There are truly two types of people when it comes to choosing an automobile: those who favor speed and the overall enjoyment of their driving experience, and those who simply don't care how fast they can go and just need a vehicle that moves from point A to point B with no frills or worries.
Both thought processes are valid, of course, which is why automotive manufacturers recognize this and create cars for both types of people. Ranked here are the five fastest production vehicles currently available on the market in the United States, as well as the five slowest production vehicles currently available as well.
10 Fastest: Porsche 911 GT2 RS
It is nearly impossible to make a list of the top sporting cars on the planet without including a model from Porsche, the brand that puts racing DNA first and foremost in all design processes. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is proof of what the 911 could do when put fully to the test, accentuating every basic element of itself, buffed in power and appearance, yet lowered in weight.
The GT2 RS is a serious contender for most capable track vehicle in the lineup, and the buttery smooth Porsche PDK transmission makes manipulating the car's massive power a breeze as well. Although technically the "slowest" of the fastest cars, its serious punch coupled with the advanced handling dynamics it boasts cements it as one of the most well-rounded candidates on this list.
9 Slowest: Ford Fiesta 1.0L
The tiniest Ford car, stripped of its slightly bigger engine and sports trim, is a ridiculously slow vehicle that is there to simply fill the basic necessity of moving from point A to point B. These sorts of runarounds are just perfect for some needs, of course.
Not an electric vehicle like others on this list, the Fiesta is just a slow, standard, normal combustion engine strapped to a sub-compact hatchback.
8 Fastest: Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
For refinement coupled with violent acceleration, the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is the perfect vehicle. Although it is notable that Aston Martins are sports cars, they have often put such an emphasis on form and detail for the occupants of the vehicle to enjoy.
This is such a departure from the traditional design language of high-performance cars, which usually opt for minimalist features to focus on speed. The vehicle, which is handcrafted through and through, allows for buyers in this segment to enjoy a similar level of refinement to, say, something like a Rolls Royce, while still keeping up with something like the Spartan-yet-violently-fast Corvette.
7 Slowest: Chevrolet Spark
The Chevrolet Spark takes the idea of a fully electric vehicle and puts it in a slightly more usable package size-wise, however that doesn't change the fact still that the car is inherently painfully slow.
Its basic design and low capacity for power make it an often overlooked model in the Chevrolet lineup, and for that reason alone potential buyers may be able to score when in pursuit of a new Spark, as dealers are often priced-to-move on these particular cars.
6 Fastest: Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
A car steeped in prestige and lore, the Corvette is an American staple when it comes to sports cars, and has been so for over half of a century by now. However, it has taken until now for the designers in Chevrolet's racing division to apply some serious hauling power to the cornerstone American sports car, and that comes in the form of the ZR1.
Departures from the normal Corvette include, well, almost everything. The ZR1 looks as aggressive as its former brother, the Dodge Viper, and eats the road as it did too. A further modified engine and a ridiculous amount of exterior upgrades make the ZR1 hard to miss amongst even a group of Corvettes, and give it the necessary supplements to be able to run with the other big boys on this list.
5 Slowest: Smart ForTwo
Unsurprisingly enough, the next entry for slowest cars on the road comes in the form of one of the modern day's most well-known and controversial car designs, the Smart ForTwo. As the name implies, the car is literally made for two people and is the smallest production vehicle available on the American market today.
Full electric vehicle capabilities drew in buyers interested in the new technology initially, but with the market now flooded with bigger and more capable EVs, it seems as though the ForTwo affinity in the United States will dwindle.
4 Fastest: Ford GT
The Ford GT is another vehicle based heavily in design and execution around the term "innovative," and innovative it is. The Ford GT's prowess comes not only from its speed but the fact that it is a supercar unlike any other available on the market today. A carbon body and aluminum-based frame keep the vehicle light and rigid, while the controversial 3.5 liter "EcoBoost" V6 powers the car to over 200 miles per hour.
Now, when thinking supercar, it's rare to consider anything economical, or lower than 8 cylinders in the design process. However, Ford produced this new GT with the goal of redefining how to reach the potential of a supercar using unconventional techniques, and it paid off. Just as well today as it did when the original GT gave Ferrari a run for its money in the supercar realm decades ago.
3 Slowest: Toyota Prius C
The Prius carved its name out in the American market in the early 2000s as the first well-received and mass-produced hybrid vehicle on the market. Buyers loved (and continue to love) the Prius for its usability, versatility, and reliability.
However, all of those factors combined don't detract from the fact that the car is so slow it legitimately makes zero noise under a certain mile per hour and can take forever to even reach highway speeds.
2 Fastest: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
The sheer level of design and research that went into creating the special Lamborghini Aventador SVJ deems it worthy of this spot in itself, but luckily for this hyper fast car, it has plenty of other features that afford it its pedigree. Produced in only a run of 800 models, the SVJ takes the already fast and prestigious Aventador platform and dials it way up.
Practically the entire car is carbon fiber or a combination of other super lightweight materials. Further, its steering system manipulates all four wheels for better handling under stress, and each body line and entry point in the molding is placed strategically to channel air in and around the car, to allow for maximized aerodynamics.
1 Slowest: Mitsubishi Mirage G4S
When it comes to slow cars, there is literally nothing on the market slower than the Mitsubishi Mirage G4S. A sub-compact four-door sedan that only makes 78 horsepower to the crank means that this car won't be getting up and going anywhere anytime soon.
With this aside, the only plus that can be mentioned with this model is a higher fuel economy and economy on the driver overall when it comes to purchasing, but otherwise, it is an absolute slouch.