhaust system, and magnetorheological shock absorbers.