When it comes to technology, innovation, driving pleasure, and great use of the finest materials, German cars shine the brightest among their peers. Marques like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen Group all have a rich, eventful history and a brand image built on a variety of German engineering achievements.

Germany's high-quality engineering and manufacturing means high-performance vehicles arriving from the Central European country are brutes capable of dispensing stupendous horsepower. Not all German sports cars, however, are created equal when it comes to prodigious power output. And with that in mind, we've identified the most powerful German sports cars you can buy right now.

10 2023 Porsche 718 Spyder – 414 HP

White 2023 Porsche 718 Spyder
Porsche

The Porsche 718 Spyder is the most powerful version of the 718 Boxster convertible and a worthy heir to the German engineering tradition. The lightweight mid-engined roadster has a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-6 that pushes out 414 horsepower with a press of the accelerator, allowing you to reach 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and the quarter mile in 11.8 seconds at 119 mph.

Like the rest of the Boxster lineup, the range-topping 718 Spyder is lauded for its excellent driving manners, with many reviewers claiming the experience is equaled only in much more expensive supercars.

9 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 53 AMG Coupe – 429 HP

2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 53 AMG Coupe
Mercedes-Benz

With 429 horsepower on tap from its supercharged turbo 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 53 AMG Coupe is potent enough to feature on our list of the most powerful German sports cars you can buy today.

That power is routed to all wheels via a slick-shifting nine-speed automatic transmission. The transmission can also be operated manually via steering wheel paddle shifters.

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8 2023 Audi RS 5 Coupe Competition Plus – 444 HP

2023 Audi RS5 Coupe Competition Plus' Exterior
Audi

The Audi RS 5 Coupe has developed a reputation for being boring due in part to sound insulation that makes the engine largely dull to listen to. However, for all its faults, this model is plenty powerful. The 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 engine generates an impressive 444 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, pairing with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a rear-biased Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Also, what gearheads used to criticize for being boring is now kind of exciting, thanks to the optional Competition package, which includes an aggressively tuned suspension, sticky street-capable Pirelli Corsa P Zero track tires for safety-enhancing grip, as well as a unique RS exhaust system that produces a richer-sounding exhaust note.

7 2023 BMW M2 – 453 HP

2023 BMW M2 G87
BMW

The M2 is all-new for 2023 and carries on BMW's tradition of excellence, boasting one of the most powerful engines among German sports cars. Its 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six produces 453 horsepower – 48 more hp than a 2021 M2 Competition – allowing you to reach 60 mph in 3.9 seconds when specified with the available eight-speed automatic transmission (a six-speed manual is standard).

The top speed in appropriate conditions is 155 mph. However, opting for the M Driver's Package raises this further to 177 mph.

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6 2023 Porsche Cayman GT4 RS – 493 HP

Gray 2023 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS
Porsche

If you're after a driving experience that is as refined as it is powerful, a 2023 Porsche Cayman GT4 RS would be right up your alley. Endowed with lightweight construction, significant downforce, and confidence-inspiring handling dynamics, this car is an absolute joy to drive in every respect.

At the heart of the exceptional driving experience that the Cayman GT4 RS offers is a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter flat-6 making 493 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. This translates into a blisteringly fast 0-60 mph time of 2.8 seconds and a quarter mile time of 11.0 seconds at 126 mph.

5 2023 BMW M4 Competition – 503 HP

BMW M4 Competition - Front Quarter
BMW

Generous enough to share its powertrain with its small siblings, the M2 and base M4, the M4 Competition's 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 engine makes 503 horsepower – 50 more hp than the M2 and 30 more ponies than the regular M4.

Despite the output gap, the M4 is only 0.1 seconds faster than an M2, as 0-60 mph is achieved in 3.8 seconds.

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4 2023 Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe S – 503 HP

2023 Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe
Mercedes-AMG

You'd expect a car with a hand-built twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine to be energetic, and the 2023 Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe S certainly is. With 503 horses on tap, the AMG C63 Coupe S delivers effortlessly superior performance in any situation. Well, almost. For all its impeccable manners, driving this car in the wet should require some effort, considering it comes only with a rear-wheel drive configuration.

As for pace, the AMG C63 Coupe S reaches 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and clears the quarter mile in 12.0 seconds at 121 mph.

3 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL63 – 577 HP

2023 Mercedes-AMG SL63 on snow
Mercedes-AMG

Speaking of driving confidently on any terrain, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL63 should allow that, since it comes standard with an all-wheel drive system. Its powertrain is a hand-crafted twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 lifted from the Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe, although boosted to provide 577 horses here – as against 523 hp in the AMG GT and 550 hp in the GT C.

As you'd expect, acceleration is super-quick, with 0 to 60 mph reached in 3.0 seconds. That's 0.6 seconds faster than an AMG GT and 0.7 seconds better than a GT C.

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2 2023 Audi R8 AWD – 602 HP

Red 2023 Audi R8 GT
Audi 

In keeping with its supercar pedigree, the 2023 Audi R8 has a robust powertrain that will wow almost anyone. The 5.2-liter V10 makes 602 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, with that power sent to all four wheels through a dual-clutch 7-speed automatic transmission fit with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Acceleration from zero to 60 mph takes 3 seconds flat; the top speed is 204 mph.

1 2023 Porsche 911 Turbo S – 640 HP

Gray 2023 Porsche 911 Turbo S - Front Quarter
Porsche

As far as powerful German sports cars are concerned, the Porsche 911 Turbo S has no equal. Equipped with a 640-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.7-liter flat-six engine, this car rockets to 60 mph in just 2.1 seconds and covers the quarter mile in an impressive 9.9 seconds at 138 mph.

Of course, 'exciting' continues to be an ever-present term in its list of attributes, thanks to the Turbo S' enhanced handling and superior cornering ability.