Sports cars have over the years been the epitome of power and elegance, and races like 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Rally Championship have seen sports cars evolve from stripped-down chunks of metal to potent beasts.
But it's not just their performance that made us fall in love with the sports car segment; it's also the sound of the engines, which largely depends on the number of cylinders and the rpm redline the sports car boasts.
Higher redlines tend to produce a higher-pitched and more aggressive sound we all associate with the most powerful sports cars and even F1 cars. And there's a crucial reason why sports cars have to have higher redlines. See, while the engine's torque will largely remain the same across the entire powerband, to produce more power, most sports cars have much higher redlines than regular cars.
But some sports cars take it to the extreme, reaching insanely-high RPM numbers we often see in motorcycles.
10 Murrays T.50: 12,000 RPM
The Gordon Murrays T.50 is the highest revving road-legal supercar ever made that is fitted with the lightest V-12 engine ever produced. Murray named the T.50 supercar as the successor of the McLaren F1.
The rear-mounted fan on this beauty is the most one of the most mind-boggling features. This demonic beauty is powered by a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V-12 Cosworth engine that pushes 654 horsepower and 344 lb-ft of torque at 12,000 rpm.
9 Ariel Atom V8 500: 10,600 RPM
The Ariel Atom is notable for its unique looks, shattering performance, and excellent driving experience. This fire-spitting V8 revs up to 10,500 rpm.
The Atom is powered by a 3.0-liter DOHC V8 engine that mates to a six-speed sequential transmission. This engine pushes 500 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque. This beauty sprints from 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds.
only 25 units of the Atom V8 500 were built. The ariel atom V8 plus had a starting price of $192,700.
8 Lexus LFA: 9,500 RPM
The Lexus LFA debuted on 21 October 2009 at the Tokyo Motor Show. This beauty was packed with visceral performance, sensational styling, and a raw driving experience. Only 500 units were produced and sold between 2010 and 2012.
A 4.8-liter V10 engine that pushed 552 horsepower at 8,700rpm and 354 lb-ft of torque, powered the LFA. This V10 engine redlined at 9,500 rpm. The LFA accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 202 mph. But being considered Japan's first luxury supercar, the Lexus LFA had a starting price of around $400,000.
7 Honda S600: 9,500 RPM
Back in the ’60s, Honda was known for its bikes like the super cub more than its cars. In 1964, Honda launched its first mass-produced car: the Honda S600. The Honda S600 was the predecessor of the S2000 that boasted a higher redline of 9500 rpm.
By no means a fast car, this Japanese beauty was powered by a 606cc four-cylinder engine that pushed 57 horsepower and 38 lb-ft of torque. The Honda S600 accelerated from 0-60 mph in 11.5 seconds with a top speed of 90 mph.
6 Ferrari LaFerrari: 9,250 RPM
Ferrari unveiled the Ferrari La Ferrari at the 2013 Geneva auto show. This beauty was the first Ferrari to use a hybrid powertrain. Ferrari assembled only 499 units of the Ferrari LaFerrari between 2013 and 2016.
Under the hood of this Italian beauty sits a 6.3-liter V-12 engine that pushes 800 ponies at 9000 rpm and 516 lb-ft of torque at 6,750 rpm. While the electric motor pushes 163 ponies and 199 lb-ft of torque. When you combine these outputs the Ferrari LaFerrari hybrid engine pushes 936 ponies and can rev up to 9,250 rpm. This beauty can sprint from 0- 60 mph in under 3 seconds.
5 Porsche 918 Spyder: 9,150 RPM
Porsche unveiled the production version of the Porsche 918 Spyder in September 2013 at the Frankfurt motor show. The 918 Spyder had a starting price of $845,000.
The 918 Spyder was powered by a naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V-8 engine that was paired to an electric motor that pushes 875 horsepower and 944 lb-ft of torque. This beast had a top speed of 214 mph and could sprint from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds. The Spyder’s V8 engine can rev up to 9,150 rpm.
4 Honda S2000: 9,000 RPM
In 1995 at the Tokyo motor show, Honda unveiled the Honda S2000 as a concept car. The production version of this Japanese sports car was launched on 15 April 1999 when Honda was celebrating its 50th Anniversary.
This Japanese beauty was powered by Honda's famous naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder VTEC engine that pushed 237 horsepower and 153 lb-ft of torque. The engine fed the S2000 more power as the rpms increased, giving it an unforgettable scream. The S2000 sprinted from 0-60 in 6.2 seconds, with a top speed of 150 mph.
3 Ferrari 458: 9,000 RPM
The Ferrari 458 Italia made its debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. It was named as the successor to the F430. The 458 Italia had a starting price of $239,340. Currently, the actual selling price might even be higher as they are no longer in production.
This Italian masterpiece is powered by a 4.5-liter V8 engine that mates to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This V-8 engine pushes 562 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 398 lb-ft of torque at 6000 rpm. This fire-spitting beauty accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds.
2 Porsche 911 (991) GT3 RS: 8,800 RPM
Porsche introduced the nameplate 911 GT3 in 1999 as a successor to the 1973 911 RS. In 2015 at the Geneva Motor Show Porsche unveiled the 911(991) GT3 RS. This German machine had updated styling and technology but it retained its traditionally naturally aspirated engine. Under its hood sat a flat-six engine that revved and redlined at 8,800 rpm.
This beauty is powered by a 4.0-liter flat-six engine that pushes 500 horsepower and 399 lb-ft of torque. The Porsche 911 (991) GT3 RS accelerated from 0- 60 mph in 3.3 seconds.
1 Audi R8 V10 Plus: 8,700 RPM
Audi is popularly known for its stylish, tech-friendly, vehicles that are equipped with the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. When Audi unveiled the R8 V10 plus it was known for demonstrating the superiority of all-wheel drive on a racecar.
A 5.2-liter V-10 engine that mates to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission powered this firecracker. This engine pushed 610 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. The Audi R8 V10 plus accelerated from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds. This German beauty redlines at 8,500 rpm.