Force equals mass multiplied by acceleration. This is why manufacturers and motorsport teams from around the world work tirelessly to reduce the weight of their cars. The lower the weight of the car, the more power they can get out of the entire package.
Modern manufacturing technologies have been developed to help reduce the weight of performance cars. The most famous being the adoption of carbon fiber. What makes carbon fiber so special is that it helps reduce weight without sacrificing strength. This makes it a more premium option for automakers instead of just adding in plastic parts
Manufacturers of high-end sports cars have perfected their designs in order to make powerful, lightweight supercars. Looking for a list of the lightest performance cars? You’ve got it. Here are some of the lightest performance cars money can buy.
10 Lotus Exige – 2,458 lbs.
The Lotus Exige is a two-door sports car launched by Lotus back in 2000. With over 10,000 units produced, it's one of the most popular and powerful British sports cars on the market today. The incredible sports car came in a neatly wrapped body that managed to weigh just 2,458 lbs.
While Lotus did release a number of different models over the years, the lightest version of the iconic British sports car was the Lotus Exige Sport 380. This 375 HP sports car managed to accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 3.5 seconds, with an ultimate top speed of around 178 miles per hour.
9 Aston Martin Valkyrie - 2,646 lbs.
Aston Martin is known for creating elegant-looking performance coupes. However, they have always had a motorsports heritage. The V8 Vantage and even the DBS hinted at the performance capabilities of the brand, but nothing comes close to the Valkyrie.
The Valkyrie is a limited-edition track-focused supercar from Aston Martin. This insane supercar comes with a V12 engine that can produce 1,160 HP and 664 lb-ft of torque. The Valkyrie comes with tons of carbon fiber. This makes it one of the lightest performance cars in the world at just 2,646 lbs.
8 McLaren F1 - 2,509 lbs.
The McLaren F1 was designed to showcase the advanced technologies from McLaren’s Formula 1 team. This supercar was designed with a 6.1-liter V12 engine that could produce 620 HP with ease, with an engine bay lined with pure gold.
Production of the McLaren F1 was limited and time-consuming. McLaren even stated that over 3,000 hours were needed for each carbon fiber chassis. Yes, the supercar features a carbon fiber chassis, listed as one of the first road cars to ever feature one. Even the toolkit that came with the car was designed from aluminum to save overall weight.
7 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento - 2,202 lbs.
The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento was designed from the ground up to be one of the lightest Lamborghinis with one of the best power-to-weight ratios in the entire industry. The V10 power unit manages to produce 562 HP and 398 lb-ft of torque.
This impressive powertrain allows the car to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds. This makes it one of the fastest Lamborghinis you can get your hands on today. Furthermore, this limited-edition Lamborghini was produced from 2010 to 2012, with only 20 units making it to the road.
6 Gordon Murray T50 - 2,174 lbs.
The Gordon Murray T.50 is one of the few rear-wheel-drive supercars on the market. The mid-engined coupe comes with a central driving position with two passenger seats. Notably, the supercar has a 4-liter V12 engine that produces 654 HP and 344 lb-ft of torque.
This impressive supercar may be lightweight, but it comes with an incredibly heavy price tag. A Gordon Murray T50 is estimated to set you back around $3 million. This makes it more expensive than most Ferraris and Lamborghinis on the market.
5 KTM X-Bow - 1,740 lbs.
The KTM X-Bow is an ultra-light sports car that was initially launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 2008. This dynamic car made use of a turbocharged, four-cylinder Audi engine. This managed to produce 237 HP and 230 lb-ft of torque. With a top speed of 135 miles per hour, this quickly became one of the most popular track cars in the world.
In 2011, the X-Bow's powertrain was updated to produce 300 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque. KTM managed to drop the weight of the sports car by including tons of carbon fiber throughout the car's design. The success of this car enabled KTM to build even more sports cars which include the dynamic X-Bow GT4.
4 Radical SR10 - 1,598 lbs.
If you're looking for a durable track toy to throw around on weekends, look no further than the Radical SR10. This dynamic sports car is made for track enthusiasts and racers that want a turbocharged go-kart. The SR10 comes with a 425 HP engine that can propel the lightweight sports car from rest to 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds.
The lightweight design from Radical includes carbon fiber throughout the body and interior. The car also comes with a racing-style steering wheel that has all the controls you need to tune the car perfectly around any track. While this car was designed to go up against the Ariel Atom and BAC Mono, it has far more power than both of them. This makes it the perfect choice for power-hungry track enthusiasts.
3 Ariel Atom - 1,349 Lbs.
If you're looking for a road legal go-kart, then the Ariel Atom is made for you. The Atom is one of the most popular open-wheel cars to ever make its way to the road. Designed by the Ariel Motor Company, the British sports car was released back in 2000, and the company has grown to release quite a number of new models over the years.
The first generation of the Atom comes with a 190 HP engine while the Atom 2 bumped this up to 300 HP. While the Atom has been upgraded further, the design has remained lightweight to provide you with the ultimate race experience every time you get in the car.
2 BAC Mono – 1,248 lbs.
The BAC Mono is a super lightweight sports car designed to be the closest thing to a single-seater racer that you can take on the road. This unique sports car comes with a special open-top design and a motorsport-inspired steering wheel to allow you to control various settings while on track.
Notably, the sports car is powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that can produce 305 HP with ease. The chassis and body of the sports car are almost entirely made from carbon fiber. This gives it a lightweight design while still keeping the entire car stiff and secure on the road.
1 Caterham 7 - 1,190 lbs.
The Caterham 7 is an extremely lightweight sports car from the United Kingdom. This powerful sports car is based on the Lotus 7 from the late '50s. It has a distinct retro style while still providing you with the modern technology and automation needed to enjoy an all-out track day.
The Caterham 7 comes in a few different models. The base model comes with an 84 HP powerplant that pushes it from rest to 60 mph in just 6.9 seconds. However, the top-of-the-range model comes with a 175 HP engine that can send it to a top speed of around 132 miles per hour on track.